Volume V: The South American Journals
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Peru - Bolivia - Chile
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September to October, 2019
Objective of trip:
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To travel through Southern Peru via Arequipa and Puno to Lake Titicaca and thence to La Paz. Make our way down through Bolivia before crossing into Chile and coming up the coast via Arica to Tacna and eventually, Lima.
Travel arrangements (as of 24/7/19).
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Sought flights to Lima which:
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(i) Are competitively priced
(ii) Would give us a reasonable baggage allowance (ie 23kg)
(iii) If at all possible would arrive and depart from Lima at convenient times - that is to say, no late night arrivals nor early morning departures.
(iv) Would, if possible be with an EEC airline simply because of the extra guarantees.
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Method of booking:
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Used Skyscanner to look for flights to Lima departing around 22 Sep. and returning around 24 Oct.
Skyscanner produced a number of options of which uk. mytrip.com seemed to offer the best deal - admittedly not with an EEC airline but with Avianca, well-priced and with departures from Heathrow in the late evening and departures from Lima in the afternoon, plus we get the 23kg. baggage allowance. There was also quite an attractive offer from Air France/KLM but it would have entailed late arrival in Lima plus early departure from that city as well.
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Paid £1067.45 on Mastercard plus an extra £8.90 to absolve us from all the hassle of the check-in process.
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We leave London at 22:40 pm on Sunday 22 Sep. (arriving Lima via Bogota at 15:15 on 23/9) and return from Lima at 1630 on Thursday 24 Oct. (arriving LHR 15:35 on Friday 25/10.)
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Pre-booked travel and accommodation:
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Booking.com did not seem to be functioning so used Trip.com to find what looked like a reasonable lodging in Miraflores - Marqay Hostel Miraflores, Calle Maria Parado de Bellido 181. Booked a double room with adjacent bathroom for two nights at a total cost of US $56.
Thinking about travel to, and accommodation in, Arequipa and beyond, I remembered that the last time in Lima we had picked up some brochures produced by Peru Hop which seemed to offer an attractive means of travelling down to Puno in comfort and security...
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Proved a simple matter to book Lima through to Puno with Peru Hop with an overnight stop at Paracas and a couple of nights in Arequipa before moving on to Puno for another stop of two nights - US $206.85. Again using Trip.com booked accommodation in Puno at Casona Inka's Dream, Av. La Torre 482 which seems to be both highly rated and very reasonably priced - US $44.40 including breakfast.
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Was able to go further and then book with Bolivia Hop for a journey from Puno to La Paz with a two night stop-over in Copacabana; also took advantage of an offer of a four hour round boat trip to the Island of the Sun [US $10 each]. Received a US$10 rebate as a reward for booking.
Accommodation provision [as of 21/09/19]:
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PERU
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Lima: 23/9 - 25/9
Marqay Hostel Miraflores
[Calle Maria Parado De Bellido Tel: +51 944080456]
Paracas: 25/9 – 27/9
Accommodation t.b.a.
Huacachina: 27/9
Accommodation t.b.a.
Arequipa: 29/9 – 1/10
Accommodation t.b.a.
Puno: 1/10
Kuntur Inn
[Jiron Ayacucho 708, Puno. Tel: +51 51 351209
Lima: 22/10 – 24/10
Accommodation t.b.a.
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BOLIVIA
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Copacabana: 2/10 – 4/10
Hostal La Casa del Sol.
[Calle Jose Ballivian, zona Munaypata. Tel:+591 71586731]
La Paz: 4/10 – 8/10
Hostal La Posada De La Abuela
[Linares 947 (entre Sagarnaga y Tarija) 9999 La Paz. Tel: +591 63205655]
Sucre: 9/10 – 12/10
Gabriel B&B Tarabuco
[631 Eduardo Avaroa, 1234 Sucre. Tel: +591 75432185]
Potosi: 12/10 – 15/10
Casa de Huespedes Maria Victoria
[156 Chuquisaca – San Pedro, Potosi
Uyuni: 15/10 – 18/10
Hotel Salcay
[Bolivar entre Potosi y Colon, Uyuni. Tel: +591 72786393]
CHILE
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Iquique: 19/10 – 20/10
Hostal Casa-Blanca.
[Gorostiaga 127, 1100724 Iquique. Tel:+56 57 242 0007.
Arica: 20/10 – 22/10
Hostel la posada gallo.
[Arturo Gallo 202, 1000994 Arica. Tel:+56 9 4676 5659
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FINANCES:
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Worked on the assumption that we would need at least the equivalent of £2000 and quite possibly more.
Exchange rates as of 20/09/19:
PERU: £1 = 4 New Soles
BOLIVIA: £1 = 8.3 Bolivianos
CHILE: £1 = 859 Pesos
USA: £1 = $1.24
As usual, obtained what currencies I could from Thomas Exchange Global at St.Pauls. Bolivianos are seemingly unobtainable in London so took an extra helping of US dollars and the bureau was unable to supply the requested 2000 Peruvian soles so added more dollars on to my purchase. As we shall be a few hours in Bogota (the airport if nothing more) I also bought a small quantity of Colombian pesos.
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Final cash purchases [amounting to £1461.50]:
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£300 to buy 1200 new soles
£405.56 to buy 350,000 Chilean pesos
£14.30 to acquire 54,000 Colombian pesos
£741.64 to obtain US $920
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In addition I loaded £400 on to my Fair Fx Anywhere card; any further cash needs will have to be met by my Platinum Barclay card.
Day 1. Sunday, 22 Sept. 2019. London - Bogotá
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A late evening departure has meant that we have been able to enjoy a pretty relaxed day – only noticeable difference from our usual routine being that the main meal of the day was taken at 4.00 pm.
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Left the house at 6.10 pm and took the bus to Blackhorse Road and then the tube, via Finsbury Park, to Heathrow Terminal 2 – a journey of exactly one hour and three quarters. Having checked-in online it was simply a matter of handing in our bags and then proceeding to the Departures Lounge. Flight was scheduled to leave at 22.40 but we boarded earlier than I would have expected and spent some while in seats 17A & B hoping against hope that no-one would come to claim 17C! It couldn’t last, of course; eventually an exceedingly hirsuit hipster came along and plonked himself down in the coveted seat. Our new neighbour had the hairiest arms that I have ever seen on a human and at times it was like sitting in close proximity with a shaggy dog!
A largely full flight departed on schedule and a reasonable meal was served at midnight – chicken fried rice being the main component which I washed down with a couple of beers. Spent the early hours watching Frost and Nixon featuring Martin Sheen who was excellent as Frost but who, from time to time, I could not disassociate from Brian Clough!
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The aircraft, Boeing B787, was pleasingly spacious and thus a ten-hour journey passed far more comfortably than I had anticipated and meant that I was able to spend a fair bit of the time asleep!
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Bogotá being six hours behind the UK, we arrived at 3.15 am (local time), made our way through Migración, and prepared for a lengthy wait (Lima flight scheduled for 12.20 pm!); happily had plenty of reading matter to hand and airport facilities appeared to be first-rate…
Day 2. Monday, 23 Sept. 2019, [Bogotá airport] – Lima
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An eight-hour airport stop-over sounds pretty dire but, in the event, we passed the time quite handily – the airport gives an hour of free internet access which meant that we were able to access today’s Daily Telegraph and, having a small amount of Colombian pesos, we were able to buy snacks (pollo and carne empanadas) and drinks to keep us going. We made the mistake, on arriving in the waiting area, by occupying seats conveniently close to the “cans” when, had we investigated just a little further, we could have found ourselves an ideal nook looking on to the runway.
Lima flight proved shorter than I had envisaged and we arrived in an overcast city just before 3.00 pm (having left Colombia at 12.20 pm). Collected our baggage, bought tickets for the Airport Express (s/25 each) which departed at 4.00 pm and deposited us in Miraflores.
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Of course, we had no idea as to the exact location of our lodgings (Marqay Hostel Miraflores) but we encountered a number of helpful types and one of the town guides, Alejandro, a Venezuelan, went far beyond the call of duty to ensure that we reached our destination where, at Reception, we received a warm welcome from another Venezuelan. Shown to our room, a bright and comfortable, if rather compact space, with our own bathroom across the corridor.
Showered, dressed and then went out into town; Marqay’s road adjoins Avenida Arequipa which runs down to Parque Kennedy and the centre of Miraflores.
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Feeling peckish, we sought out some of the restaurants we had frequented on our previous visit a couple of years ago and were disconcerted to find that so much had changed. The bustling street that we remembered was largely deserted and devoid of nearly all the eating establishments that had previously made it such a lively area! Eventually we settled upon one of the only two places still trading having been tempted by their competitive prices and by their offer of a free pisco sour! We enjoyed an excellent meal plus a large bottle of beer and the aforesaid piscos for a total of s/70.
