Monday, September 17
Today we drive around the Lake to La Paz, the highest capital in the world at 12,800 feet. Lake Titicaca is divided into two parts a major and minor and connected at the Strait of Tiquina. Here we had to take a small boat across in large swells. Fortunately, it was a short crossing. All vehicles went on a ferry. We were dropped at our Hotel. It used to be a Sheraton, then a Radisson but now owned by the government. It is smack downtown and noisy . We will be here 4 nights.
September 18, Tuesday
Our guide, Diego picked us up at 0900am for a tour of LaPaz. He acquired a car for us as it is very hilly and hot. I am so grateful. You will see from the pictures that this City is unlike any I have seen. Massive sprawl. They have solved some of their terrible traffic problems in a unique way. They have had the Swiss company Doppelmayr, the maker of ski lifts, install 6 different gondola lifts with 5 to go. They soar above the city in all directions and were a joy to ride. The views were terrific. I wonder why more cities have not utilized this great option? We visited yet another splendid Cathedral which was all white marble. It was a gift from a Pope in 1500’s. Sent in pieces, I know not how it could have happened. Diego left us at lunch and we wandered back to the hotel some 40 blocks, downhill.
September 19, Wednesday
We now have two free days in LaPaz, unfortunately. We would have loved to come home early but the cost was prohibitive. Ed did however, find a site on which he could bid for Business Class seats and was fortunate to obtain them from here to Washington DC. At 20% of the original cost. Today I crashed, slept most of day. 2 short walks. Poor Ed. He is so patient. We will take our guide, Diego to dinner tonight. Ed told him that he is the best guide he has had on any of his trips.
September 20, Thursday
This has been an amazing trip. Everything has gone like clockwork. Ed and World Expeditions do a great job. Only glitch was a credit card invasion. US Bank was great to work with in getting it solved.
It is getting harder to remember which sites, ruins, guides were in which town on which day. A blurr of great memories. Every new day presented us with yet another more amazing surprise. Looking back the towns were quite similar, each had a soccer field, some had covered stadiums, soccer games on at least 3 channels at any time of day or night. They all had churches, home crafted arts, and did I mention DOGS? Colorful native dress, open air markets, Patron Saints and Virgins on parade. Always a protest march over wages, corrupt leadership etc. There are many Hostels everywhere and amazingly a lot of VW bugs! And my favorite, plazas in the center of town. They take much pride in these. They were always well manicured with flowers, fountains and a statue of someone. We spent many hours sitting in them and watching the people.....and dogs. My favorite time was when the uniformed school children came through. We saw families with 4 generations together. Kids kicking soccer balls, babies sleeping in bundles on Mama’s back. The very old and the very young and many lovers all coming together. These are a joyful, happy people, everywhere we went even though their circumstances seem dire to us.
We will get out this afternoon for a walk and a few museums and may take a tram ride above the city after dark. Diego will pick us up a midnight for a ride to the airport for our 3:40 flight to Bogota, Columbia then on to Washington DC, then Seattle and finally Boise. Back to some sanity our wonderful and friends and the mountain.
Cathedral in Copacabana
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