bolivia

LA PAZ

Our first night in La Paz, Judith and I satiated our rocking imperialist appetite (asterisk) by going to Hard Rock Cafe La Paz, eating a ton of food, and buying t shirts. After eating all manner of weird stuff in our last few days in Peru, we were ready for something more Hard Rockish. We stayed at LOKI, an Irish party hostel with a heart of gold.

The second day, we celebrated Judith's birthday at the hostel (cake and all) and then we sampled the La Paz night life by going to a sweaty, packed dance club and getting drinks spilled on me by a really drunk Irish guy, then going to (and very quickly leaving) a sketchy "after hours" place. During the day we walked around the Witches' Market, which actually is what is sounds like. For some reason they sell loads and loads of mummified alpaca fetuses (asterisk. death metal), love potions, fake Chinese remedies, stones to bring good luck, postcards with Evo Morales on them, etc... Also mixed in with the witch stores are a ton of amazing artesan music stores with handmade Bolivian guitars, charangos, mandolins, flutes, ... the works. I went with some cool kids from Oregon and Judith had to leave for Santa Cruz/Buenos Aires/USA/Germany.

I met up with Lauren, a WM classmate currently working in La Paz along with her diplofamily. We went out to get Thai food and compared notes on funny South American experiences.

COCHABAMBA
Straight from dinner I caught a kind of shabby night bus (not even semi cama) to Cochabamba, where I was immediately received by Ale's momma, brother, cousin, cousin's boyfriend, and a Brazilian film student who was visiting. Mamá Ruth brought me all around Cochabamba and the surrounding area, introducing me to the whole extended family and holding my and Victor Hugo's hands, like her two boys. We went to a Peach Festival in a nearby town, climbed up to the Cristo statue, went to Ale's aunt's consultorio/house, ate anticuchos, drank chicha durazno, listened to music, talked film with Vio and Dan... I also got a driving tour of Cochabamba from Victor Hugo, who showed me the plaza central (complete with burn marks left on the prefecture from when the campesinos came and stormed the city a little over a year ago), the prado, the young people prado where they cruise and go to clubs, and the Isla, where you can buy amaaaazing after party food. I also met Ale's grandma, who is such a beautiful lady. I told her about how much we loved getting her Bolivian bread in college. Before I left, she had brought me a giant plastic baggy full of those delicious circular loaves...Oh man!! Ale, tu familia es tan pero tan encantadora!!!! Mom, Momma Ruth sends you big hugs and invites you to visit when you come to South America.

I can't believe it was just one day! It was easily the best day of this trip so far!

LA PAZ parte dos
I am now back in La Paz, having taken a much more comfortable and ritzy night bus with Vi and Dan, who are heading farther west tomorrow to film some more footage. In a few hours I will get on a LAN plane and most likely fall asleep for 5 hours, then wake up in Santiago de Chile where Marcy is waiting for me.
And I will bring Ale's cousin's iPod to him, without fail.

Hasta Chilito, queridos lectores.