Relaxing Copacabana and the Hustle of La Paz

Buenos tardes!

We are about halfway through our trip and it seems to be going by slowly, which is a great feeling. We still have so much to see and do, it is hard to think we only have 22 more days.

Copacabana, Bolivia - a great little town on the shores of Lake Titicaca. Although we caught the nice sunny weather and were able to relax a bit for the first time since we started traveling, the altitude of where we currently are is starting to catch up to us. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, and we were reminded of that when trying to catch our breath walking up a flight of stairs.

Relaxing in the hammocks of our hostel, overlooking Lake Titicaca and Copacabana.

We took a two day trip to the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) a two hour boat ride from Copacabana and stayed the night overlooking the lake backed by the ice caps of the Andes. Yes, we were about 12,500 feet above sea level. The sun is brutally fierce up here and my poor nose is starting to feel the affects.

We were able to catch the local Festival of Copacabana, a celebration where indigenous people from around the region were able to display their traditional song and dance along with long-established clothing and props. From young to old, this festival drew a huge crowd in fromt of the munincipal building in the main square. We were lucky to be able to experience such a celebration considering we stumbled upon it randomly and it only lasted for that one day.

Dancers at the Festival of Copacabana

If you ever plan to go to Copacabana, be sure to bring plenty of money with you as there are no ATMs or banks there to bail you out when you are running low. Liora found herself out of cash and good thing I had enough to get us out of there, otherwise we would have been stuck selling our dirty socks for a bus ticket. So once we were satisfied with being near the water and getting all caught up on our rest, as well as experiencing what seems to be a good place for a south American spring break, we caught a tourist bus to La Paz. A measly 4 hours, but we are getting really good at this bussing thing.

La Paz is quite a big city to my surprise, and it feels even bigger on foot. Narrow sidewalks and heavy traffic make it an adventure to roam. Although slightly lower than Copacabana (200 or so meters), I am still taking things slow and trying to mentally regulate my rapid heartbeat. We ate at the first Indian restaurant we´ve come across and it was refreshingly spicy. So spicy in fact that I won my own t-shirt for finishing ¨the world´s most dangerous vindaloo¨. It was daring, and it was very, very hot (so much to the point that I had sweat beads running down my forehead), but it was so worth it considering the local food hasn´t been kicked up to the picante taste I´ve been hoping for. I think the amount of spice in this one meal will last me the rest of the trip.

The famous "Witches market" in La Paz.

The second feat I had in La Paz, which resulted in a second free t-shirt, was a mountain biking trek down ¨The World´s Most Dangerous Road.¨ Two people, that I know of, have fallen to their untimely deaths this year alone, and hundreds of other accidents have occured. Don´t get me wrong, it is extremely dangerous for the cockey, ignorant bikers who choose to not take it seriously. On the other hand, thousands have been down it and live to tell the tale. I had a blast with three other guys from the UK, and we all went down at our own speeds (I was the fastest, of course) and with a great guide. If you are to attempt this trip, all I say is don´t go for the cheapest price you can find. More than likely cheap means cheap bikes. Get a good, reputable company with solid performing mountain bikes and you will be well on your way to having the time of your life dropping nearly 3,600 meters in 45kms of bumpy, dirt road lined with thousand-foot precipices. It took about 4 hours and ended with a buffet and a poolside beer, all included of course. Must I remind you, tackling the road and all its heights are not for the faint of heart.

One wrong move on the "Death Road" = Game. Over.

The rest of out time in La Paz was spent walking around the town, visiting the famous Witches Market that was filled with natural cures for your every ailment, aphrodisiacs, local goods and drying dead llamas, as well as touristy items to fit your every need. We also visited the Coca Museum that explained the history and use of the coca leaf. For over 4,500 years it has been used to cure fatigue, altitude sickness and minor aches, as well as used for local religious rituals and common trade. It is grown and harvested in the Andes and can be bought just about everywhere we have been. This is NOT cocaine, as most people might first think, although the leaf itself is the main ingredient for those producing the drug. Chewing the coca leaf is a well respected tradition and taken very seriously. I tried some for myself and indeed it wasn´t as bad as I thought. A bitter mass of semi-dry leaves accompanied by a slight chip of stone to release the plants alkaloids made my mouth numb and hulk green. I did feel alert and my appetite decresed, but in no way did I get a¨high¨ or ¨rush¨. You can also use the leaves to make tea or in some places find them in candy form.

A woman loading up a bag of coca leaves in a local market.

After only two quick days, we are off to Potosi - the world´s highest city to see the famous silver mines, and then dropping slightly to travel through the Uyuni salt flats to Chile. We are a bit nervous about going even higher up in altitude, but should be ok. My lips are chapped and I can´t breathe at night, but soon enough we will be back at sea level enjoying the great Chilean coast and massive amounts of seafood.