After a month of fairly intensive Spanish classes, it was time for a break. With Lisa, a fellow student from Switzerland, I headed North to the other capital of Bolivia, La Paz. The view of this city from above is breathtaking (literally, at 12,000 feet above sea level) and unlike any I have ever seen. Looking into the city from the El Alto area high above the city center is like looking down at the 50 yard line from the nosebleed seats. Picture an 800,000 seat Rose Bowl. Unfortunately, with the smog-filled air, it was tough to get a good picture.
After some time exploring the (cold) city, we headed off towards the sleepy town of Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca where we would catch a boat to the Isla del Sol. People from all over Bolivia and Peru come to Copacabana to have their cars, buses, bikes and whatever else blessed by the local priest. We randomly ran into some (gringo) folks we knew who were here to join in and get their VW van anointed. When in Rome, I guess.
The sunsets and the tranquility of this place were a welcome respite from the craziness of La Paz, but paled in comparison the the paradisaical feel of the Isla. After a day hiking from the North to the South, we arrived in time to have one of the best tasting beers I`ve ever had. The sunset and sunrise here were enough to make me never want to leave. Ahhhhhhhhhh.
No comments:
Post a Comment