Day 1: Inca Trail

So we started our day one nice and early, at around 4 am, to star heading to the first point of our hike. Km 82 as they call it. From there we hiked along the Urubama River for about 4 hours. The first four hours were great. The weather was perfect, no bugs in sight and the pace was manageable. It was up and downs but the scenery kept our minds positive.

Along the way there were tons of little huts where people still live to this day. I guess I had assuming that since Machu Picchu was such a tourist site that there wouldn´t be any locals. But in fact on every corners there was a man with his donkey doing his daily work on the farm. There were tons of crops in the area with loads of fresh fruit to buy if we wanted. We got to try of the fruits from a Cactus plant called, Tuna. The name threw us off but the fruit was quite good. We also tried a drink called Chicha which is a slightly alcoholic drink made from corn. At this point we were all forgetting about the Inca Trail and focusing on the culture (but this was only hour 2).

The next part of our day was supposed to be the hardest. United Mice pride themselves in getting the hardest day out of the way first, so we were ready for the challenge. The good part was that the second part was completely at your own pace with the campsite as our destination. I took this time to senter and energy and go for the gold. I put on a playlist and completely lost myself in the music. The tunes cheering for me one minute and bringing me down the next. I was the first one up. Climbing each stair with force. I stretched my body nice and good after but I knew I would be sore after that 15 km. Our campsite was at Llullchupampa at 3750 meters up. Fantastic views, fantastic day.

Sacred Valley; Pisac Ruins

Another early morning led me to another adventure. I headed to a small town called Pisaz, about an hour outside of Cuzco. It has some amazing ruins located in the Sacred Valley of the Incas. They focused on creating crazy stair-like fields so that they could plant agriculture on the mountain side. That means everything is uphill. eek. The whole thing took about four hours up, up and away. Luckily 2 Brazilians friended me and kept me company during the walk. My whole body is still shaking but hopefully nothing a cup of Coca tea can´t cure.

I was also able to try some amazing street food. There was a vegetable stuffed pepper with fried batter on the outside. It may not be the safest option but it tasted soooo good and how can you turn down that local atmosphere?

Rafting: Urubama River

My first rafting trip. It was a perfect start with Class 1-2 waves and then working out way into the big papa 3-4. Teh guides were amazing and the views were spectacular. We would work hard, get tired, and then cruise down the river, taking in the mountains. It was suppose to rain all day but since I´ve been here is has been nothing but blue skies (for the most part). It wasn´t until after we approached the dock that it started to rain and then hail! We all scurried into the huts where there was a steamy sauna waiting for us. Excellent. After 20 minutes in the sauna we got hot showers and then yummy soup and chicken. It felt like a fun camp day of adventure and bizarre weather. A perfect way to solve my Cuzco boredom.

Bus to Cuzco, Peru

A 12 hour bus ride from La Paz to Cuzco on Nuevo Continente ($20).

The journey to Cuzco was unlike any view I´ve seen. On the side of the roads you could see animals everywhere grazing off the green grass. All around there were families doing their daily chores and children playing on the side river banks. It seemed so peaceful and real.

In between the fields there were litters of huts made out of clay brick with straw caps. Smoke came through the tops as if on fire, but instead left a nice aroma of a natural burn (almost sweetened the air). Behind each valley lay mountain upon mountain. Some green to the tips while others capped with frosty peaks. They seemed to jump out and scare you, like they were playing a game behind the clouds. The rainy season brought fog down the sides, filling in the cracks. It gave the mountains personalities. The protectors of the land.

Best Vegetarian Restaurant in Bolivia

Manantial
Calle Genaro Sanjinez 430 corner with Potosi

As you walk into the Hotel Gloria you immediately smell a delicious aroma. You walk up some stairs, and through an unmarked door you find a wonderful little cafeteria style vegetarian restaurant. The place was absolutely packed, and for good reason. There were 4 starter Veg dishes served with a choice of a wheat tea drink or apple juice, 2 yummy choices of soup and bread on the side. After round one you get up and go to the next station, which definitely fills you up, with some hardy tofu slabs and fried Spinach balls (my personal favorite) and of course a little dessert cake which I skipped out on. Not really craving sweets.

I talked to some local Bolivians of my surprise at how packed it was. The total cost was 25 B ($3.60) which is about 4 times more than you would spend on any other meal. But apparently the most common reason people eat Veg in BO is due to health issues. The doctors are finally cracking down and explaining that meat and carbs can't be their only intake. Which is in fact easy to do in La Paz. So now the trend is slowly shifting to where people (some people) will eat Veg once a week to keep their health in check.

Interesting fact: In takes 4 days to digest meat at La Paz's altitude, compared to 2 days at sea level.

Papa brought home a baby bird.

So in addition to being the cutest family of all time, my host family is also the most entertaining. Last night during dinner the father got into a story about how he had found a baby bird in his parents garden earlier that day. Being the caring person he is, he built it a little shelter made of a cardboard box, plastic wrapping for rain protection and a little door for him to escape.

Apparently the bird's foot was hurt and became very attached to the the Dad. By the end of the story we were all too curious to let this bird go unseen. So sure enough he walked down the street to his parents house to retrieve the bird as we looked up directions on how to care for the little fellow. We built him a little nest and gave him water. Good old family bonding.

