So 7 of my couchsurfers headed to the folklorica festival this weekend in Coroico. The rest of us weren't going to go but last minute on day 2 at around 5pm we decided we needed to get out of La Paz. The 4 of us caught one of the last buses and arrived at around 10pm. At the bus approached the city (in the middle of the jungle) we felt the warm sticky breeze on our faces. Oh lord, we are ready for this weather.
Bus crashed into a pole as we got into the town. We decided that was a good stopping point. The whole city is at a slant so we struggled up the hill with our tents, pots and rando gear. We were ready for some folkloric culture and some outdoor camping. Within 30 seconds we realized that we had intensely misjudged what kind of festival this would be. We found our friends, who were already 4 rum bottles deep, and realized we were going to have to stash our stuff and pull an all nighter. They had found hotel with a storage room where we could put our stuff for 30 cents a night.
The Bolivians looked like Zombies slowly and steadily making it drunkenly up the hill. One foot at a time my friend. A little sway here and there. A full 45 degree angle, head first.
The rest of the night was debauchery, complete with surfers climbing into mansion gardens, unicycle lessons (we later took him back to La Paz with us) and of course a German Mr. Hyde running like a madman.
After losing half the group we thought it would be a good idea to try pitch a tent somewhere. The hotel was kind enough to let us use their lawn, next to a big jeep and a few other tents that had already made their way there. We met some hippies and hung out with them for a while and then crashed till 11am. In the morning we were surprised that the rest hadn't come back yet. I walked to the plaza to find them. And oh did I ever...
In front of me sat 5 surfers. Each had a large beer in their hand, minus one who's was broken on the floor in front of him. I walk up to them laughing, only to be greeted by German Mr. Hyde, explaining that I needed to meet the plaza family. Keep in mind they had been drinking 22 hours straight. The family was as follows:
Eggman: Passed out sitting up with a crushed egg on his head
Newlyweds: The one girlfriend had been holding back her vomiting boyfriend's hair
Gravity Man: Who had fallen asleep with one shoulder on the bench and the rest of his body still in a perfect sitting position. When I arrived he had fallen into the dead man position face down on the floor.
Bruce Lee: Never got that one explained to me, only that he would return shortly.
The drinking continued till about 4pm, when we finally decided to go back home. I've never been so proud of my children.
Quote of the night:
"Dude we're so lost, which way should we go, where's the concert?"
Chris: "That guy's carrying a gas tank let's go that way"
Dan: "Haha, that guy's wearing a jacket maybe he knows"
Chris: "Seriously, I figured he meant business with that thing"
Labels: debauchery, La Paz