On our way back home we stopped off at a gigantic supermarket and bought a bottle of pisco and some fruit fizz which, on arrival back in our room, we broached while watching, somewhat half-heartedly, some Peruvian/Colombian television. By 10.00 pm we were too tired to continue!
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Day 3. Tuesday 24 Sept., 2019. Lima
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Fell into a deep sleep immediately but woke at 2.15 am and slept but fitfully thereafter. Unusually had to make three trips to the bathroom – perhaps pisco is a diuretic?
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Warm shower at 7.30 am and then to the attractive little breakfast room where we made the acquaintance of a Brasileiro from Iguaçu! Breakfast itself was simple but good (juice, crusty rolls, jam and a form of scrambled egg.) News just came through that the Supreme Court has ruled Johnson’s parliamentary shenanigans illegal! Whatever next?…
Walked down Arequipa before turning into Av. Larco and thence to main Miraflores Tourist Office in the hope of getting on a Lima guided tour. Having registered in the office we were then allocated a guide, Carla, and by 10.00 am a group of some fifteen set off for Lima.
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Made the acquaintance of a certain James Grant, an ex heroin addict originally from Oxford but now living in Peru with the intention of becoming a shaman! Soon became clear that he knew ayahuasca intimately and so asked him if I could put Millie in touch with him to garner some advice…by the time the tour ended the two were in fevered e-mail correspondence!
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Took the very crowded, and very fast, rapid transito from the nearby Benavides station [s/2.50] to the city centre and then set off on the walk, stopping intermittently at major points of interest. Carla proved enthusiastic and informative and the trip proved very worthwhile though, I must confess, apart from the final halt at the Parque de las Murallas, we did not consider any attraction that we had not visited in 2017.
Once the tour had ended we moved back towards the Plaza de las Armas calling in, on the way, at the Casa de la Literatura, a most ornate former railway station and now an establishment promoting Peruvian literature including the Biblioteca Mario Vargas Llosa which we looked around briefly; eye-catching stained-glass ceilings and a line of poetry on the risers of each step between the floors .
An example of staircase poetry at Casa de la Literatura
Thereafter we sought out a restaurante economico in Calle Plumereros which we had frequented on our last visit; had a great-value meal of ceviche followed by lomo saltado [s/30 including beer.] Lunch over we made our way to Av. Tacna and took a 301 back to Miraflores.
Once back in familiar territory we took a” bone-shaker” to Chorillos but alighted in trendy and attractive Barranco where we spent a while exploring. Feeling that we had done our share of walking for the day (we eventually totted –up in excess of 28,000 steps) we returned to Miraflores and visited yesterday evening’s restaurant for a cold beer (lunch having been so extensive that we could not face another meal!).
Barranco
Looked around Parque Kennedy briefly before calling in to a Subway and ordering, what for them must be, a mini-Subway; being Martes it was an Italiano – appetising enough. It was at this point that we fancied a pisco sour and were fortunate to come across a nearby bar/restaurant (Café Café del Peru, Martir olaya 250) which was hosting a Happy Hour – we stayed long enough for two very fine drinks each [s/46 total].
Returned to Marqay, paid the US $59.92 bill on my Visa card and then booked ahead for our return on 22 Oct. Retired to our room for a little TV and some more pisco. Set alarms for 5.15 am as Peru Hop was scheduled to collect us between 6.15 and 6.30.
Day 4. Wednesday, 25 Sept. 2019. Lima – Paracas
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In spite of having to visit the bathroom on three occasions, I had a pretty good night! I am now certain that pisco is a diuretic!
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Up at 5.15 am to shower and then wait to be picked-up; bags were already packed so there was very little for us to do except be patient. Just as well that we were so completely ready as our transportation arrived some ten minutes early.
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Boarded a near-empty bus which then spent most of the next hour picking up people from assorted locations in Miraflores – amazing how many were clearly unready for the bus’s arrival! Finally left Miraflores a little after 7.00 am with most seats now occupied and a very personable guide, Franklin.
With Peru Hop to Paracas
A very cool and exceedingly misty morning spent passing along the coast amid some very barren scenery with the bus windows continually steaming up. Close to 8.00 am we stopped for breakfast; Franklin had told us in advance what was on offer and then phoned-in our preferences to the restaurant with the consequence that, on arrival, all our meals were ready! We enjoyed a pork and sweet potato, crispy bread roll with a glass of papaya juice [s/16 each – good value].
The restaurant is situated in a farm and so, after eating, for the best part of an hour, we wandered around the premises looking at the enclosures of horses and the numerous cages of guinea pigs.
When the journey resumed the best part of four hours was spent travelling through a totally desolate landscape only occasionally coming across fertile areas where water must have been available.
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Just before mid-day and another stop, this time at the luxurious Hacienda San José in Chincha; a colonial mansion now an exclusive hotel built upon some secret slave tunnels. Explored the tunnels and looked around the house, its fine baroque chapel and some of its extensive grounds. Proved a fascinating hour or so before re-boarding for the final hour to Paracas.
Hacienda chapel interior
Hacienda chapel
During the course of the trip we prevailed upon Franklin to arrange our accommodation in Paracas; we opted for Hotel Residencial Los Frayles which, apart from being of a high standard also has the advantage of being Peru Hop’s Puente de Encuentro. Paid s/208 at Reception (Visa again) and received the keys to Room 306, a most well-appointed lodging for the next couple of nights.
Deposited our bags and then went across to the nearby Malecon, stopping first for a fine lunch of ceviche and chofa de marisco plus beer at Edith’s beachside restaurant [s/50] before enjoying a walk along the length of the very lively Malecon.
Returned to Frayles by way of a “supermarket” where we not only bought pisco but a small bottle of Peruvian bitters and, mirabile dictu, a brush for my hair!
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Back at the hotel we snoozed for a couple of hours before preparing to meet Franklin and others for a trip to a nearby and highly recommended restaurant, the Restaurante Paracas, an up-market establishment who, very fortunately, give a 20% discount to Peru Hop passengers!
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A group of between 20-30, we sat down at a very long table; I had no-one opposite me, M to my right, and an inane American girl to my left…ordered ceviche and a large avocado salad to share with M who also had a somewhat slight, but award –winning “fried dough” platter. Meal together with a bottle of agua con gaz came to s/ 78 after the discount was applied.
Having eaten, we went upstairs for a lesson in making pisco sour (entails a magic formula of ingredients in the ratio of 3-1-1-1: ie. liquor, lime juice, egg white and sugar syrup.)
Enjoying my own handiwork!
After the pisco a salsa instruction session ensued. Proceedings came to a halt at 10.15 pm leaving us to walk the short distance back to the hotel and a similarly short session of imbibing pisco and 7Up…
Day 5. Thursday, 26 Sept. 2019, Paracas
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Still got up thrice during the night but otherwise had a very satisfactory sleep. Rose at 7.45 am for what eventually proved to be a very hot shower.
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Breakfast was a buffet – rolls, “ham”, a very salty Peruvian cheese, pawpaw and pineapple plus a variety of fruit juices.
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Met up with the rest of the Peru Hop group outside the hotel on a very overcast and almost cold day and were marched down to the pier and waiting motorboats. The trip out to the environs of the Islas Ballestas took over half an hour and then we cruised slowly around the rocky outcrops observing dozens of basking sea lions and hundreds of thousands of assorted sea birds. The islands are an important source of guano and the smell in their vicinity is quite pronounced! Other creatures seen in abundance included crabs and starfish.
Arrived back in Paracas at mid-day and directed ourselves to Edith’s restaurant/shack for another fine lunch [s/50]; had ceviche and jelea mixta (which, in spite of its menu translation as “fried jellies”, turned out to be an appetising mix of assorted battered sea foods).
After lunching we bought a generous helping of strawberries and grenadillos from a nearby fruit-stall, more pisco from the rather surly supermarket and then returned to Frayles for a lazy afternoon.
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Later on we went down to the beach and found some comfortable chairs adjacent to the entrance of Kokopelli Guest House; made ourselves at home and stayed until 4.30 pm, Being close to the guest house we availed ourselves not only of their chairs, but of their bar too! After what had been a very dismal morning, the sun came out in force during the afternoon and we passed a few very pleasant hours. Dipped my feet in the water and found it surprisingly warm.
Paracas beach
Back to Frayles for a short interlude during which I booked-up our accommodation in Arequipa and also a day visit to the Cañon del Colca [used my Fairfx Dollar card and paid US $25 each].
