We
take a public bus from Copocabana and the first stop is a ferry across Lake
Titicaca. The bus goes into a sort of floating log raft and we are piled onto a
small boat along with locals with bags of potatoes. We bounce along for 3 hours
and enter the outskirts of La Paz which is a giant construction site. I don’t
think that there is a single building without some sort of construction going
on. I suppose all the farmers are making their way into the city for a better life.
The bus weaves through unmade suburban streets to dodge the union blockade of
the city.
We
are unceremoniously dropped somewhere near the center but are turned down by
several taxis who just speed off after listening to us ask to be taken to our
hotel. We finally get a taxi and the hotel (Hostel Naira) is great ($50/night).
We
find a travel agent to help us buy round trip airline tickets from La Paz to
Rurrenabaque so that we can spend some time in the headwaters of the Amazon.
La
Paz is commemorating their lost war with Chile when Chile grabbed their only
coastline (with the Pacific). I think it’s a show of public resolve since
President Morales is in negotiations with Chile to get some of it back.
Marching bands, military top brass and the Morales himself parades along. It
looks like a 3rd world country under a coup d’état since the streets
are lined with mean looking/white helmeted MPs.
Great
dinner including 4 G&Ts and a plate of mixed meats and cheeses. $20.
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