The snowy peaks over the deep blue lake, the persistence of life on the bleak Altiplano, the extra charges here and there at tourist destinations: Bolivia always has something unexpected for the visitor.
Today, we found another hidden gem. Our 3.5-hour bus ride to La Paz included a scenic boat tour. How fascinating! We got on the bus in freezing Copacabana and enjoyed an ear-popping ride over the lovely lake, above the tree line, hanging out the window snapping photos all the way (and once I find a store that does memory-card reading, you too can enjoy the scenery, sans altitude sickness). About an hour into the trip, our driver announced that we would need our passports and 1.5 bolivianos each for a boat ticket. Boat ticket? We stopped lakeside, where a fleet of aging wooden vessels, each flying the Bolivian flag, waited. Our bus, with our luggage, drove onto one, nearly sinking into the lovely azure depths, and we crowded onto another with two women on their way to the market with enormous bags of handicrafts to sell.
Fortunately, the captain of our vessel was able to restart the engine when it conked out mid-trip. Swimming the freezing lake is not an option for more than a few meters, and you´d better have a warming station ready on the other side if you attempt it. We made it to the other side, dry, and eventually our bus reappeared.
We reached breathtaking La Paz in time to see the sun set behind the mountains, only 1.5 hours late. Another nice surprise.
Today, we found another hidden gem. Our 3.5-hour bus ride to La Paz included a scenic boat tour. How fascinating! We got on the bus in freezing Copacabana and enjoyed an ear-popping ride over the lovely lake, above the tree line, hanging out the window snapping photos all the way (and once I find a store that does memory-card reading, you too can enjoy the scenery, sans altitude sickness). About an hour into the trip, our driver announced that we would need our passports and 1.5 bolivianos each for a boat ticket. Boat ticket? We stopped lakeside, where a fleet of aging wooden vessels, each flying the Bolivian flag, waited. Our bus, with our luggage, drove onto one, nearly sinking into the lovely azure depths, and we crowded onto another with two women on their way to the market with enormous bags of handicrafts to sell.
Fortunately, the captain of our vessel was able to restart the engine when it conked out mid-trip. Swimming the freezing lake is not an option for more than a few meters, and you´d better have a warming station ready on the other side if you attempt it. We made it to the other side, dry, and eventually our bus reappeared.
We reached breathtaking La Paz in time to see the sun set behind the mountains, only 1.5 hours late. Another nice surprise.
1 comment:
I'm really enjoying your blog. War Eagle!! JIM
Post a Comment