Post 92: Cerro Rico, the mines of Potosi

Fellow adventurers,

I never thought touring an active mine would be on my bucket list, but today we did just that and I can check it off. The mine inside Cerro Rico has been in existence for nearly 500 hundred years, and is the main reason for the founding of Potosi, once one of the largest and wealthiest cities in the entire world due to its production of silver and other ores. During the height of Spanish rule, it is estimated that between 2 and 8 million people died in the mines, mostly African slaves and Amerindians forced to work until they could no longer. Today the mine is worked by both individual co-operatives and private companies seeking what little fortune is left in the hollowed mountain. Children as young as 12 work in the mine, and some spend a majority of their lives doing so.

Yesterday upon departing the office, we were told we would only be going on this tour with 2 others, but when we arrived this morning there were about 20 of us. We were broken into two groups, one with an English speaking guide, and the other Spanish. Our group turned out to be only 8 in total, including our awesome guide, which made for a more personal experience.

The first stop was the Miners Market. There the group purchased Bolivian made dynamite, black powder fuses, a bag of Ammonium Nitrate, juice, coca leaves, and cigarettes for the miners. Having never held explosives before, outside of fireworks, it was quite a thrill.

Next we changed into our gear for the day, consisting of rubber boots, a mud proof shirt and pant set to protect our clothes, and a headlamp with a belt holding the battery pack. We were then shown a processing center for the raw silver ore, where up to 200 tones of rock are sorted daily. Our imaginations were to work because the workers were all elsewhere due to the holiday.

We then made our way up the Cerro Rico. At the mine entrance, we encountered a group men loading bags of ore into a truck and our guide explained their monthly workload and how much the final product would bring the collective group. The section of the mine we would be visiting was a owned by the Bolivian Government, but rented out to Collectives of workers to exploit. There are also Private mines, which our guide seemed to be much more favorable of. They produced much more and in better conditions for the workers, but at a lower wage.

The entrance tunnel, we were told, is about 300 years old. It led to many other shafts, breaking off in what seemed to be random places, though they were carefully chosen due to the location of deposits. Our headlamps were our only light source as the mines have no electrical lights inside and no indication of any direction. Many of the walls were held up with primitive wooden beams and other contraptions. Our guide brought us through many tunnels, and showed us the differing types of ores, minerals, and chemical deposits that the volcanic mountain produced 80,000 years ago.

We only encountered a few miners along the way, which was fine for us, as more would have meant an excess of dust for us to inhale. Each miner we encountered received a collective gift from our group of either juice, coca leave, or dynamite and fuses. They did not seem put off by strangers in their workplace, though I suppose they meet with tourist frequently and only benefit from the interaction.

Of highlight to me was a moment we had while deep inside. Our guide had us all turn off our headlights and really experience the sensory deprivation of the pure darkness. Not a speck of light shown anywhere. He explained that some miners save money on lighting and work in these conditions. Unbelievable.

Towards the end, we had to get on our hands and knees to crawl through to the last site of the day, the Tio. The Tio is a shrine thought to bring good luck to the miners, who make offering to it. It was explained that the name Tio comes from "Dios" (God in Espanol), which could not be pronounced by the native Quechua speakers, as D is not in their phonetic alphabet. The statue was surrounded by coca leaves, cigarettes, and other offerings. At its base was a petrified llama, also a symbol of good luck as we have explained in a prior post. They even adorned him with a penis.

The tour was well worth the time and effort to come to Potosi. I would suggest this eye opening experience to anyone. I am grateful I had the opportunity to see how these men work in these very primitive conditions. The mine will run dry one day, and Potosi will cease to be even a remnant of what it is today, a remnant of a once powerful city.

Our New Years is going to be a quiet one this year. We have to hang in town until the 2nd, when we will be departing for Uyuni. Happy New Years everyone!