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Left the hotel at 5.45 pm and reached the beach just in time to see the sun set over the peninsula and then wandered along the Malecon. The Paracas front is packed with bars and restaurants all touting for custom; eventually we yielded to the temptation of a “Happy Hour” 2 for 1 maracuya pisco sour offer – absolutely beautiful!
Happy Hour at Sol de Paracas
At this point we began to feel hungry and, walking back down the Malecon, we were inveigled into the Muelle Viejo, tempted by the offer of two courses and a pisco sour for S/23 each!
We enjoyed a very substantial meal – stuffed avocado followed by a seafood risotto and left the scene feeling absolutely stuffed! Bought a small bottle of 7Up and then returned to the room to take it easy, watch TV and sup pisco!…
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Needless to say there was very little worth watching but at least Friday’s Daily Telegraph loaded up enabling us to read tomorrow’s news before going to sleep!
Day 6. Friday 27 Sept. 2019. Paracas – Huacachina
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Apart, once again, from getting up three times, had a very good night and got up to shower at 7.30 am. before going to breakfast which was the same as yesterday save for the fact that there was more of it!
Paracas resident waiting to be served breakfast!
Plenty of time on our hands before the morning’s excursion so took the opportunity to book our places on a one-day tour of the Salar de Uyuni on 16 Oct. – paid with my Fairfx dollar card and obtained a $10 discount by using a code printed in Peru Hop’s Spanish-language brochure (but not in the English version): $130 (plus card fee).
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Lots of people had signed up for the morning trip and so two buses were required. The Paracas National Reserve (basically a vast expanse of desert adjacent to the ocean) is situated about 15 minutes away from the town. The tour comprised three stops: La Catedral – a rock formation just off the coast; Istmo de la Peninsula, famed for its panoramic views; Playa Roja, an extensive red sandy beach.
Returned very briefly to Paracas and then departed for Huacachina at 1.00pm, arriving ninety minutes later. Left hotel booking to the Guide on the bus but we came a little unstuck (or so we thought) as the most attractive option had no vacancies – had to settle for our second choice.
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Arriving at Huacachina the bus dropped us at the Punto de Encuentro (The Wild Rover) leaving us to walk the short distance to our lodging for the night, the Carola Lodge.
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We were met at Reception by a very friendly young man who took great pains to warn us that tonight would be exceedingly noisy due to the hotel disco which would be functioning between 8.30 pm and 5.00 am!! Well. M was prepared to put her faith in her ear plugs so we decided to go ahead – paid s/100 and got a nice large room on the ground floor by the swimming pool.
Our room at the Carola Lodge
View from our room
Parked our baggage and then returned to the Wild Rover but not before buying some excellent empanadas from a cheerful Argentinian woman who subsequently was thrilled when I told her how much we enjoyed her wares!
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Met up with Lisa Marie, our guide, and the rest of the group and then set off for the dunes to pick up our buggy. The whole of the little town is surrounded by towering sand dunes – a spectacular setting!
Buggies set of like bats out of hell and we had a truly helter-skelter ride up and down precipitous dunes before coming to a rest at which point the sand boards came out and we took to sand-boarding down seven or eight different dunes (waxing the boards with candles after each descent).
Sand boarding over by 5.30 pm we were taken to a suitable location to watch the sun set over the dunes before returning to Huacachina. Ridiculously, on our return we could not find our way back to Carola; had to ask for help and it took ages to get back to our room!
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After showering we returned to the Wild Rover to register our existence, book for the evening’s barbecue and avail ourselves of their offer of a free pisco sour! Well, after registration we went to the bar to claim our free cocktails and to enlist for the BBQ…found a Toga Party in full swing accompanied by deafening noise/music – decided that the Rover was probably not for us! This decision was cemented when we were invited to take part in a “Beer Pong” competition…
Made our way around the lagoon looking for establishments offering “Happy Hours” and eventually fetched up at the Huacachina Sunset Hostal where we enjoyed a very fine maracuya pisco sour and then stayed on for a couple of their “combo” meals which were both tasty and filling.
Meal over we returned to Carola and sat out on some comfortable upholstered chairs by the pool and drank a couple of cups of pisco/sprite before retiring for the night at 10.00 pm. The much –anticipated Disco had started-up but mercifully seemed somewhat restrained; took some heavy duty sleep aides in the hope that we’d get off to sleep before hell broke loose!…
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Day 7. Saturday, 28 Sept. 2019, Huacachina
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Well, the disco did not impinge upon us at all and we both had good nights; I only had to get up once which suggests progress!…
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Had a cold shower on rising (apparently it became scalding hot once I had got out!) and then sorted out our bags before moving outside to sit in the armchairs overlooking the pool and to enjoy a breakfast of grenadillos.
The oasis of Huacachina
Set off for a wander around the lagoon and found the walkways full of life; we just had time to walk the concreted area and then go back to Sunset for a repeat of yesterday’s meal.
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Lunch over we simply had to go back to Carola to pick up our bags and then trundle them up to the Meeting Point at Wild Rover.
Left M with bags and then returned to the Argentinian lady’s shop for some empanadas to carry on our journey; bought two vegetable and two meat empanadas and had a very friendly chat with “Mama Che” as she is apparently known throughout the town.
Mama Che
Two buses were due to depart at the same time (1.00 pm) for Arequipa; one set off as scheduled but the other, ours, was delayed by half an hour which, later on was to prove quite significant. Bus eventually turned up and we set off for Ica and the bodega of El Catador, an artisanal pisco lodge.
We were given a brief but informative introduction to pisco production from a spirited employee together with a tasting of three types of wine (all ranging from sweet to very sweet!) and then some pisco and pisco cream liqueur. Tastings over, we indulged in two large tubs of very fine ice cream as a birthday treat!
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Back to the bus for a long afternoon ride through desolation towards Nazca – desert all the way. Having had a later than planned departure earlier we were always slightly pressed for time and, at one stage, it was feared that we would not reach the Nazca Lines until it was too dark to see anything.
In actual fact we reached Nazca by 5.30 pm just as the light was beginning to fade and then, as only one viewing tower was in operation, had to wait in a long queue before our turn came to ascend and see some of the lines (the overall picture which is far larger is only obtainable from the air.) Looked around a full 360 degrees, took a couple of pictures, descended, crossed the road to the bus and it was suddenly pitch black!
The lines are not very far from the very lively town of Nazca itself where a stop of an hour was put aside for dinner (our meal orders were again phoned-in ahead); however, due to the fact that we were running behind schedule, there was a slight change of timetable with the dinner-stop reduced to thirty minutes! The quality of the meals on offer was good ( I had lomo saltado, M had fried chicken – s/20 each) but the limited time meant that some people were nowhere near finishing their meal before they had to stop and return to the bus (I must have been one of the very few who actually managed to consume their order in the allotted time!)
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Once back on the road for a long trip in the dark to Arequipa; Ricardo put on what he claimed to be the best film ever, “Mrs Doubtfire”; well, I wouldn’t give it quite such a generous accolade but it was entertaining and helped to pass the time well.
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Film over, we settled down for the night. Ambient temperature in the bus was pleasant (20 – 23 c) but, nonetheless, all seats had been provided with rugs which, in our case, during the afternoon, I had placed in the shelf above our heads – when we came to use them that night however, they were gone! We strongly suspected (rightly, as it subsequently proved) that one of the Turkish women on the other side of the aisle had swiped ours!… OK, the temperature on board was comfortable and there was no chance of us freezing but, nonetheless, it was an underhand thing to do!
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Bus made up time in the course of the night and we came into Arequipa as dawn was breaking and were dropped at the Flying Dog at 5.35 am. We were allowed into the hostel precinct and permitted to deposit our bags and then pass time in the Waiting Room; breakfast was promised for 6.25 am. and admittance to our rooms from 10.00 am.
Day 8. Sunday, 29 Sept. 2019, Arequipa
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Flying Dog appeared to be an attractive lodging place, well-positioned, just three blocks away from the city centre. Made friends immediately with the resident “Tuxedo” and sent her picture off to nearest and dearest!
In my memory Arequipa was a bright and breezy city and, forty years on, that seemed just as true today – clear blue skies and intense light. To kill some time before breakfast we wandered down towards the Plaza de Armas, a most attractive square fronting the Cathedral; beds of strongly-scented and colourful flowers, army platoons drilling in the side streets and a few local citizens taking their early morning paseo. Bizarrely, to get to the centre we had to pass along one block of desolation: broken glass scattered profusely in the road, drunks lying comatose on the pavements, piles of vomit and litter…Once past this particular block the city reverted to its attractive self!
