From La Paz to Lake Titicaca

La Paz was a pretty crazy city:



The black market is the main area where people buy anything and everything:



From La Paz, we decided to bike down "the world's most dangerous road". It was touristy, but fun. The kilometre drop-offs were less fun. Even more less fun (does that even make sense in English?) was driving back up the world's most dangerous road at night in the rain (our driver decided not to return via the safer alternative route.. ugh). Anyways, we survived, and here are some photos:

From the jungle (see other post) we went back to La Paz. What was supposed to be an overnight stay turned out to be a bit longer thanks to the Bolivian specialty that we´ll call ¨stomach and fever attack¨. We eventually left La Paz for Sorata, where we were thinking of doing some hiking. Upon our arrival we were informed that there was a ¨possibility¨ (although we were assured low) of being robbed at gunpoint along the hikes. This little nugget of information was enough for us to make an executive decision to leave Sorata the next day. That morning we took a 14 passenger van to a drop off point, and then another 14 passenger van to Copacabana. No gun-point robberies (to our knowledge) in Copacabana so we decided to make something of it. (By the way, when we say '14 passenger van', we mean that there are 14 seats, not necessarily 14 passengers. At one point there were 17 passengers, 3 kids and a dog.).

View of the valley where Sorata is located.

The drop-off point (Huarina) where we changed vans to Copacabana. The driver of our first van confidently told us that another van would show up soon and that we should wave it down. Surprisingly, a van showed up 5 minutes later.

A view of where we stayed on Isla del Sol (Lake Titicaca). It´s a small town called Challapampa, at the North end of the island.

Sacrificial table where the Inca would offer goats and young girls for protection from the gods.

Along our walk of the ruins on Isla del Sol.

Scenery of the northern tip of the island.

More scenery. (We quite liked the island).

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. When on Isla del SOL (Google translate if you find the need), watch the sunset. Side note: We did not watch the sun RISE as this would have involved getting up at the coldest point of the night, walking to the look-out point and then claiming to enjoy the sun rise and say that it was worth it.

Setting, setting, setting.....

Hasta manana.

View of the Lake at night.

Sometimes people think they´re clever and can take ¨cool¨ artistic pictures. (Julian, FYI).

On one of the days on the island we walked along the coastal path to the southern end of the island. We walked through villages and said ¨hola¨ a lot. It was pretty.

View of the Cordillera Real with Lake Titicaca in the foreground.

Bolivian Amazon

Needing a break from the altiplano, we spent 2 weeks (mas o menos) in the Bolivian Amazon. A couple days in Rurrenebaque, but most of our time in the small community of San Miguel del Bala and their corresponding eco-lodge. In the community we stayed with a family and experienced their day-to-day lives without electricity and reliable running water.


Typical boat ride on the Beni river.



The community´s football pitch.
















Our family´s kitchen and eating area. All the food was prepared over a fire, usually with ducklings roaming around.
















The community´s school. (We were meant to teach English lessons for a week, but these were cancelled due to necessary preparations for Mother´s day).

A poster in the school showing the English pronunciation in Spanish phonetics. Éiti zri??
















One of our family´s fields where we helped plant some cocoa trees.

Check out the afro and bell bottoms on this lady.




















Another shot of the community.


















Beni River.


















Our family´s home, surrounded by orange and grapefruit trees. Needless to say we overdosed on vitamin C. (That´s me squeezing the juice out of an orange).

Julian husking rice. This was an intense daily job. Julian´s manhood was slightly bruised when he was outclassed by a mother of four. His hands also suffered physically. Overall not the ego-booster he had hoped for.

Bamboo to be used for a radio antenae.

Orange tree, avocado tree.

After staying with our family for 5 days, we went to the eco-lodge to help out. Unfortunately our help wasn´t always welcome, and we were lucky to have Lasse and Malene (Denmark) to hang out with and make pancakes when there wasn´t enough food.

Next, we did a tour to Madidi National Park (National Geographic March 2000 issue for those who (or whose parents) keep every issue), with Lasse and Malene for a couple days. Here´s the boat trip in.

So much vegetation! (Of course it is all in the canopy.. not in the soil).

Well helloooo there mister Capibara.

Again, so much vegetation.

Many trees have developed defense mechanisms to keep their fruit from hungry animals.

Jaguar track.

Lasse, Malene & Julian on the way to our accomodation.

This tree uses it´s 'arms' to shift while it grows in order to catch sunlight.

Classic epiphyte.

Ant nest. Our guide tapped it and 500 (give or take) tiny ants emerged.

This tree is actually strangling another tree. It starts growing at the top of an existing tree, and then works its way down, gradually killing the original tree.