Gavin y June

P.S: There is an out of control fire in Torres Del Paine National Park right now, which may take weeks to contain. Unfortunately for us, we are supposed to be there in a little under a month. This was to be one of the highlights, and one of only 2 things we are doing in Chile, so we are hoping conditions change for the better.

more photos after the break:

Post 91: Our last days in Sucre; The Mercado Central and a ride in a 'collectivo'

Fellow foodies,

"Chorizo, pollo caliente, churrasquira, chorizo!'

That's what you hear from women attempting to lure you to sit at their tables, as you walk through the many, similar 'comida rapida' food stalls of Sucre's Mercado Central serving set dishes for 'almuerzo' (lunch).  We had read that visiting the central market was not to be missed in town. It's also been suggested to go for lunch. After settling in at the B&B we had switched too, we decided we'd do just that.

Upon entering the outdoor square of the market, our eyes gazed upon the fruit juice stands that surrounded us.  Each stand was blue and elevated, topped with varieties of mostly imported fruits.  A woman in a blue smock stood behind the stand to take your order. The only difference in the presentation of each stand was perhaps the display of each menu. On it you could choose something familiar or something exotic, freshly squeezed, mixed or blended with milk or yogurt. Fruit salads or the multivitamico, which consists of a blend of fruits, milk, cereal, cocoa and beer. Parched, Gavin ordered a simple orange juice, while I went with maracuya (passion fruit) con leche (with milk). Both were quite ripe tasting and refreshing.

Entering the indoor market, we passed numerous meat stands. There were many flies buzzing around, and the conditions for the meat looked a bit unsanitary. I'm not sure how thoroughly each stand is sanitized at the end of the day. It's certainly not someplace I'd purchase my meat, but then again I do need to consider that it's likely the meat that we've eaten in restaurants has come from similar conditions.

Nuts, chocolates, pastas, spices, sauces, dried fruits, produce etc...  it's likely you could find it in the Mercado Central. As mentioned before, the woman of the lunch stalls were quite verbal as you passed by them, offering the dishes of the day. We hesitated in the beginning, but after walking through the food didn't look too bad and it was quite cheap. Gavin and I are firm believers in eating as the locals do from time to time, so we took a seat. Our soup was quite good, hot and nutty in flavor. Our main courses however were luke warm and so unsatisfying we couldn't finish the chorizo or chicken with hot sauce. We planned to make dinner in the evening, so upon leaving the stands we bought some produce, pasta, and fruits hoping it'll provide for a few meals.

After some la siesta time back at the inn, we wondered over to Park Bolivar where we picked up some ice cream and popcorn from street vendors and just strolled around. The weather had been lovely in the white city, warm and sunny on most days. We also discussed changing our plans for the remainder of our time in Bolivia, needing to be sure we could get to where we needed to be without the New Year disrupting those plans. It would be necessary to cut our time in Sucre, and to move on to the city of Potosi.

Our last day was yesterday. Most of the day was spent at our inn, but we headed out towards dusk to the Mirador overlooking the city, hoping to catch the sunset and get dinner there. We had some great views, as well as being able to watch an impending storm develop in the distance.  As the storm drew closer, the clouds expanded over the city in the shape of a massive hand.  Occasional lightening would strike far from us as we enjoyed a gourmet dinner and ice cream for about $12 total.

Today we set out for highest city in the world, Potosi.  I was a bit bummed to be leaving a warm climate for the chilly confines that come with high altitude. To our surprise, the morning buses were sold out. Not wanting to wait in the terminal till the afternoon, we looked for a cab service. We didn't find a cab, but we did find a 'collectivo' service for 30Bs each. A tad more expensive than a bus, but still only about $4.50 each.  In the van seated for 6 people, we crowded with about 7 other adults, 1 infant and 1 child for our 3 hour ride to Potosi.  When in Bolivia...!

Tomorrow we will be going into a mountain to visit a mineral mine.  I've been considering just letting Gavin go on his own, as I am a bit claustrophobic. However with much peer pressure, I think I may be joining him. Here's to hoping I don't feel very anxious, and that all goes well during our time in the deep, dark mine.