En route to the Plaza, M. made a shocking confession…yesterday evening, at the start of Mrs Doubtfire, she repaired to the Rest Room at the back of the bus and broke Peru Hop’s cardinal rule!.. she let rip with a #2! Ricardo would have had a fit had he found out!
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By 8.25 we were back in the hostel enjoying a very welcome breakfast after which we sat reading in warm sunshine; indeed, it was so warm that we had to move into the shade.
When we eventually got to our allocated room we were gratified to find that, inexplicably, we had been given an upgrade [s/190 for two nights] – Room 6 on the Ground Floor adjacent to the first courtyard by the fountain. Room was unquestionably the finest that we have ever stayed in – quite worthy of a stately home! Huge bed, vast bath, medieval-style wall paintings, vaulted brick ceiling.
Dropped our things in the room, freshened-up quickly, and then returned to town to visit the market to buy fruit and, inevitably, a queso helado, before retracing our steps to the Plaza de S. Francisco in the hope of getting on a free walking tour at 10.15 am.
Queso helado
Well, we only just made the location at the appointed time but there was no sign of any tour; we decided to cut our losses and move on to Arequipa’s gem, El Convento de Sta. Catalina, a picturesque and extensive convent complex, where we paid an entrance fee of s/40 each plus a further s/20 for an excellent English-speaking guide. Had a detailed tour of the extensive precinct which lasted exactly one hour.
Had hoped to get on an afternoon walking tour but, alas, we missed that too! Instead we opted to return to the main plaza and have a cold beer on an upper tier overlooking the square. Revived, we returned to the market to buy a tasty snack (a roasted pork roll with onion and tomato) plus some rolls to eat this evening with cheese and membrillo – oh yes, we also bought a bottle of pisco but this time Quebranta and not the usual Achollado (proving that we had learned from yesterday’s seminar!).
Arequipa street scenes
Back to the Dog for a little relaxation and to consider whether or not to go out again, this time to the Cathedral which would, apparently, open its doors at 5.00 pm. Needless to say, when we did eventually get to the Cathedral it was firmly closed although a very helpful policeman told us that, it being a Sunday, it would re-open at 7.00 pm. The Plaza itself was full of life with music being played through speakers and couples doing an incredibly formal tango-style dance (came to the conclusion that this was a dance instructor with his pupils).
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We decided to go back to the hostel after finding an ATM and drawing out a further s/400 and hoping that we would now have enough soles to see us through to our return to Lima…Bread, cheese and membrillo plus a bottle of beer in the breakfast area before retiring to our room for some pisco and an early night knowing that we would have a very early start in the morning.
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Day 9. Monday, 30 Sept. 2019, Arequipa
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Had an amazingly sound sleep and woke at 2.40 am. for a startlingly hot shower.
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Bus came and picked us up at 3.00 am. and we proceeded out of the city and its environs in the pitch dark. Unsurprisingly soon felt very weary and had no difficulty in dropping off!
Our first stop, a short one of some ten minutes, came after a couple of hours when we stopped at a viewpoint to observe three neighbouring volcanoes. Got out of the bus to take snaps but, even though the temperature was below zero (-2c) did not particularly notice the cold; however, the Mirador is at an altitude of 4900 metres and I had not taken many steps before I began to feel decidedly peculiar – almost as if I was about to suffer a panic attack! The sensation was far from pleasant and I was more than glad to get back into the bus! Seemingly some of the other passengers were worse affected.
Stopped at a café/restaurant at 7.00 am for breakfast – bread and jam, in my case, plus two cups of coca tea (not too bad, a little like drinking spinach water!) Encountered an attractive pregnant grey cat and managed to feed her a saucer of scrambled egg which she rapidly demolished.
Back on the road for another hour until we reached the Colca Canyon where the bus parked leaving us to go on a short walk to a vantage point where we might hope to get a good sighting of condors; in this respect we were very fortunate as the day was bright and sunny providing just the conditions that the creatures seem to like. Cannot say exactly how many birds we saw wheeling across the sky but it was a fair few and very impressive they were too.
Resumed the bus trip and alighted for a short while in Maca to look at a very pretty church and to have our pictures taken with elaborately dressed indigenous ladies and their accompanying alpacas who all seemed very docile and pliable!
The final major event before lunch was a trip to the hot thermal springs at Yanque where I spent an idyllic hour lounging in Jacuzzi-like pools ranging from pleasantly warm to decidedly hot! I must confess that for me, at least, this was the highlight of the morning!
All that remained was to drive on a little way to a large restaurant for an excellent buffet lunch – among the dishes featured was lomo saltado comprising alpaca or llama! Meal cost s/30 each and of good quality and plentiful; pity that I never managed to secure some ceviche made from Colca river trout but other than that I had no complaints!
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Back on to the road to return to Arequipa, a journey of three hours passing through the Reserva Nacional where we observed flocks of alpaca – back in the city by 4.30 pm.
Returned to the Dog for a cold beer and then into the centre for a cursory look around the Cathedral (pleasant enough but far from out-of-the-ordinary) and a fruitless search for an altitude sickness remedy advocated by Patricia, our guide. Walked home passing, as we did so, a vociferous demonstration protesting about political corruption. Back to set about our packing and then to have another beer to accompany our evening snack of cheese and rolls and grenadillos.
Arequipa Cathedra
Finished off our bottle of pisco accompanying it with Inka Kola and were in bed not long after 8.30 pm. TV on all channels was full of news of the President dissolving Parliament and the street protests taking place across the country; from our own observation it would seem that the President’s actions must command support as many of the placards being waved around referred to Congress as a “nido de ratas”! Exactly where the sympathies lay of the multitude carrying flags of Che Guevarra must be a matter for speculation!…
Day 10. Tuesday, 1 Oct. 2019, Arequipa-Puno
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By 4.45 am. we were completely ready for the off; took our bags to the entrance and waited for our transport which arrived at 5.15 am.
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A little bus set off towards the outskirts and then deposited us in a small square positively packed with travellers. At first it seemed that chaos reigned but, bit by bit, things were sorted out and, in due course, we found ourselves on a smart double-decker heading for Juliaca, there to change to a Puno-bound vehicle (most of the travelling throng would continue on our bus to Cusco.)
There was a short stop after thirty minutes which gave us time to buy some omelette and avocado rolls from a street seller (very good and only s/2 each). Journey resumed and climbed higher up through largely desolate landscape and then, at 10.30 am. there was a “comfort” stop at an altitude of 4,400 metres; our guide remarked upon the cold but, by UK standards at least, it was nothing special!
Another ninety minutes across the plateau – both desolate and, at the same time, spectacular. At this point I am compelled to observe that I have been truly appalled by the amount of litter floating around the fields/desert, notably plastic bags and bottles and, depressingly, simply cannot imagine how this problem will ever be rectified…
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Reached Juliaca at mid-day and transferred immediately to a mini-bus which took eight of us (including a Gerry Adams sound-alike with whom we eventually struck up a pleasant acquaintanceship) Arrived in Puno and were dropped off at Kuntur Inn, an attractive place both within and without, where we received a warm welcome (the manager assumed that I was Brazilian and so we conversed entirely in Portuguese!) We were shown up to a fine room on the first floor (we could have gone up to the next floor and thus ensured an uninterrupted vista of the lake) but carrying the bags up yet another flight of steps did not appeal! Settled in to the room and then walked three blocks down the road to the centre of the city.
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Looking for somewhere to eat, we were enticed into Trattoria Andina where, for s/20 each, we enjoyed avocado salad, fried alpaca and chips and then ice cream/fruit salad – great value and beautifully presented. Back to Kuntur for a brief interlude of R & R before going outside to await the transport taking us to the lakeside for an afternoon tour of the floating islands (booked earlier on bus for a total of US$20).
Room at Kuntur Inn
Trattoria Andina
Finally picked up a little after 3.00 pm. and then a substantial wait for other passengers further down the road. Reached docks by 4.00 pm. to be whisked away by a fairly comfortable motor launch across the lake to the floating islands of the Uros.
Met by the Head Man of the island who demonstrated how the islands were constructed and then taken to a typical home and thence to see some of the handicrafts produced – everything seemed reasonably priced and all were of excellent craftsmanship but, sadly, I doubt if anyone bought anything! Quite frankly it was embarrassing and I did feel sorry for the saleswomen but one really cannot go around buying textiles and nick-nacks at every place that one visits!
Everyone on the tour opted to pay s/10 for a trip on a balsa (The Uros’ “Mercedes Benz”!) to one of the other islands where, for s/7 we bought cups of coca tea and had our passports stamped (reminiscent of “Passport to Pimlico”!). As we took our leave upon the balsa the island women gathered to sing us some farewell songs which all made me feel distinctly uneasy…
Began to rain heavily on the return to the mainland but fortunately we had our plastic capes with us and thus avoided a soaking between boat and bus. Back to Kuntur by 6.30 pm where we made a point of paying our bill [Visa – s/203] and then retired upstairs for a while; room was supplied with an effective electric heater which soon made for a warm and cosy atmosphere.
