Bolivia Expedition Dispatch
July 17, 2013 – Joe and Martin’s Great Trip to Copacabana
Martin and I are back in La Paz after a great trip to Copacabana. We were glad to escape La Paz since this is the city’s anniversary and they were expecting great parties and a very crazy, loud city. On the first day we were in La Paz we saw a go-kart race down the hills of La Paz in rickety wooden carts. Certainly nothing for the faint of heart given the steep cobblestone streets. Since we arrived on a Sunday a lot of stores and restaurants were closed, but we still wandered over to the Mercado de Brujas (witches market) to see the variety of strange items for sale. There was a large parade on the main streets so we were able to see local dancers as well as a few politically oriented floats. We were especially amused by one from the health department promoting Hanta virus prevention with a big mouse going down the street. We ended up at a very nice restaurant for a llama dinner - it was great!
On the second day we had excellent weather on the way to Copacabana and saw much of the mountain range we will be coming back to. Cabeza de Condor and Ancohuma were very visible. In the afternoon we hopped on a boat to Isla Del Sol (Island of the Sun) where our guide Teodoro gave us a good workout hiking around the island and finished up with a history lesson at some of the Incan ruins. We can only remember part of what was said (blame it on the altitude) but we had a great talk. We finished the day with a great trout dinner which is the specialty of the area. The hotel we are staying in is right on the beach and if it wasn’t so cold it would be inviting. It seems like there is always a party going on and this night was no exception with a party in the center of town. The Bolivians seem to enjoy their parties.
On the last day in Copacabana, Teodoro took us to the top of one of the local hills. The view was definitely worth the climb. We could see it raining on nearby Isla Del Sol and just managed to make it back to town before we were hit with a hail storm. The weather on the drive back was equally good and we managed great views of the mountains. Tomorrow we will be in them!
We are both doing well. For me especially now that I have my lost luggage!
All is well,
Joe
Along the trails of the Isla Del Sol
Joe and Martin got a history lesson at the Incan Ruins.