Cochabamba Bowling

After the conference all us delegates headed into the city for some good old fashion bowling. I could not have been more ecstatic considering I always try to rally the troops for a round of pins. It wasn't until we stepped in the door that I realized I was the only who had ever bowled before. My first round strike was a great success. The alley itself was so cute, just like out of an old movie or something (with some extra cheese). I quickly picked out a pink Minnie Mouse brunswick ball and felt right at home. Bolivians love Disneyland... ain't nothing wrong with that. The game was very entertaining as I cheered on the gang hoping that they would break 30 points. Great experience.

Afterwords we headed to a popular eating district called Las Islas. It is essentially a row of tents filled with grease and yummy food, with lines all down the street. I decided to go traditional and try Trancapecho. It is basically a sandwich with beef, rice, potatoes, tomatoes, onions, and sauce. It was definitely yummy but I think I'll save my heart next time around.




Lastly we headed to a video arcade which I could swear had the exact same machines I played when I was a kid. So that's where they went. After looking around for a while I decided I just couldn't resist the Gators.

oh yea and one last stop at the carnival on the way back to the bus station. Little foosball. Truly a day of reliving childhood.

Overview: Weekend in Cochabamba

After a 7 hour bus, over night, we arrived at a nice, little conference area in the forest of Cochabamba. The cabins were located in a remote area surrounded by beautiful trees and animals. And although it is summer, the morning rain keeps the land green and lush.

Come afternoon, the sun is out and I can feel the rays on my face. It is oddly silent around me, with an occasional whimper from some nearby sheep with a Chola woman. Either the altitude or peaceful setting, not sure which, planted me firmly in the grass near a sort of facility. There are community rooms, a mess hall and a large cabin built as if for a summer camp. The trees and flowers seem to go on forever. It is rare to see such a seemingly artful landscape design be nothing more than in its natural form.

As I lay alone in the sun I get inspired to learn more about this native culture that I keep encountering. And even more inspired to read about the Inca trails that I will embark on in the next week. As I wonder around the facility I notice a small sign over a caged door that reads "Biblioteca". I explore further, hoping that this library, if open, will in fact have something I am looking for. To my surprise I see that I have in fact entered a library dedicated specifically to the Inca´s History.

It is hard not to speak "fate" in these situation.. so I did. I took a small touist book and read over each and every page. The pictures only teased my imagincaion more as I now longed to discover the true mysteries of Machu Picchu. Although I will probably never know the truth of what happened to the civilization I hope that in part I gain an undestanding of their presence and intentions.

New Best Friend

I´m now in Cochabamba for an AIESEC conference. I woke-up at the lovely hour of 4:30am. I meant to take a quick nap after dinner but eight hours later I found that I was fooling myself. The rest of the congress however chose to stay up working till 4:30am and then party until they finally rolled into bed around 6am (well some of them).

I decided to take an early morning walk and have some nice reflection time with not a soul was in sight. Before I knew it I heard a huge dog bark and saw the guy racing towards me. Obviously I am not one to be afraid of dogs (even if they are barging towards me at full speed) but the only words I could hear were that of the nurse repeating warning of rabies just one week before. My terror quickly turned to joy as I translated his barks as merely words of "hello" and his anxious arrival as pure excitement. For the next 15 minutes he was my best friend.

Two of his companions, on the other hand, did not make the cut. I have decided that I am a full-blowned adorable-ist. I know that his somewhat adorable friends may have needed attention too but there is something about a soft, happy, black-nosed puppy that will always win over the dirty poodle with a limp leg (oo sounds so cruel). If I owned the little fella I would surely nurse him back to health but in this Bolivian scenerio I feel that it is best to leave this one untouched.

Bolivian Nails

Never thought you´d see this, did you? When asked if I wanted to get my nails done, my first reaction was, "Oh, that´s okay". But after further consideration I figured it would be good to experience part of these girls everyday life.

As we stepped into the somewhat underground market you could immediately smell the fumes of nail polish and alcohol. In the back corner sat about 7 manicurists hard at work, rustling through the different colors and stencils. With my eyes opened wide I looked at the intricate detail of the designs and although I would never wear this fashion at home I figured here there was nothing to lose. So I picked my design and awaited my new experience. These girls were about to perform their art...
5 minutes later, I was done. 5 Bs later (60 cents), I had paid. Anticlimactic.

Hard goodbyes

Well never in my life has in been so hard for me to leave the country and I doubt it ever will be again. A journey usually leaves me with overwhelming excitement, but this one was all too bittersweet.

But no worry, a new beginning is here and if anything is to be said about the first day determining the future I can say that I am hopeful. Stepping off the plane I felt a sigh of relief as my lungs continued to breath in and out at a normal rate (a nurse at home assured me that I would have trouble at the 13,000 ft in La Paz). Within moments of stepping out of the baggage claim I saw 5 wonderful smiles, fighting the 5am wake-up call to come get me, and lifted up a huge sign that read ¨"Welcome Mallory".

All 7 of us piled in a little car (luggage, Mal and a Dad that was kind enough to drive that early) and they poured me some Mate. The local drink made with coca leaves, meant to cure altitude sickness. I had felt fine so far but figured it would be best to drink the tea and avoid any possible disasters. Much to my surprise, it was the most delicious thing I have ever tasted. The clear substance looked more like green tea than anything, but the creamy flavor almost tricked my mind into a smell of vanilla. I will investigate further.

We arrived at Mayra´s house where her family greeted me with more tea and breakfast, followed by a nap and then lunch. All in all, a nice relaxing day that I will finish off with a good read.

So far the Southern Hemisphere has been good to me. I still get exited when I see the toilet flush counterclockwise. It is the perfect representation of how my life feels right now... upsidedown.

Moving

to La Paz, Bolivia