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By 9.15 pm. the rain had stopped so we took the opportunity to nip into town for a pretty run-of-the-mill meal and a bottle of beer (having started upon our course of altitude sickness–prevention tablets we were obliged to abstain from alcohol – well, most forms of it anyway!)
Day 11. Wednesday, 2 Oct. 2019, Puno – Copacabana
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We went to bed at a reasonable hour and I enjoyed a comfortable night, waking at times and finding it hard to believe that there were still so many hours to go before the alarm! Eventually got up at 6.10 am for a pleasantly warm shower. By this stage we were both pretty impressed by our lodging which, incidentally, was by far the most expensive booking of the trip, but decided to withhold a final verdict until we had sampled breakfast…Any doubts were soon dispelled when we were served with what was probably the best breakfast of the holiday so far: fried egg, papaya juice, fruit yoghurt plus jam and a variety of rolls.
The pick-up vehicle arrived at the hotel on the dot of 8.00am and we then toured the city picking up fellow travellers. The mini-bus took us down to the docks where we transferred to a waiting Peru-Hop bus; lots of passengers and loading baggage proved a time-consuming affair.
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Set off from Puno at 8.45 am. and for much of the journey followed the outline of the lake, arriving at the frontier at 11.45 am. where we had to vacate our bus and proceed through the border checks for our salidas/entradas before boarding a Bolivia-Hop bus to take us on the 20 minute journey into Copacabana (Bolivia time is one hour ahead of Peruvian).
We arrived in the bustling centre of what looked an attractive little town in hot sunshine. Our lodging, the Casa del Sol, being on the outskirts of town (albeit a very little one), we took a taxi for 10bs.[At the Peruvian side of the frontier I cashed US$100 for 680 bs.- I would probably have done better on the Bolivian side]
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Casa del Sol proved to be a quaint and attractive ranc-style establishment with yet another hospitable proprietor eager to do his best to make us feel at home. We were shown to a clean and well-furnished room (with ensuite!) where we settled our baggage and then chatted to our host.
Initially thought of trying out a beach recommended by the owner but, in the end, decided to save that for tomorrow morning and to investigate his recommended comedor instead. Had a lunch of beautifully fresh fried trout with the usual accompaniments plus soft drinks (54 bs).
Planned to walk into town after our meal but instead halted at the Plaza 2 de Febrero where there was a live band playing and where an enormous raffle was being held. Listened for a while and even bought some raffle tickets (which we later gave away) before visiting a very impressive Cathedral – Moorish on the outside but Spanish baroque within with a very impressive seventeenth century gilded altar. The Santíssima Virgen de Candelaria whose image is housed within the building was canonised by the Vatican in 1925 and is Bolivia’s patron saint.
Went back to the Plaza to watch more of the proceedings; a traditional pipe and drum band performed and dozens of prizes were won, often of a seemingly bizarre nature: a deodorant spray and sun block was one prize, another was a 46 kg. bag of granulated sugar! Other prizes included a large package of noodles, a baby bath containing toilet rolls, a big bottle of Coke, a bottle of wine etc. etc. with all proceeds from the event going towards the enhancement of the community.
Walked the short distance down the main road into town stopping for a beer as we did so [20bs.] but then noticed ominous clouds developing over the lake so made our way back to our hostel before the inevitable downpour.
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There not being much to do save for reading, we decided on an early night, took some max. strength sleep-aides, and were in bed by 9.00 pm.
Day 12. Thursday, 3rd. Oct 2019, Copacabana
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Had an exceedingly sound sleep did not rise until 7.45 am. The bed was particularly comfortable and comprised a heavy duvet plus four woolly blankets! It took a while to get properly warm but, eventually, it was positively blissful!
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To breakfast at 8.00am. on a cool and somewhat cloudy morning; toasted rolls, jam and peach juice. Just one other guest in the dining area whom I greeted with a cheery “Buenos dias!” and received not the slightest recognition in return! It was almost like being back in Benjamin Constant!
Breakfast at Casa del Sol
Spent a pleasant morning sitting reading on the upholstered bench outside the room; took the opportunity to make some adjustments to our travel schedule which should mean that we shall have an extra night in Chile.
Before leaving the Casa we handed in our dirty laundry and I settled our bill – 306 bs. for lodging and laundry which I considered a bargain.
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11.45 am we went for an early lunch but this time to a stall in the market adjacent to where we ate yesterday and had a very reasonable meal (20 bs. each) of trout, rice, salad and…potato (boiled at that!) Unquestionably the best potato that I can remember having eaten with a texture more like yam than the slippery tasteless things to be found in the UK; meal also included a black potato which wasn’t bad either.
Moved down the main road towards the docks and stopped off for a beer…well, after sitting for what seemed an age, glasses and napkins arrived but there was no sign of our refreshments so we were obliged to get up and leave. Fortunately there was time for us to quench our thirsts at one of the bars opposite the White Anchor before the tour group assembled at 1.00 pm.
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Departed Copacabana at 1.15 pm arriving 45 minutes later at the Isla del Sol after a beautiful crossing over the lake. A taxing hike to the summit of the island ensued followed by a gradual descent to the other side; great views and we came across a number of llamas and donkeys; local people seemed particularly welcoming.
Managed to get to the jetty just in time to catch the 4.45 pm. boat back to town – a really pretty ride which most of our companions missed, preferring to play games on their I-Pads! Should have mentioned that we passed the time on the outward journey talking to Gerry Adams and his Mrs - an entertaining couple whose names, at this stage, we still did not know.
Arrived back in Copacabana at 5.05 pm. and went back to the bar we drank in and took advantage of their “Happy hour” to buy a couple of 620 cl. bottles of beer for 30 bs.; also ordered a very fine pizza [50 bs.] which we shared. Wended our way back to the Casa noticing, as we did so, a band preparing to give a concert in the Plaza later in the evening…
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Come 8.00 pm., just as we were preparing to return to the Plaza for the concert, there was a roll of thunder, a sheet of lightning and then a steady rainfall. Clearly there remained little for us to do but to take ourselves off to bed for yet another early night!
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Turned off the lights and read the whole of the Telegraph on the I-Pad before turning my thoughts to sleep as it continued to pour outside.
Day 13. Friday, 4th. Oct. 2019, Copacabana –
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Had a reasonable night – comfortable enough but perhaps too warm! Heavy rain a times during the night but, in spite of all, we could still hear the band playing well after midnight! God only knows when they actually finished their performance!
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Another pleasant breakfast on a very damp and overcast morning though we were assured that things would improve as the day progressed…10.30 am. put our bags in the storeroom and walked into a dank town determined to make the best of the situation; had a lengthy look around the very impressive cathedral.
Lunch at midday at the restaurant that we patronised on our arrival; for 10 bs, we enjoyed a great value meal of vegetable soup (in which floated a number of chips!) followed by fried trout, salad rice etc. Suitably fortified we then felt confident enough to tackle the highest mirador in the vicinity, El Calvario.
Do not remember how long it took us to do the climb, a fair while I should imagine, but eventually we did make the summit to enjoy a fabulous panorama; we were helped in that for 5 bs. we were able to leave the rucksack with a souvenir seller (from whom, on the descent, we bought a toy llama).
From the Calvario to the waterfront for a very welcome cold beer on what was now a sunny and hot afternoon. Returned up town to the Plaza and stayed a short while observing a demonstration (including hunger-strikers) outside the Ayuntamiento (“Huelga de hambre contra la corrupción y problemas locales”).
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Returned to hostal to kill time by sitting on the benches, making adjustments to our bags etc.
Margaret with Samuel outside breakfast room
The proprietor, Samuel, a genial Hugo Chavez look-alike arranged for a taxi to pick us up at 4.30 pm and this dropped us at the Totora bar, directly opposite the White Anchor, which allowed us to dump our gear in a corner while we went up to the roof terrace to enjoy beer and pizza. When the evening began to grow chilly we went back downstairs and watched a highly entertaining game of volleyball played between employees of the neighbouring bars.
Bolivia Hop bus set off at around 6.20 pm and took us on a short journey to San Pedro Tiquine, a port on the lake from whence we embarked upon a crowded launch in the pitch black to take us across the water to the sister town of San Pablo Tiquine where we rejoined the bus. From this point there was a further journey of nearly two hours to La Paz, which, from the little we could see of it in the dark, looked something of a dump!