June y Gavin

Post 90: Sucre day two

Fellow adventurers,

Today was spent exploring some of the old city of Sucre, Bolivia's Judicial capital. We wandered through the Plaza 25 de Mayo, the birthplace of Bolivia, where Simon Bolivar declared independence for the nation. He seems to be a reoccurring theme along our journey. A statue of Mariscal Antonio José de Sucre, Bolivar's right hand man, and the first president of Bolivia, stands in the center of the square flanked by large brass lions. We sat on one of the many benches and talked for a bit before getting some local chocolate, which though very hyped, were not nearly as good as we expected.

Our next stop was the General Cemetery of Sucre on the other side of town. It was a bit of a walk to get to it, but well worth it. The cemetery is filled with ornate mausoleums designated to families and historical figures, rows of beautifully landscaped trees, and walls lined with crypts of locals. We spent our time strolling through the many rows of crypts, which vary in terms of their size and style. Each crypt was well kept with decorative flowers, momentos, and sometimes even toys for children who had passed. Even the older graves were well maintained and seemed as though they had been cared for through their many years of existence, without pause.

We seem to have adopted the local custom of Siesta time and spent the later part of the afternoon relaxing before searching out tours and Spanish schools for the remainder of our time here. While at dinner at a local German restaurant, our minds were transported to a previous trip. The inside seemed much akin to old Alemania, as it is called in Espanol. It was a treat.

Tomorrow we are going to try to see the dinosaur tracks near the city, and then apply for some Spanish lessons. We are also changing our accommodation in the morning to more cozy confines. Hopefully our internet signal is better there.

Gavin y June

more photos after the break:

Post 89: Lazy days in La Paz, and a change of scenery for Christmas

Fellow adventurers,

The past few days have been rather lazy ones.  On the 23rd, we walked the span of the main thoroughfare in the city to the Megacine, where we hoped to see The Muppets movie after lunch.  Unfortunately, it was only playing in Spanish.  We saw that Mission Impossible 4 was playing in English, and opted to see it on Christmas Eve.  Along our walk back, we noticed many anti-American and anti-capitalist murals on the walls lining the highway.  I suppose it's been to propagate Evo Morales Socialistic agenda.

On Christmas eve, we checked out of our hotel and moved to The Radisson Hotel in a more affluent section of the city.  It was decided a few months ago that we may be homesick during the holidays, so we wanted to treat ourselves to someplace nice.  The decor of the hotel was a bit outdated as was our 10th floor bedroom, but the room was clean with a comfy, large bed, flat screen tv, great views of the city and mountains, and a big bathtub with a hot shower and soft towels; so who could complain?  

After getting situated, we left to the local mall to have another taste of home, Subway.  We also picked up our tickets for the 7:30 showing of Mission Impossible 4.  It was la siesta time for me upon returning, as I took a long nap before Gavin awoke me to remind me that if we wanted to swim in the indoor heated pool before the movie, it was the time.  Gavin and I enjoyed the warm waters to ourselves, then changed and walked the few blocks over to the movie theater.  Two tickets, a large soda, a large popcorn, and a water for only about $12.00  Oh Bolivia, how cheap you are.  Later in the evening, he ordered room service for himself and we spoke with my family via videochat, whom were gathered together at my grandmothers.  It was great to see everyone's faces, and hear their voices.

On Christmas morning, we enjoyed the complimentary buffet breakfast consisting of eggs, french toast, fruits, juices, bacon, lunch meats, breads, and a cereal bar.  In the afternoon, we watched A Very Harold and Kumar Christmas, and then were happy to wish a Merry Christmas via videochat to Gavin's siblings, their significant others and some of his mother's side of family as they gathered together.  Later in the afternoon, we went back to the hotel restaurant where they were offering a holiday buffet, with all the trimmings.  Having our bellies full in a nice hotel, being able to watch movies and videochat with our friends and family at home made our Christmas quite enjoyable.  I'm glad we made the decision we did.

Today we left for Sucre.  Our flight was a bit unsettling, as the interior of the plane was quite old and worn.  It was also quite noisy and shaky, so we were happy when we landed safely in Sucre.  Walking around this quaint, white city; we know we'll enjoy our week here.  It's quite lovely and quiet.  Many establishments were closed, so we had some pizza for lunch and just strolled the streets lined with Spanish colonial architecture, palm trees and sub tropical flowers.  Tonight we will figure out our plans for the week, which may include volunteering and Spanish language classes.

