One would imagine that getting from Puno to La Paz by bus would be quite straightforward. Our experience was quite comical. We had booked tickets to go via Copacabana and across rather than around Lake Titicaca. Clare had been here 12 years ago and recommended that the trip from Copacabana to La Paz was quite fun and encompassed a short trip on a barge across the lake. It would take a bit longer than the direct bus, but the scenery promised to be worth it. About half and hour into our trip the bus conductor told us, and all others on the bus who were expecting to go on to La Paz from Copacabana, that we would have to change buses onto the direct bus which was waiting at the cross roads for us. Apparently there was some kind of "strike" in Copacabana and we would not be able to progress from there. We rather fancy that they realised that the direct bus had enough seats on it for the few of us who had booked the complete journey and, if they moved us onto it they would then not have to bother with another bus for from CCB to La Paz!!! Typical South American fobbing off.
The journey was still pretty enough as we skirted around the lake.
The border crossing was also an easy one.
We were pretty happy with our first glimpse of La Paz too.
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| A sprawling city high in the Andes |
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| Morning view from our hostel |
The first thing we noticed about La Paz was it's cable car, or teleferico, which inter-weaves its way through the sky. Swiss designed and costing approximately US$750mil, we were surprised to discover the rides were very cost effective. It is more a cable car for the average citizen to get to work rather than a tourist resource. Off we went for an adventure in the sky.
It was quite fun and beats walking the hills at this altitude to get these kinds of views.
As we arrived in La Paz, Clare was full up with a cold and James was not feeling great in the tummy. We found the local market to buy a bunch of fresh produce to make chicken soup. This is a good go-to meal when we need to feel better and we have a kitchen to use. We always try for homemade meals with fresh produce when we get the opportunity and the markets in South America certainly make this process very cheap and easy.
On the Saturday we ventured out onto the main street to be greeted by a carnival in full swing. Carnivals are plentiful in this part of the world and it never seems long before we come across another.
We found some delicious pork buns for lunch.
Delicious ice-cream for afters!
And time to clean the grime off ones boots.
Next to this cute wee guy :-)
And a stall where we could taste the different varieties of potatoes, which are delicious in South America, and corn (which is not so delicious here!)
We went for a wander in the tourist market and were perplexed to discover these dried llama fetuses for sale in the Witches Market. This is what Mr Google has to say about it .... "They are the most important part of an offering to Pachamama, a goddess that many Bolivians and Peruvians call Mother Earth. Together with candy, cotton and other small items the llama fetus is burned after which the ashes are buried under the house for protection. He also told me that they do not kill the llamas, but that they come from miscarriages. That explains why we saw them in so many different sizes."
For some time before arriving in La Paz we had been planning and looking forward to a journey to Coroico, in the tropical area of the Yungas. It is a couple of hours from La Paz by colectivo. The views were amazing, not unexpectedly.
Clare had been to Coroico numerous times when last in Bolivia. Back then it was accessible only by The Death Road. There is now a new (safer!) road for daily transportation purposes and the Death Road is now mainly used as an adventure cycle trail ........ all down hill and largely on gravel. We were hoping to do this trail (even though neither of us are cyclists!), another very popular tourist activity, but again, one we considered a must seeing as we were right there. Unfortunately, when the time came, we were both too unwell to make the trip. James still suffering with his tummy and Clare not yet able to shake her cold. Ai caramba! The best laid plans, as they say. Maybe it was just as well.
We had booked an Airbnb for our stay in Coroico. It turned out to be just what we needed for our collective recuperation. We had a whole house to ourselves just a 15 minute walk downhill from the village. Perched on the side of the hill, with no neighbours, we had a view to die for.
There wasn't much to do except enjoy the peace and tranquility, make the odd journey to the village for supplies and look forward to feeling better. Quite simple really.
Taking the colectivo back to La Paz, we had the worst driver imaginable. Oh, apart from the one who had crashed his van at the depot as we were arriving that morning. Anyway, our driver didn't understand what the gears were for and seemed to have no clue when to change up or down. The journey back up the mountain was a painfully slow one. But at least we got to see lots of cyclists setting off on their journey down the Death Road!
On arrival in La Paz that day we took a taxi straight to the bus station as we were heading for a friends place in Cochabamba. After telling our driver where we had just come from, he made a brief detour to show us the warehouses where the coca is stored. We also saw some flat deck trucks laden to overflowing with bales of the stuff. Yes, coca .... from which cocaine is derived. The Yungas is the main area where the legitimate supply of coca is grown. This they use for chewing and making tea. It really does help with altitude sypmtoms ... apparently!
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| The Andes in the distance - this was the steepest line |
It was quite fun and beats walking the hills at this altitude to get these kinds of views.
As we arrived in La Paz, Clare was full up with a cold and James was not feeling great in the tummy. We found the local market to buy a bunch of fresh produce to make chicken soup. This is a good go-to meal when we need to feel better and we have a kitchen to use. We always try for homemade meals with fresh produce when we get the opportunity and the markets in South America certainly make this process very cheap and easy.
On the Saturday we ventured out onto the main street to be greeted by a carnival in full swing. Carnivals are plentiful in this part of the world and it never seems long before we come across another.
 |
| Police dog obedience display |
Delicious ice-cream for afters!
And time to clean the grime off ones boots.
Next to this cute wee guy :-)
And a stall where we could taste the different varieties of potatoes, which are delicious in South America, and corn (which is not so delicious here!)
 |
| The dipping sauce is Llajuay (pronounced Yaqua) a spicy tomato salsa typical in Bolivia |
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| Narrow alley leading to the market |
Clare had been to Coroico numerous times when last in Bolivia. Back then it was accessible only by The Death Road. There is now a new (safer!) road for daily transportation purposes and the Death Road is now mainly used as an adventure cycle trail ........ all down hill and largely on gravel. We were hoping to do this trail (even though neither of us are cyclists!), another very popular tourist activity, but again, one we considered a must seeing as we were right there. Unfortunately, when the time came, we were both too unwell to make the trip. James still suffering with his tummy and Clare not yet able to shake her cold. Ai caramba! The best laid plans, as they say. Maybe it was just as well.
We had booked an Airbnb for our stay in Coroico. It turned out to be just what we needed for our collective recuperation. We had a whole house to ourselves just a 15 minute walk downhill from the village. Perched on the side of the hill, with no neighbours, we had a view to die for.
 |
| The view from the deck |
Taking the colectivo back to La Paz, we had the worst driver imaginable. Oh, apart from the one who had crashed his van at the depot as we were arriving that morning. Anyway, our driver didn't understand what the gears were for and seemed to have no clue when to change up or down. The journey back up the mountain was a painfully slow one. But at least we got to see lots of cyclists setting off on their journey down the Death Road!
On arrival in La Paz that day we took a taxi straight to the bus station as we were heading for a friends place in Cochabamba. After telling our driver where we had just come from, he made a brief detour to show us the warehouses where the coca is stored. We also saw some flat deck trucks laden to overflowing with bales of the stuff. Yes, coca .... from which cocaine is derived. The Yungas is the main area where the legitimate supply of coca is grown. This they use for chewing and making tea. It really does help with altitude sypmtoms ... apparently!
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