We were dropped off at our accommodation, La Posada de la Abuela and our spirits were raised as we found ourselves in a pleasant atrium and then in a well-appointed room on the first floor – no quibbles about paying with Visa either.
Having deposited our belongings we went out on a beer hunt and were fortunate in making the acquaintance of one of the Abuela’s staff who led us around the corner and down the street to the English Lion’s [sic] “pub”. OK, I had misgivings but these were overcome by thirst and we descended down into a cellar where a rock band was in full swing; made most welcome by a young barman and we ended up consuming two large beers (plus a coffee liqueur on the house!) and promised to return tomorrow!
Back to Abuela to get up the Telegraph and to prepare for bed shortly after midnight.
Day 14. Saturday, 5th., Oct. 2019. La Paz
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Had a reasonable night and got up to shower at 8.00 am. A filling breakfast followed – rolls, cheese, “ham” plus coffee and fruit juice.
Thought that we would make the Bolivia Hop office our first objective to garner information about La Paz and so were pleasantly surprised to find it situated directly opposite La Abuela.; got useful information about buses to Sucre (they leave at 7.00 pm in the evening) and also how to navigate the cable-car system.
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Transpired that we were relatively close to a cable-car terminal, San Jose on the Linea Morada, just a short walk away. Arrived at the San Jose station and, with the aid of a very helpful official, booked a circular journey encompassing six of the cable lines for the princely sum of bs.13 each. Started our journey at 10.30 am and had an amazing ninety minutes, covering virtually the whole city and terminating in the old centre not too far from Plaza de San Francisco (and Abuela);a truly spectacular experience.
View into city from cable car
Returned to the hostel and just managed to avoid a fierce rain storm; sat outside our room reading and waiting for the weather to ameliorate which, by 2.15 pm., it had done. On the ground floor of Abuela are a number of travel agencies so we called in at one and arranged for them to take us on a trip to the Valle de la Luna [90 bs. each] on Monday; first though had to go in search of a Casa de Cambio which we found in Sagamaga, a street adjacent to ours. Had hardly gone a few steps when we bumped into “Gerry” and his wife; Ron and Ann, to give them their real names and, like long-lost friends, we had a lengthy chat in the street (they were about to leave for Sucre) and ended up taking photos, exchanging e-mail addresses and Whatsapp numbers!
Found the Cambio and changed US $140 at a rate of Bs. 6.95 before being enticed across the Plaza to where a competition of marching bands was in full swing. Our original intention had been to visit S. Francisco Church but, it being closed when we passed by earlier, I asked a by-stander when it would re-open and was told that would be around 3.00 pm; when I mentioned this to “Gerry” he told us that he had heard that the place did not open before 7.00 pm! Anyway, suffice it to say, that it remained firmly shut. Stood in the Plaza and watched the bands, the music of some of which I found distinctly discordant! What did particularly attract me however was the showmanship of the baton carriers leading the bands which was, in cases, positively spectacular; one performance I likened to M as being like watching Curtisom [ a veteran pop-group from the Minho] fronted by Mick Jagger!
Unfortunately had to drag ourselves away to go back to the Abuela and pay for Monday’s trip; en route we were tempted to buy a couple of roast pork ribs which were delicious but also made us so thirsty that we were compelled to call in at the British Lion’s for a refreshing Judas beer!
Returned to the Square to see the last of the bands and then to await the result – unfortunately by now it was close to 6.00 pm. and growing increasingly chilly while the judges seemed to be in no hurry to make a decision and, when it did seem that announcements were to be made, there was no p.a. system so nothing at all could be heard!
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Forsook the Plaza and went for our evening meal at a restaurant close to the hostel, Luna’s Coffe [C. Sagamaga #289] where we had chips with excellent cheeseburgers (Roquefort in my case) garnished with salad, bacon, mushrooms and avocado [plus agua con gaz, a total of 94 bs.]. Walked off the meal by returning to the Plaza and watching the antics of a very amusing clown.
Little else for us to do but to return to our lodgings and perhaps read and watch TV; needless to say, we passed the British Lion’s so stopped for another Judas and to watch a Fox Sport featuring a bout of UFC between two women! When we finally got back to our room we could find nothing worth watching so took some sleep-aides and read for a little before sleep.
Day 15. Sunday, 6th. Oct., 2019. La Paz
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Reasonable night but for the fact that I started to develop cold symptoms – got up and took some cold and flu tablets and, in next to no time, seemed to be much better. Breakfast a little disappointing as they had run out of cheese but at least the fruit juices on offer, fresh orange and fresh watermelon, were excellent.
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10.15 am. we walked down C. Linares to the Obelisco Teléferico station to try and work out the geography of the transport system before proceeding to the Plaza San Pedro to enrol on a La Paz walking tour. It was fortunate that we had allowed plenty of time as M had a “bathroom moment” and we had to run around and find some nearby facilities! Eventually all was resolved happily and we met up with our Red Cap guide, Daniel, and a large group of visitors.
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Daniel, a good English speaker and exceedingly informative, began the tour by drawing our attention to a government building running along one side of the Plaza – the San Pedro prison, an extraordinary institution run largely by its inmates and a major producer of cocaine! [San Pedro prison is the subject of Rusty Young’s book, Marching Powder.] Long queue of people to the right-hand side of the main entrance – visitors; shorter queue to the left – family members who live inside the gaol with their imprisoned kin and who are allowed out twice a day to go to work/school etc!
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Moved on from San Pedro to the Rodriguez Market up the hill, a veritable cornucopia of fruit and vegetables; amongst the many things we learned was how to determine a chollita’s marital status by the way that she wears the hat on her head!
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Tour proceeded along C. Linares before arriving at the renowned “Witches’ Market” – dried llama foetuses hanging from the rafters and a plethora of weird and wonderful potions; also some very fine-looking fabric shops.
Back down C. Sagamaga to Pl. San Francisco and across to the Mercado Lanza where, it being Sunday, many of the stalls were closed but where, nonetheless, we were able to stop for an avocado sandwich roll and an exotic fruit juice (orange, papaya and star-fruit.) From here we crossed the main thoroughfare into the “Spanish” section of the city and to the cathedral in Sucre Plaza in front of which some elaborate traditional dancing was taking place.
Tomb of Andres de Santa Cruz, Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace
Sucre Plaza , apart from the Cathedral, boasts an attractive government building which features a large clock that runs backwards!…
Tour ended in a Café-Restaurant in C. Cochabamba where Daniel talked about Morales (highly sceptical) and we had a farewell toast and drink before paying for the outing. The fee for the tour was a highly reasonable 20bs. each and Daniel helpfully informed us that the average tip in La Paz for such a trip as ours was 50 bs.! That being the case he might reasonably expect to make something in excess of 1500 bs. [ca, US$230]…We gave a 50 bs. propina between the two of us which I though quite generous enough!
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Tour finished at 1.30 pm after which we embarked upon a long hot walk along Av. Mariscal Santa Cruz/Montes and then up C. Uruguay to the bus station to enquire about buses to Sucre; tickets it seems are only available on the day of departure.
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At least now aware of the station’s location and the price of tickets we plodded further along the road until we reached a Teléferico station on the Linea Naranja; for 11 bs. each we bought tickets allowing us to travel on six different lines and, yet again, we found our journey unforgettable!
Arrived back at Obelisco at 5.30 pm. and traipsed up Linares once again to the Witches’ Market to buy a few cards and a poncho for Baby Maya after which we headed to Abuela to relax for a short interlude before going out once more for our evening meal.
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Ate, as per yesterday, at Luna and then repaired to the British Lion’s to enjoy a couple of large beers for 50 bs. (it being” Happy Hour”) before returning home feeling thoroughly bloated!
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Tomorrow being an early departure, an early night was required and so we took some sleep-aides and were in bed reading by 8.30 pm.
Day 16. Monday, 7th. Oct., 2019. La Paz
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We both had rather unsatisfactory nights due to the fact that our neighbours kept their bathroom light on all night and we were unable to prevent the light from illuminating our room as well; when I did manage to sleep I was plagued by very odd dreams/nightmares!
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Plan was to take early breakfast and then go downstairs to meet our guide at 8.15 am. Arrived in the breakfast room at 7.35 am. and found that, although breakfast only begins at 7.30 am., nearly everything had already gone! OK, supplies were eventually replenished but one could not help but reflect that all the guests but us were German…
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Got down to the foyer at the appointed time but our mini-bus was delayed by traffic which at least gave us the opportunity to observe the comings and goings of the room next to ours! Seemed that the room was occupied by one semi-comatose female and two others, one of whom appeared to be a member of staff of the Ground Floor café; they were very circumspect in their movements in and out of the room (one never crossed the threshold and, from the glimpse that I got of her, appeared to be decidedly the worse for wear!)