June y Gavin

Post 88: The Yungas Road a/k/a The Death Road

Fellow adventurers,

How to describe the Yungas Road. Well, I suppose we should tell you a little bit more about it first. This very famous road was built in the late 1930s by slave labor following the Chaco War, fought between Bolivia and Paraguay. Since its inception it has taken countless lives. It has been estimated that between 200 and 300 souls have been lost on the road yearly. Because of the staggering amount of fatalities, a new road has been built to bypass the old existing road which is now mainly used for bike tours and adventurous cab drivers ferrying locals between La Paz and Coroico.

Our morning began around 6:30 at the Madness shop, a few blocks from our hotel. Our guide, Hector, told us we were required to wear a goofy orange vest and a full face helmet all throughout the ride. Gortex pants, elbow or knee protection and gloves were optional. We met our fellow riders, Karen from France, and Rebecca, a fellow American from Chicago. Afterwards we hopped into the support vehicle with our mountain bikes secured on the roof and made our way through La Paz to the beginning of our ride.

Our driver took us a 1000 meters in elevation to the starting point, La Cumbre at 4,640 meters. There we suited up in our gear. I opted only for knee pads, while June decided to ride fully geared. It was a bit chilly, being around 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Our bikes were checked, and we were sized up for each of them before Hector explained the safety rules and basics of the first part of our ride. We were able to ride around the lot and get adjusted to our bikes. June and I recognized a statue on a nearby hill as being one shown on the History Channel show Ice Road Truckers, in the second season, which took place on the Death Road.

When everyone was situated, we began the first portion of our tour on a paved road, gliding down the hill at speeds up to 55kph (34+ mph), stopping every 500 hundred meters or so. At these stops, Hector would ensure our comfort and tell us what to expect on the next leg of the journey down to the entrance of the Yungas Road, such as potential animals that may stray into the road and upcoming traffic that we may encounter. The ride was smooth and exhilarating, as we have never reached such speeds on a bike. There were large, jagged peaks surrounding us; the rocks on these peaks being black in color, with short, yellow tinted grass due to the high altitude.

Within the paved section of our ride, we dropped 2,050 meters.  Our driver followed along, and then transported us 8km uphill to the entrance of the old Youngas Road.  There, we felt a difference in the temperature, as we would throughout the journey while traveling into lower altitudes.  Hector had June switch bikes, although we were not sure why.  We set off down hill along the uneven terrain that consisted mostly of large, loose rocks.  Having little experience riding such terrain downhill on a mountain bike, June's first reaction was "holy cow, is this outside my ability?!" I also felt a little unnerved by the terrain and speeds, but it was really out of our control.

At our first checkpoint, June expressed some concerns she had with her inexperience on such terrain with a mountain bike.  Hector gave us many suggestions to improve our ride, including how to increase and decrease our speed, how to take on corners, and proper placement of our arms to release the pressure off of our wrists. This helped to assuage some of our apprehension and the ride was easier from that point on.

Along the old Yungas Road, we passed many small waterfalls and crosses for those departed, as we made our way down into the sub-tropical region. The speeds were quite intense for the terrain we were riding on. It felt as though we had very little control and that the bike was taking us for a ride. We enjoyed a mix of sun and clouds, as well as amazing views of the green, lush mountains surrounding us. Fortunately there was no rain, and the temperature was nice. This is unlike the many other days we have spent in La Paz. At one point during a stop at 'Murder Alley', Hector explained that political dissidents and prisoners were thrown off the very steep cliff side to their death.

Towards the end of the ride, Hector instructed us that we would need to accelerate our speed around the final bend in order to make it through a large pool of water.  It was a great way to end the ride!  When we reached the village of Yolami, we celebrated with a cerveza.  The van shortly afterwards drove us to a hotel where we enjoyed a complementary buffet lunch, an optional shower or swim in the pool.  June decided to swim while I relaxed.  When we set out onto the new Youngas road for our return to La Paz, it was interesting to think that in less than 3 hours we would be away from this warm tropical enviroment and back on the chilly Altiplano.

