4-26 Stuck in Copacabana, Bolivia
Sorry it´s been so long since our last entry, Bolivia has without doubt been the most challenging country for communication. I was telling Jon at dinner tonight that upon returning to the U.S. I plan on being a much better communicator (as some of you may know i sometimes neglect my cell phone messages). It´s so easy to take the ease of communication we enjoy in the US for granted.
Bolivia has been by far the most underdeveloped country we have visited so far. The style of life here is dramatically different from that we are accustomed to. In more places than not, there is not running water, and one flushes the toilet by scooping a bucket of dirty water from a huge barrel and dumping it down the toilet. This is a fairly practical, yet incomplete method for flushing busy hostal toilets. And since there is no soap or running water in sinks, Purel has become our best friend. Unfortunately for us, it seems a little spoken of effect of altitude (We have been between 3,000 and 5,000 meters for the past 10 days)is that is GREATLY speeds digestion, so the frequent combination of twenty-five travelers and two manually flushing toilets has caused several unpleasant experiences for us.
The Bolivian lifestyle is fascinating, and incredibly hard. Most Bolivians still farm for their livlihood, producing just enough for their families, and there is almost no visible income gap, everyone is just getting by. I have not yet understood how the women here take cold showers in buckets or farm all day while wearing their children in slings on their backs. Interestingly, there have been almost no beggars or homeless in Bolivia, even in the cities, the strength of family and community seem to be alive and well here.
Although different, we have loved Bolivia and its pace of life. We have spent the past few days exploring Copacabana, a town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, a huge lake on the border of Bolivia and Peru. We were supposed to leave today, but our bus was mysteriously canceled, due to unknown circumstance, so we will arrive tomorrow evening in Puno, Peru on the Peru side of the lake to spend a day there before taking off for language school in Cuzco. We are both looking forward to being in one place for a while, and can´t wait to catch up on communication!!
Hasta Cuzco.....
P.S. Happy Birthday Dad/Mike! Wish we could be there!
Sorry it´s been so long since our last entry, Bolivia has without doubt been the most challenging country for communication. I was telling Jon at dinner tonight that upon returning to the U.S. I plan on being a much better communicator (as some of you may know i sometimes neglect my cell phone messages). It´s so easy to take the ease of communication we enjoy in the US for granted.
Bolivia has been by far the most underdeveloped country we have visited so far. The style of life here is dramatically different from that we are accustomed to. In more places than not, there is not running water, and one flushes the toilet by scooping a bucket of dirty water from a huge barrel and dumping it down the toilet. This is a fairly practical, yet incomplete method for flushing busy hostal toilets. And since there is no soap or running water in sinks, Purel has become our best friend. Unfortunately for us, it seems a little spoken of effect of altitude (We have been between 3,000 and 5,000 meters for the past 10 days)is that is GREATLY speeds digestion, so the frequent combination of twenty-five travelers and two manually flushing toilets has caused several unpleasant experiences for us.
The Bolivian lifestyle is fascinating, and incredibly hard. Most Bolivians still farm for their livlihood, producing just enough for their families, and there is almost no visible income gap, everyone is just getting by. I have not yet understood how the women here take cold showers in buckets or farm all day while wearing their children in slings on their backs. Interestingly, there have been almost no beggars or homeless in Bolivia, even in the cities, the strength of family and community seem to be alive and well here.
Although different, we have loved Bolivia and its pace of life. We have spent the past few days exploring Copacabana, a town on the shores of Lake Titicaca, a huge lake on the border of Bolivia and Peru. We were supposed to leave today, but our bus was mysteriously canceled, due to unknown circumstance, so we will arrive tomorrow evening in Puno, Peru on the Peru side of the lake to spend a day there before taking off for language school in Cuzco. We are both looking forward to being in one place for a while, and can´t wait to catch up on communication!!
Hasta Cuzco.....
P.S. Happy Birthday Dad/Mike! Wish we could be there!
posted by Jon and Kristen | 6:39 PM
2 Comments:
In 1975 Gene and I rode from La Paz to Puno by way of Cococabana I felt I had gone back in time centuries. I don't remember how we happened to have hired a car and a driver but I found the ride fascinating. Nellie
Kristen and Jon -
Miss you guys here in America. Sounds like you are having a fascinating time. Great to read about your adventures!
Stay safe, and keep learning and having fun.
Look forward to hearing more...
Cheers,
Brad B.
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