Monthly Archive for November, 2007
As if La Paz wasn’t high enough, our next stop was Lake Titicaca at 3,812m (12,507 feet).
We stayed in Copacabana on the Bolivian side (not to be confused with the other Copacabana in Brazil.) Unfortunately, a combination of rain and me feeling the altitude prevented us from exploring Isla del Sol. Still, Copacabana was a very pleasant if sleepy place to spend a few days.
The morning of our last day, I was feeling a bit better and was able to venture up to the summit of Cerro Calvario. There was some puffing through the thin area to make it to the top, but I eventually made it and it was beautiful.
approaching copacabana
the city from atop cerro calvario
through our window…
local sheep
church
atop cerro calvario
i made it!
atop cerro calvario
Incan stonework is known for its large, well cut stone, mortarless construction and expert precision.
Many different architects & builders worked on the different parts of Machu Picchu. Some walls have a jumbled feeling. Others, have an eerily modern “concrete” perfection to them.
Different Incan walls in Machu Piccu:
In our taxi tour of El Alto, we were able to catch a lot of locals through the window….
a Paz is high. At 3,600 meters (11,811 feet), you’re definitely up there. And I felt it. Even though i was talking Acetazolamide for altitude sickness, I had dizziness, blurry vision, shortness of breath, and migraine. The first morning we took it very easy. My boyfriend, the bastard - yes misery does love company - felt fine. 
In the afternoon, I was feeling a bit better and we ventured up even higher by taxi to El Alto, the upstairs neighboring city. At its highest point, El Alto is 4150 meters (13,615 feet). El Alto is much poorer than La Paz. It’s this unending expanse of shanty towns, extending and growing as far as the eye can see.
looking down on la paz
el alto shanty towns creeping up the hill & continuing (on and on) to the plateau
me
the shanty towns
the shanty towns
Those who know me know that I know nothing about soccer. I played one season in the 4th grade… and then to everyone’s relief, I went back to softball.
Not surprisingly, I am clueless about international soccer. But the day we were in Lima, Peru was playing Brazil. (Which made walking around the city on a Sunday even quieter… except for the periodic collective shots or groans at corner TV shops & bars.) Peru ended up tying Brazil 1-1…. which I’m told is huge for Peru and a bit embarrassing for Brazil.
On our flight out that night, we were at the airport and a flock of people were chasing after this one guy. My boyfriend, a soccer player & fan, recognized Ronaldinho leading the pack and getting swarmed for autographs & photos. We followed them… and found the rest of Brazilian soccer team waiting at the gate next to ours. They were on the way home.
I grabbed two good photos. The first is of Ronaldinho. The second is of the “random cute guy” on the team who caught my eye. A few minutes later, I found out his name was Kaka. Kaka just won the European Footballer of the Year last week. Ironically, no one at the airport was asking for his autograph or his photo.
p.s. After this, my new Nikon telephoto zoom lens was officially dubbed the “stalker lens.
ronaldinho
kaka
I have fond memories of reading Paddington Bear as a kid. But I guess I didn’t actually remember much of the story.
In Lima, I was surprised to see Paddington Bear in Peru… until a friend reminded me that Paddington Bear came from Peru.
From Wikipedia:
This gentle bear was found at Paddington railway station in London. … He has arrived as a stowaway coming from “Darkest Peru“, sent by his Aunt Lucy (his only known relative, aside from an unnamed uncle who gave Paddington his hat), who has gone to live in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima. He claims, “I came all the way in a lifeboat, and ate marmalade. Bears like marmalade.”
He tells them that no one can understand his Peruvian name, so the Browns decide to call him Paddington after the railway station in which he was found. Bond originally wanted Paddington to have “travelled all the way from darkest Africa”, but his agent advised him that there were no bears in darkest Africa, and thus it was amended to darkest Peru, home of the spectacled bear.
Paddington Bear in a shop window
We had less than 24 hours in Lima. Our flight from the States arrived after midnight and we flew to Bolivia the next day at 8pm. Most folks said recommended bypassing Lima completely, and we had planned on (mostly) taking their advice.
A friend’s parents live in Lima, and we had the pleasure to spend the day with them. (Thanks Islas!) It was a lot of fun, and we were pleasantly surprised by the city. The neighborhoods of Miraflores & Barranco were very charming, and Lima Centro was beautiful. I guess the current mayor has done a lot for the city (and tourism) in recent times, and it definitely showed.
Of course, I think it also helped, though, that we had local tour guides. :) Lima is still not particularly safe, and having friendly hosts who knew the city was a great treat.
the cliffs of miraflores
making jewelry in Barranco
placio arzobispal in plaza de armas
carriage in plaza de armas
pigeons, pigeons everywhere…
placio arzobispal in plaza de armas
iglesia de san pedro
Very excited! I’ve been itching for another trip, and Friday night, we’re off!
The current plan is:
- Fly in to Lima, Peru. And then on to La Paz, Bolivia.
- Visit La Paz, wander through Copacabana and see Lake Titicaca.
- Make our way up to Cuzco
- Take the 4 day Inca Trail to Machu Picchu
- Wander through the Amazon in Puerto Maldonado
- Spend last few days in Arequipa.
Not sure how much real-time blogging there will be - but expect lots of pictures afterwards!