We are very glad we chose to go with a reputable company. We couldn't have asked for a better guide than Hector, with his ten years of experience on the Yungas, and his personal knowledge of mountain biking. He was informative, patient, and spoke great English, which made the experience all the better.

Riding the Death Road was definitely one of the most memorable days we have had thus far on our journey, and was well worth our money. If we had the option, and finances to do it all over again, we would in a heart beat. It was one of the biggest thrills we have had yet.

Gavin y June

more videos and photos after the cut:

Post 87: La Paz day two

Fellow adventurers,

Our second day in La Paz was another lackadaisical one, as the altitude was still taking its hold upon us and making us tired. Our main goal for the day was to book our tour for The Death Road (more on this in the next post!), and explore a few local sites.

We strolled through the Witches Market without even realizing it, thinking that the petrified llamas and alpacas were just a tourist gimmick and for show. We had discussed long and hard about which tour company to go with for our Yungas Road and settled on Madness, which has an office located in the heart of the touristic district here in La Paz.

We played a little hard to get and told the lady in the office we were shopping around and had heard the tour was for cheaper than we knew it to be. We had our choice between a solid frame and full suspension frame bike, with the price that was proposed to us being about a $20 dollars difference. We settled for the bulkier, more suspended frame for the sake of our already aching legs, signed the papers, payed the money and made our way out of the office. Our main goal here in La Paz was to do the Yungas Road, a/k/a The Death Road, so we were excited to have it settled and booked.

Our next stop was Plaza Murillo, the main heart of the government district of the city. The Legislative branch offices, Presidential Palace and National Cathedral were located on the square. We lazed around and enjoyed the Christmas decorations and the tree set up, but nothing else really appealed to us. Our only other stop was to see the grave of Andres de Santa Cruz, who was once president of both Peru and Bolivia, and the short lived Peru-Bolivian Confederation. His tomb was very ornate (as seen below) with the colors of both nations. This was of particular interest to me as I have read much about this period in the history. His grave was guarded by a soldier we jokingly referred to as a nutcracker, for his distinctly red ornate outfit, which much resembled the classic toy.

Cheap pizza was in store for dinner before hitting the sheets early in anticipation for our early morning ride to the Yungas Road.

Gavin y June

more after the break:

Post 86: Isla del Sol y La Paz day one

Fellow adventurers,

Gavin and I almost missed our boat from Copacabana to the Island of the Sun, having not changed the time on our clock.  Luckily, we realized this in just enough time to make it to the boat, as our hotel was on the waterfront.  The swells on the lake made boat ride a bit unsettling for us.  It was a rainy morning when we set off, much different than our last visit to Lake Titicaca from the Peruvian side.  However, we met some older, new age hippies on the boat, which made for some interesting conversation on the 2 hour ride.

Isla del Sol has approximately 800 families living on the island, whose main source of economic activity is fishing, farming and tourism.  The hills on the island contain agriculture terraces, much of like we see throughout Peru and Bolivia. There are no roads or vehicles, but there is electricity sourced from the mainland, with power lines stretching from island to island.  Eighty Inca ruins are on the island, dating as far back as the third millennium BCE.

Upon arriving, the sky had begun to clear and we could better look forward to our hike on the island.  Considering we missed breakfast at the hotel, we brought sandwiches and a few snacks to take along with us.  Our plan was to hike to lower end of the trail from the Northern part of the island to the Southern part. We were still acclimating to the elevation and our muscles were still a bit sore from our Colca Canyon hike.  We weren't too interested in seeing ruins, as we feel that many of the Inca ruins throughout Peru are very similar in appearance and history.  We had gotten our fill in of ruins on a previous visit to Peru, in 2008.  Gavin had still wanted to visit the Inca Table, which apparently was used for human sacrifices.  Unfortunately for us, we thought the many steps up you needed to take to the table was at the end of our hike in the southern part, but we were misinformed and later learned they were closer to where we began.