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The guide turned up at 8.45 am. and we got in a minibus with four others and picked up another five in the neighbourhood. No sooner had we started than M began to feel claustrophobic and, when we stopped after some thirty minutes to pick up refreshments, she was allowed to move into the front and sit beside the driver.
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The tour began with a visit to the mountain of Chacaltaya [5421 metres above sea-level and ninety minutes from La Paz.] Getting to our destination meant leaving the main road and moving on to some narrow, perilous and icy tracks (plenty of snow around – even saw puma tracks!) and eventually the bus had to stop for chains to be put on its rear wheels. After reaching base level there ensued a substantial trek over slate and shale to reach what I thought was our final destination – the (abandoned) Bolivian Andean Chalet but soon found out that this was nowhere near the finish and that we would have to plod up steep scree to the summit! In fairness, the view when we finally reached the summit made it all seem worthwhile even if, at 17,785 feet it was decidedly chilly. [Chacaltaya was once Bolivia’s only ski resort, hence the Chalet but, the effect of global warming has been such as to remove almost all the snow leaving the ski runs and apparatus, to say nothing of the Chalet, to fall into decay.]
Spent a few minutes at the summit before descending and picking up the minibus for the two and one half hour trip to the Valley of the Moon (first so called, apparently, by Neil Armstrong). The contrast in temperatures was stark – freezing on Chacaltaya and blazing hot in the Valley!
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Valley of the Moon proved to be absolutely spectacular and we enjoyed traversing its walkways as a local played the pipes, and then a stringed instrument, from one of the pinnacles, which gave the place a haunting atmosphere (we were alone among the group in giving the man a tip for his efforts).
We left reluctantly at 4.30 pm. and within half an hour were being dropped off at C. Sagamaga; gave our excellent guide, Albert, a tip of 50bs.but, needless to say, no-one else gave a cent!
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Having been dropped close by, we “wet our whistles” at the British Lion’s and then called in at Bolivia Hop to claim our free T shirts. Developing a cold, made the next objective to find a farmacía and buy a remedy; thereafter made our way to Obelisco and proceeded to circumnavigate the system – seeing the whole of the city by night, from a height, proved a fabulous experience!
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Back in circulation by 8.00 pm. we went for a final meal at La Luna which we preceded with a couple of pisco sours, it being Happy Hour” (nowhere near as good as those we enjoyed in Lima but welcome nevertheless!)
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Prior to the meal I took one of the newly-bought cold remedy tablets and in a very short while seemed a lot better which prompted me to consider stocking-up for future eventualities.
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Back to the room for another early night; mercifully the room next door was now vacant!
Day 17. Tuesday, 8th. Oct., 2019. La Paz –
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Enjoyed a really sound sleep and got up at 7.40 am. No Germans at breakfast and, coincidentally, plenty of cheese!…
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M was not feeling at her best and, as I had already packed my bags, we decided that she would linger on in the Abuela and rest for a while and that I would go and buy the bus tickets.
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Left for Obelisco stopping along the way at the farmacía for more cold remedy tablets; bought a 7bs. ticket to Estacíon involving two changes on to the Plateada and then the Roja line. As usual, a delightful trip on the Teleférico albeit a decidedly unhurried one! Curiously, began to feel that the atmosphere might be getting to me as walking seemed a struggle and, to make things worse, two of the stations were undergoing obras or massive limpiezas meaning that one had to exit the stations and re-enter at other openings; in addition, the walk from Estacíon to the Terminal proved to be a long and a hot one. On reaching the Terminal went straight to the counter of the Bolivar bus company (recommended by Bolivia Hop) only to learn, to my consternation, that they do not run buses to Sucre on Tuesdays!
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Looked around the premises and, nearby, came across Trans Copacabana which was putting on a bus this evening and was even a few bs. cheaper than I had envisaged. Purchased two tickets [100bs. each] for the 7.30 pm. departure to Sucre and then was asked to choose our seats – selected the upper deck at the very front!
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Returned to the hostel, vacated our room, placed our baggage in a storage room and then went down to Pl. San Francisco where we bought two very appetising-looking snacks which proved to be virtually inedible! Frustrated, we tried our luck in the Mercado Lanza where I had an excellent sausage sandwich and fresh fruit drink before sharing what I suppose must be considered the equivalent of a Bolivian Knickerbocker Glory – it was OK but no more.
Re-visited the old Spanish section and sat in the shade on the Cathedral steps in Pl. Murillo; looking across to the Parliament building was dumbfounded to realise that the building’s clock runs backwards! The plaza is awash with pigeons and itinerant corn sellers do a roaring trade offering their wares to people so that they might feed the birds! The re-opening of the Cathedral coincided with both of us being plopped upon from a height so it seemed prudent to move into the body of the edifice.
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The Cathedral was rebuilt in the 1830s and is vast and cold; we looked around briefly before returning to the other side of town to the much more ornate church of San Francisco. Finally a short walk back to Abuela but not before a final Judas at the British Lion’s.
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Arranged for a taxi to pick us up at 5.50 pm and then a slow journey through nightmare traffic to the Terminal. Checked in the baggage and then enjoyed a really rather good meal in one of the restaurants at the back of the building (steak, egg, rice, salad and chips – 25bs.) served by a Norman Wisdom look-alike!
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A surprisingly full bus departed at 7.50 pm. and took an age to get out of the chaos of La Paz; eventually we reached the highway which, in places, was in excellent condition but, further along the route… Our seats, however, were superb.
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Of course, most of the journey was undertaken in the dark which was a shame in so far as we must have passed through some spectacular scenery of mountain peaks and deep gorges. Sitting at the very front gave us a lot of leg room and, with the TAP blanket, all was very cosy. Managed a few short but sound naps and, when morning came, did not feel as though I had been up all night!
Day 18, Wednesday, 9th. Oct. 2019, Sucre
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We started off from La Paz a little late and throughout the journey one was never conscious of the bus driving to its full capacity (just as well given the number of obstructions in the road and, the at times, narrow passes) but, nonetheless, we arrived on schedule at 7.00 am. Have to say that I was most impressed by Trans-Copacabana – modern, comfortable bus and a surprisingly smooth ride. It can be a little disconcerting driving along the highway in the dark and passing signs advising that one is passing through an area of “geological instability”!
For 12 bs. we took a taxi to our residence for the next few days – Gabriel B&B, Tarabuco, 631 Avaroa. On arrival we entered into a very pleasant courtyard and received a warm welcome from those present; we were grateful that, although not yet even 8.00 am., we were able to check-in [for the absurdly low price of US $27 for three nights] and then move into our room before partaking of breakfast!
It soon became pretty clear that we had come to a hippy enclave; half the guests were busy making “Dream-catchers” and the like! That said, people could not have been friendlier and we appreciated the easy-going atmosphere.
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Looked at from the perspective of Four in a Bed, B&B Tarabuco would fail on practically every count: but no “can” roll in washrooms, do your own washing-up, waste basket in room not emptied, tap in one of the bathrooms out of commission etc. but, in spite of all, our first impressions were decidedly favourable!
Retired to our room and rested for a while before making the short walk into the centre of Sucre; we soon found ourselves in Plaza 25 de Mayo, a most attractive leafy square where we sat for a while and watched the world go by.
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At mid-day we moved over to the Mercado Central where, on the recommendation of our guide book, we went up to the upper level which is packed with lunch-time “restaurants”, found one to take our fancy and then enjoyed a cold beer with a meal of mondongo (pork stew) served with potatoes and large-grained maize [28 bs. each and both filling and delicious).
In the afternoon we paid a visit to one of the city’s attractions – the municipal cemetery! Funnily enough, it did not have the same impact upon me as, for example, that in Asunción but, nevertheless, it was pretty spectacular and, of course, a bizarre mixture of the grandiose and the trivial; battery-driven waving flowers in pots seemed to very popular as did bopping, bespectacled rabbits in short skirts!
A couple of funerals passed us by – vast quantities of flower-bearing mourners with, in one case a full-blown mariachi band in attendance.
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4.30 pm. we returned to town by way of a large supermarket where we bought a number of liquid refreshments including the Bolivian equivalent of pisco [44 bs.] and a bottle of Bolivian wine [20 bs.] before arriving back at the hostel.
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Spent the evening sitting outside in the courtyard- the wine was perhaps a slightly acquired taste but, really not at all bad and good for the price that we paid; snack of cheese, crackers and a huge cherimoya. Spent the rest of the evening chatting pleasantly to a young couple from Barcelona and a middle-aged “Argie."
