Across the Altiplano

Crossing the Lago Titicaca

I have now crossed into Peru where I'm soaking up the Inca ruins around Cuzco, with the Machu Pichu on the menu tomorrow! Below are some pictures from Bolivia, the mines at Potosi which I mentioned in the last post, Sucre, Cochabamba (where I stayed with my cousin Diana's former host family), La Paz and then the Lago Titicaca and the Isla del Sol!

Sucre is a pleasant town, where Bolivian independance was declared. Not much happens there, its just pleasant to wander around, and you can see some dinosaur footprints which are quite intriguing, although the organisation means that you can only stare at them through a telescope from 150m away! There is a village nearby called Tarabuco, famous for its fine cloth and it really feels like heading back in the past when you see the villagers in their traditional clothes. Generally Bolivia feels a bit in the past, the traditional garments still dominate, women still have their traditional two braids, and it does not feel like its changing much. Its a bit of a sad place as the country has so much wealth with its minerals and petrol, but the wealth is so badly distributed. I had a bit of a scare in Sucre when I turned up to my hostel to head to Cochabamba, and all my stuff had been removed from the luggage storage room. For a few minutes, I had the disastrous feeling I had lost everything, clothes, passport, souvenirs, only to find out later the people I was travelling with were making the most of April Fools.

In Cochabamba, I met up with Alejandro, the remaining member of the family my cousin Diana stayed with. The rest of the family (except for the Uncle and Aunt) have migrated to the US. It was great to see where my cousin stayed all these years ago, and to get a taste for life in Cochabamba with Alejandro. He made sure I got to see all the sites, and even dragged me to the gym which was a bit of a shock as sport has not been the focus of this trip...

La Paz really is a crazy city, mainly for its location at 3750m. Its a real struggle walking up the hilly streets. There are some things to see, but overall it wasn't exactly Buenos Aires in terms of entertainment and things to see and do. On Good Friday it was illegal for bars and shops to sell alcohol which was surprising.

The final stop in Bolivia was Copacabana and the Isla del Sol. Copacabana is a reasonably pleasant lakeside town, famous for its cathedral and people take their new cars their to get them blessed! A sort of modern pilgrimage! The real beauty in the area though lies on the Isla del Sol, a former Inca religious site which just has some really incredible landscapes to soak up, not to mention the friendly people and the Inca ruins. I had the most authentic indigenous experience on my trip so far, staying with an Aymara family there. For a voluntary contribution they let me stay in a very rustic bed(!!!), and I ate with them and we shared stories about how they lived and the differences with Europe. It was really quite special being in there with the family as it went about its routines. Isla del Sol really is amazing, not least because it has absolutely no roads. Hiking around on it feels like something out of the Legend of Zelda, I loved it. Cuzco is distinctly more touristy but I'll get on to that in my next post...

Heading into the Potosi mines

Our guide demonstrating how to use dynamite

Dyamite is as regulated as Coke in Potosi!

Potosi market

Corroded devices used for mixing chemicals

Machine for processing silver...

Bags of silver...

Mounds of silver!!!

Looking towards the Potosi mines...

Rickety rails and carriages leading towards the mine

Struggling to get some lead out

Dark and clostrophobic

Taking a rest to let the tourists pass

The dark dark mines...

Another procession of fancy huts

Hot pool with wicked scenery!

Watch your speed!

Money press in Potosi with encina wood brought from Spain!

How do you open the safe?

Dinosaur footprints in Sucre

Making blankets...

Streets of Sucre

Mercado de Tarabuco

Locals in Tarabuco

Shifting goods...

Coca leaves at the market

Hot peppers!!!

Selling ice cream!

Palm Sunday

Middle of the night bus stop

Cochabamba main square

Cochabamba cathedral

Damage to town hall from protests...

What the fire did...

With Alejandro by the Christo in Cochabamba!

Overlooking Cochabamba

People like their pollo frito!

Sta Teresa courtyard...

Old van

Alejandro chilling

Lunch with Alejandro and his aunt and uncle..

Some of Alejandro's artwork

French looking mansion!

Alejandro doing business!

Downtown Cochabamba

Some artesan produce...

The immense La Paz

Tihuanaco!

They had to contain this poor man and his bottles in barbed wire!

Semana Santa procession preparations

Locals in Tihuanaco

Spot the hats...

Semana Santa procession in Tihuanaco

The minivan breaks down...

La Paz by night...

La Paz witchmarket stand...

Llama foetuses for the pachamama

Bolivian centre of politics!

Plaza Murillo

Hats galore...

The oldest street in La Paz...

Buses creaking around

Food market in La Paz

Very smelly fish!

The wealthier parts of La Paz

Snowcapped peaks on the horizon

Easter mass

Little cross handiwork

Little girl heading to the Lago Titicaca

Dodgy ferries!

Copacabana emptied out after semana santa

Sunset over the Lago Titicaca

Not a bad attempt at a fryup!

Copacabana

Inca staircase on the Isla del Sol...

Views from Yumani

Ancient path on the Isla del Sol

Very peaceful landscape

Ruins at Chincana

Sacrifice table?

Inside my mudhut!

Sunrise at Challapampa!

Preparing mate de coca...

Don Alfonso and family who had me to stay in Challapampa!

Mule enjoying the sunrise...

More mules...

Crossing the fields to get to school...

Little girl with her school books...

Beautiful terraces in Yumani under a beautiful bright morning sun

Link to the next post:

Into Bolivia and the Salar de Uyuni