The hike was pleasant enough.  We walked along hills, some parts consisting of solid rock, slightly higher than the water.  We passed many farms, animals and some villages, with views of snow capped peaks in the distance.  The sun was strong but the temperature pleasant.  Although we had heard this was the best island of all the islands to visit, we have to disagree.  On our previous visit to Peru, we stayed on the island Amantani, which had no electricity or running water.  We stayed with an indigenous family whom spoke only the native language of Quechua.  Amantani was certainly a place of solitude, being so far from the mainland.  At night you could hear a pin drop, and view the milky way right above your head.  So while we did enjoy Isla del Sol, our experience on Amantani was much more personal.

Our ride back was on the roof of the boat to better take in the fresh air and scenery.  Upon making port in Cobacabana, we took a bus to highest capital in the world, La Paz.  There, we took a taxi to a hostel we knew of, only to realize it was not someplace we wanted to stay for more than one night.  The building was open, making the rooms quite cold.  Our double bed was being supported by a bed frame and multiple, flattened cardboard boxes underneath the mattress.  We sunk into the middle of the mattress overnight.  Gavin and I were happy to leave, and to move on to the comfortable hotel we're in now.  It's a little outside our budget, but most places we read reviews on within our budget in this city had stories of theft within rooms.  Considering we're here for a week, we wanted to be someplace comfortable and warm(this city gets chilly!), and did not want to take risks on having our valuables stolen.

Yesterday we took it easy.  We needed a day of rest, and to wash our clothes.  It also helped us acclimate a bit more.  Unfortunately, Gavin had some troubles with the bank and although he had made them aware he was traveling abroad, they had locked his card.  After 6 hours of much frustration, he was finally able to resolve the issue.

This city is probably the most chaotic, loud city I have visited.  Lot's of traffic and people, in total disregard to one another.  It is also South America's most impoverished, and you can see it on the street.  Today we plan on visiting the Witches Market, as well as booking a bicycle ride down the world's most dangerous road for tomorrow.  More on that later.

June y Gavin

more photos after the break below:

Post 85: Colca Canyon pt. 2 and the road to Puno y Bolivia

This will be a long post as we have much to catch up on. Enjoy!

12/16/11

Fellow adventurers,

My birthday was certainly one I will never forget. We awoke early in San Juan, a bit achey and tired from the very long day prior. Our goal was to reach the top of the canyon by sun down, after making our way through a few more towns and the Oasis.

We set out a little later than expected, per usual, and unfortunately had to stop 15 minutes into our hike because I had forgotten to give the posada owner the keys to our room. I eventually made my way back to meet up with June and our new hiking partners just after the town and we continued along the winding path towards our next goal, a town who's name I will never be able to properly pronounce. The paths are a bit undefined and can only really be determined by a certain luck of the draw and a little sense of direction. We were lucky not to take to many wrong turns and came to a small footbridge which crossed over a gorge.

The hike from here was almost directly up hill, winding back and forth for what seemed to be an hour. We stopped at a point we thought was about half way, only to find out the next few turns was a plateau upon which two towns sat. The first town was somewhat unimpressive, and seemingly similar to many we have seen before along the way. I was more enamored with the second, Malata, which had a really beautiful Plaza de Armas, back dropped by high peaks.

The rest of the way was mostly downhill until we reached the Oasis. June and I had determined to make it up to Cabanaconde the same day, but the whole trek really took a toll on our legs. It did not take much convincing to decide to stay a night with our friends in the Oasis. We shopped around a little, but all the posadas seemed to run about the same price, 10 soles a person, per night. We chose the nicest looking one and settled in. Our goal all along had been to swim, so that is what we did.

The highlight of my birthday was yet another candle-lit dinner. Not the meal itself, but the company and good conversation with the others staying that night. I was serenaded "Happy Birthday" in three languages, English, Spanish, and German, and after a few hours, and a few beers, sleep finally called our name.

