It was so nice to be with my dad. I'd never traveled with him before so I was excited for everything we were going to do. First of all, La Paz is huge! We took a cable car down the mountain from the upper part of the city into the lower part. It was about a ten minute ride. Everywhere brick houses with rusted tin roofs lined the hills as far as the eye could see. We didn't really have any plans or ideas on what we were going to do the first day so we walked around La Paz for about five hours looking in small shops, admiring the souvenirs and mostly wandering around hopelessly lost but happy at our present condition. It was overcast but dad and I had some pretty sunburned faces by the time we reached our hostel that we were staying at for the night. Once there, I got a fantastic surprise. There was internet and not only that, it was super fast which was so nice since the internet back in Rurrenabaque is snail pace. Still, I can't complain about that because there IS internet in town and that's more than I was expecting when I arrived in Bolivia.
By the time dusk arrived, the temperature had dropped to 56 degrees and I was FREEZING! I sense some serious weather adaption problems in my future when I arrive back in the states.
The next day we took a four hour bus ride to go to Lake Titicaca. On our way, we passed through a poorer than poor area. There were houses that were as small as my room back home, muddy pigs and dogs wandered the dirt roads and the women walked around in their native shawls, thick skirts and bowler hats perched on top of their heads. I don't understand the whole hat thing but almost every elderly Bolivian women wears them.
I'm not exactly sure if they wear these funny hats because it's a cultural thing or a way to show their wealth but our tour guide told me that a good hat like that in La Paz could cost over 1,000 bs.
Other than the extravagant hats, poverty was everywhere and as we drove through the middle of it, I felt completely hopeless to do anything about it and unable to help them in any way. Their way of life is the only thing they know but it really made the fact that I have a roof over my head, clothes to keep me warm and money in my pocket to buy my lunch all seem like such huge blessings and not something that I should be taking for granted. I easily could have been born in their situation but for some reason God chose to put me in a good house with a loving family, safety and security and I am thankful.
Lake Titicaca is huge! We arrived at one of the narrower parts of the lake and had to cross in a small motor boat while our bus waited for a bigger flat motor boat. I'd never seen a lake where I couldn't see the end of it until I saw Lake Titicaca. I could see the curve of the earth as the water met the sky and it was a pretty incredible sight.
Once we took a couple hour break at the lake to do some sight seeing, we headed for the Peru border where I had a surprise awaiting me. I got my Bolivian residency for the year so that I can work at Familia Feliz but the only thing about being a resident is that you have to pay a lot of money every time you want to leave the country. All the tourists happily got their passports stamped then walked into Peru and got on their bus while I searched my purse to pay the fee. I'm still confused as to why they charge me to leave their country.
After that, my dad and I took an all night bus to Cusco Peru. I wanted to make so many Emperor's New Groove references since the main characters name is Kuzco in the animated film, but my dad hasn't seen the movie so I refrained and decided that we'd have to watch the movie together when I go back to the states.
Our hostel had hot water and I had my first hot shower since October when I'd gone home for my sister's wedding. It was amazing! The rest of the day was spent wandering around town and planning more of our trip. We're more planning it as we go.
There is so much information to say about our trip but since I don't want to write a 10,000 word blog, I'll condense.
In Cusco, we drank some horrible coffee which made me suspicious about all future coffee that I thought about buying while in Peru then the next day we took a drive into the mountains to a train station that would take us to the city below Machu Pichu. The train took us right along the Andes Mountains and they were breathtaking! It was an hour and a half train ride but I couldn't stop staring out the window at the river rapids, the enormous mountains and the lush greenery encompassing everything.
The town of Machu Pichu is quaint, has a lot of tourist shops, restaurants and people. We had a scare about our Machu Pichu tickets but everything worked out in the end, praise God, and we were able to get on the bus and make it up to the ruins by 6:15 the next morning.
I don't even know how to describe one of the seven wonders of the world. I stood in awe of the view and took lots of pictures before the clouds covered the ruins. I don't know how the Inca people were able to carry all those rocks up the top of the mountain to construct their houses and temple. We were glad we had gotten there so early because after an hour or so, the clouds came in thick and covered up everything. We'd already taken our far away pictures and were content wandering the ruins and posing with llamas (Again, so many Emperor's New Groove opportunities).
It was a pretty spectacular day and one I won't forget in all my life.
So happy you had this time traveling with dad! And exciting you could visit this wonder. You didn't mention altitude sickness so you must have gotten by without it. Yea!!
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