12/17/11

The last day of our trek is one we both wish to forget. Low on water and without breakfast, we skipped taking mules and decided to hike the whole one plus kilometer in vertical distance back to Cabanaconde. It was downright one of the hardest physical experience I have ever had. We took frequent breaks, and eventually made it to town in just about 4 and a half hours, an hour longer than it should have taken. I do not think I have ever been more relieved in my life. I took very few photos, because frankly, I do not wish to remember the journey out of the canyon.

In town we booked a bus for Arequipa, as we were to late to get a direct one to Puno. We ate lunch and waited around until the bus came. The ride back was longer than expected, and many of the roads between Cabanaconde and the main Colca hub of Chivay were unpaved, blanketed in huge rocks, and very steep. Some parts of the ride were almost as harrowing as the hike. After Chivay, the road was paved, and the scenery awesome. We rode through hilly grasslands and saw roaming Vicunas and other herd animals while listening to some Spanish lessons on the ipod. I think it helped our Espanol, un poco mas.

In Arequipa, we purchased the first bus ticket we could for Puno. The ride was uneventful besides the 4 hours of music they blared over the bus speakers, the same awful album being played over and over again. We arrived in Puno around 3am, and decided to return to the hotel we had stayed at in 2008. Unfortunately for us, in the past few years it had been renovated, so our room tripled in price. Given the time, we were unwilling to look elsewhere and settled on it for the evening. A little hit in the bank for sure.

12/18/11

On our last day in Peru we were mostly concerned will all the proper documentation we needed to obtain visas at the Bolivian border. We made copies of our passports, had photos taken, and even bought a return bus ticket to Puno from Copacabana, in case we were asked for a ticket out of the country. One of our biggest concerns was our lack of Yellow Fever vaccinations, as we have read many places that it is a requirement for crossing the border. This also factored into our buying a return ticket to Puno. We wanted to show proof we were not intending to go into any of the infected areas and had a means of exiting Bolivia if they asked about the extent of our stay.

The bus ride was full of other travelers we had met along the way in Colca. The border crossing was much easier than expected and all of our documentation went through fine and with no real hassle. We were not asked for any Yellow Fever vaccination certificates, nor a return ticket out, and though I told the officer I was unsure of the amount of time we would be staying, I was granted a 90 day visa. As was June, though she was not asked at all. For those of you looking to cross in the future, set your fears aside.

We are finally in Bolivia, our 5th nation along our long journey. I know I speak for both of us when I say we have definitely been looking forward to it. Copacabana is a very nice little town though quite touristed, with a much different feel from the Peruvian side and Puno. We booked our tour of Isla Del Sol, and our bus to La Paz for tomorrow night, so our time here, per usual, will be short.

This post may seem a little wrong in its time, but unfortunately the internet at our hotel cut out as I began to write. So by the time this reaches you readers, we may already be in the capital city of La Paz, where we should be spending about a week.

Ciao for now,
Gavin y June

more photos after the break below

Post 84: Colca Canyon pt. 1

Fellow hikers,

Apologies for the lack of updates.  When you're trekking through a canyon for 3 days, internet is impossible to come by, let alone electricity or hot water.

Gavin and I decided to hike the Colca Canyon independently as opposed to going with a group tour.  We arranged however, for a ride into the small community of Cabanaconde along with other travelers whom were hiking via a tour.  After a 3:30am pickup from our hostel and a failed attempt at sleeping in the crowded van, we arrived at the Mirador del Condor at around 8 am.  There, we had ariel views of the canyons as the bright sun shined upon them. Our eyes were wandering in search of the national bird, the Condor, but unfortunately they're seen less often this time of year.

The group departed for their hike into the canyon, as Gavin and I made our way into town.  We met with Luis, our inn keeper.  He pointed out trails on our map as well as details on how much time we’d need and places to stay while on the trek. With the information provided, we determined that we would rest for the day while we better acclimated to the altitude. After a cheap, traditional Peruvian lunch Gavin and I retired to our rooms for some much needed Siesta time.

When we awoke, the sky had clouded over, so we spent the remainder of the day exploring some nearby viewpoints guided by a local dog who lived in our hostel. In the evening we enjoyed some alpaca pizza, cooked in a wood fired oven. We also became acquainted with two Spaniards, Carlos and Diego. We invited them to hike along with us the following morning and retired early as we had to be up by 6:30.

12/15/11

At breakfast, Diego and Carlos decided to join us on our journey through a part of the worlds deepest canyon. Our supply consisted of a nominal amount of clothing, some snacks, rain gear, a first aid kit, and plenty of water. We left the remainder of our luggage with the hostel, and set off, leaving the town behind us. We arrived at the beginning of the trail and overlooked our route for a while before venturing down through winding, mule poop and stone filled trails. Gavin joked he about taking a fall and soon after did just that. He managed to cut open his hand and bruise himself up pretty good on one side. It was a relief to finally make it to the bottom after three hours of winding back and forth for what seemed like forever.

We reached the town of San Juan after some confusing directions given to us by a local inn keeper looking to have us stay at her posada. The trails around the town were lined with fig and avocado trees. It was quite green unlike the surrounding dry, barren canyon. Our decision was made for us when we eventually stumbled upon a very nice place in a beautiful location overlooking the canyon. We ate lunch and were offered private rooms with private baths for around 3 bucks a piece. The owner said it was the low season and she would cut us a deal. We opted to search no further. It lacked electricity due to being a bit outside of the main part of San Juan, but this added to its charm.

Our original plan had been to hike and additional two hours further to the town of Tapay and stay the night there. After our decision to stay in San Juan, we still wanted to see Tapay, so we continued up the mountainside towards the town, hoping to make it back by sundown. The trails were a lot more quiet and not so steep, dotted with fruit orchards, fig trees, and people working their land. As we arrived to the entry of Tapay, mother nature came calling. We had no rain gear and only our cameras, so we began to race down the mountain, hoping to find a place of refuge.

When we came upon the first town, we went to a property that was seemingly occupied and asked for some plastic bags to cover our gear. The homeowner had none to offer but allowed us to sit on a bench under an awning on the side of his mud house until the rain passed. As we sat there, we were surrounded by his farm animals and pets, also seeking refuge from the rain. We were highly entertained by all his friendly animals and it was honestly the highlight of our afternoon.

The rain eventually subsided and we made our way back to the posada. Dinner was served in the evening by candlelight. We drank beer and joked with Carlos and Diego until it was time to sleep, which was soon after dinner, as there was nothing to do in the pitch darkness of the night.

June y Gavin

mucho mas after the break, enjoy!

Post 83: a day in "The White City"

Fellow adventurers,

Today will be our last in the "White City" of Arequipa. We slept in and eventually crawled out of bed to venture around the city, whose colonial buildings are mostly made of volcanic rock named sillar. We had an early lunch and then booked an early morning bus to the town of Cabanaconde, at the head trail of the Colca Canyon.

We decided to spend our afternoon exploring the Monasterio de Santa Catalina (Santa Catalina Monastery), a nearly 450 year old monastery and convent which is core to this cities rich Catholic history. I found its architecture to be amazing, and unique, colorful and inviting. However its religious symbolism was somewhat sickening, drab, and archaic in my opinion, perhaps I am biased however. Its religiosity seemed so militaristic and thorough, I can only imagine the fear instilled in the peoples who were conquered by the Europeans and their religious beliefs some 500 years ago in this region.

We rested for most of the rest of day, the altitude still seems to be taking its toll on us still. We have to be up at 3AM for our bus to Condor Cross and  then Cabanaconde, where we have booked lodging for tomorrow night. We will use this as a base to explore the Colca Canyon. We are doing it independently to save money. We have read that it is much more enjoyable this way. I am hoping we meet with others who plan to do the same hike so we can have some company along the way.

I am unsure if we will be able to update until we get to the Lake Titicaca region, or perhaps even La Paz, Bolivia. There better be beer down in the canyon, I will want one for my 26th birthday, the first of which I have ever spent away from home.

Gavin (y June)

Many photos after the break below, enjoy.