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The Bolivian version of pisco, Singari, mixed with guaraná, proved perfectly acceptable and a better way of rounding off the evening than the cold beers that we have consumed of late!
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Around 9.00 pm a number of the guests packed up their guitars and bags of trinkets and set off for town while, shortly thereafter, we took ourselves off to bed.
Day 19, Thursday, 10th. Oct., 2019. Sucre
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Had one of the best nights of the trip so far; got up at 8.30 am. and was lucky to be able to go straight into the shower (downside of this however was that the water was still running cold!).
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Morning was sunny and hot so we chose to investigate another of the city’s attractions, the Parque Bolivar, which proved to be a pleasant enough space of no great size but with some attractive gardens and, of course, in the centre, the mini Eiffel Tower (constructed by the man himself). I climbed to the top of the tower which actually involved no great effort and, indeed, offered no great reward by way of spectacular vistas!
Left the Parque for an early lunch in the market. The Supreme Court faces the Bolivar and we walked up the road beside the pristine white Courthouse passing innumerable lawyers’ offices as we did so; on the other side of the street is the Convent of Santa Ana which also advertises its wares: Santa Ana. Abogada de los casos imposibles…
On arrival at the market we went upstairs to Lot #11 run by Dona Lucy for, in my case, mondongo and in M’s case, pollo milanesa. Neither of us feeling at our very best we went back to the hostel for a short rest before returning to town for the afternoon.
We set our sights on visiting the Cathedral and its much-lauded Museo; entered the premises and picked out some postcards (seemingly in very short supply in Sucre, unlike La Paz) and prepared to pay the 60 bs. entrance fee for the pair of us when I realised that, for the sake of this visit I had traded my shorts for “respectable” long trousers…M waited in the foyer whilst I trailed back to Tarabuco for my purse!
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Visit proved well worth the extra effort and the staff seemed to go out of their way to ensure that we got the maximum from our visit. Cathedral was vast and impressive in an austere way with a very unusual balcony above the choir stall; we were shown into the Crypt which, at present, houses just one mummified body, that of an Archbishop who died in 1905 – all rather gruesome!
The Museo itself was superb – a fine collection of religious paintings from siglos XVI-XVII and some incredible silver artefacts; of course, we also saw the famous Virgin with its fabulous jewelled ornamentation.
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Once back in 25 Mayo we briefly took in a demo on behalf of Los pobres de Bolivia and then slowly wended our way home hoping in vain that we might, on the way, pass a hostelry selling beer!
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Spent the evening in the hostel’s courtyard: cheese bread, cheese and wine for a snack followed by a huge cherimoya after which we sat around supping singani and guarana. Most of our fellow guests left for town at 7.00 pm – we counted ten guitarists!
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Once we had exhausted the singani we resisted the temptation to turn back to wine and instead opted to retire for the evening. Read for a little before putting out the light at 10.00 pm.
Day 20. Friday, 11th. Oct., 2019. Sucre
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The bed slopes so that all the bed clothes ended up on the floor but, in spite of all, I had a pretty good night and got up to another warm and sunny morning at 7.45 am.
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Had hoped to be able to buy our tickets to Potosí at the hostel but, for reasons unclear, this now seemed to be impossible necessitating a trek out to the bus terminal.
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Last night M wrote a couple of post cards…by the morning they had vanished! Meanwhile, leaving La Paz in a hurry M mislaid her bag of adaptors, cables etc and we could only come to the reluctant conclusion that, in the confusion, it had been left in the taxi; well, searching high and low for the wretched cards I ended up ransacking my brown bag even though I knew that they could not possibly be in there…Did however unearth the much-lamented bag of cables!
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Before setting off for the Terminal thought that I would get to the bottom of the problem concerning tickets to Potosí; la dueña not being around I dealt with her dread-locked side-kick who, though keen to be of assistance, speaks the most incomprehensible Spanish (if indeed it is Spanish) that I have ever encountered. Made very little of the conversation but I did gather that there was a “problem” and that colectivos were not running to the city at the moment; at this point I remembered reading yesterday that Potosí was paralysed by a strike of lithium miners…
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On the way into town called in at a travel agent’s shop and learned that, for today at least, Potosí is off limits! Our friend at Tarabuco had suggested that if there was no transport to the city then it would also jeopardise our planned visit to Uyuni – at least the travel agent was able to reassure that, next week at least, buses would be by-passing Potosí centre and travelling on to the salt flats.
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Near the Mercado found a Cambio to exchange dollars which also functioned as a travel agent; here again enquired about travel to Potosí and was told, for the immediate future certainly, to forget the idea!
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Returned at once to the hostel and booked us in for another three nights and then got onto Booking.com to cancel the Potosí stay; annoyingly the hotel which had been our destination then demanded US $44 for not giving sufficient notice of cancellation which, given that these events were entirely beyond our control, I resolved to contest. Happily, Sucre is such a pleasant city that another few days was almost welcome!
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Back to the Mercado to lunch at D. Lucy’s – a llama tripe dish for me, beef for M plus a litre of cold beer [40 bs.]. Afterwards a visit to the supermarket to stock up on wine to cover our extended stay and then back to the hostel to relax until things opened up again later in the afternoon.
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2.30 pm and back to 25 May to visit the highly-regarded Museo de Tesoro where, for 25 bs. each, we were given an excellent tour of a fascinating museum featuring the precious stones and minerals of the country. After leaving the Museo we retraced our steps to the Convento of St. Felipe Neri which is now a school – paid 15 bs. each to enter the building and climb to the top of this beautiful white edifice from whence we had a magnificent panorama of Sucre.
Having now built up a thirst we repaired to the near-by Joy Ride bar on the recommendation of a local and enjoyed some cold beer in a very atmospheric setting resolving, as we did so, to return at some stage to sample their food as well.
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Evening snack at the hostel of bread, smoked pork, goat’s cheese and avocado. Spent the rest of the evening drinking some very good Bolivian wine and were joined by the “Green Man” who, it transpired, seemed to possess a number of talents – he is, apparently a poet and dramatist with a love of Shakespeare! At one stage engaged the dueña’s assistant in conversation in an endeavour to understand where he came from and how he spoke such execrable Spanish! Transpired that in fact the assistant is a native of São Paulo after which discovery we were able to chat happily in Portuguese!
Before we retired for the evening the compound was visited by a contingent of police who examined the premises and seemed, to us at least, to cause some uneasiness among the residents!
Day 21. Saturday, 12th. Oct., 2019. Sucre
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Another brilliantly sunny morning. We decided to start the day in town with an expresso at Abis Café [Plaza 25 Mayo,#32].
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Suitably revived, it was then a simple matter of walking across the Plaza to the beautiful Casa de la Libertad where, for 15 bs. each, we received an informative tour of the exceedingly impressive premises.
Bolivia’s would seem to be a somewhat sad history – all the wars that the country has fought have been lost and practically all the national heroes seem to have come to a sticky end! One exception to the doleful parade of martyrs is Juana Azurduy who fought for independence and managed to live until 1862! Sadly though, four of her children died of deprivations and her husband was decapitated during the liberation struggle! (We take an interest in this heroine as the next road is named after her and there is a fine martial tiled portrait of her at the corner of the street).
Juana Azurduy...
and her ill-fated husband
Paid a flying visit to the Church of S. Francisco in the hope of seeing the Liberty Bell but were told to return during the afternoon (suffice it to say that we did return but had no luck in gaining access to the bell!) Instead, we visited the neighbouring Military Museum and perused a rather eccentric collection of bonsai plants. The Military Museum itself, a monument to the glorious armed forces of Bolivia, does not exhibit on Saturday afternoons but it would have been interesting to see how they manage to glorify such an abysmal record of defeat!
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Cashed another US $100 at the Cambio and made enquiries about trips to the Sunday market at Tarabuco before going for another mondongo lunch in the Mercado.
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Main visit of the afternoon was to the Museu Santa Clara, a few blocks up from Plaza 25 Mayo. Paid 20 bs. apiece and once again received an informative tour of a fascinating building (still in use as a convent with 23 nuns and 2 novitiates); the music room was of particular interest as was, of course, the chapel itself with its antique and highly eccentric organ. Some very fine cloisters lined with wall paintings, all badly faded, from the eighteenth century.
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From Sta. Clara to book the Tarabuco excursion and thence to the supermarket for some odds and ends before finishing up in the Joy Ride to take advantage of their offer of two beers for 25 bs. Returned to the hostel for a simple supper and some more Bolivian wine.
For the last day or so I have exhibited clear signs of an incipient chest infection so, while out this afternoon, I went to a farmacía and bought a week’s supply of an anti-biotic, Amoximil; after a couple of tablets the improvement was marked.
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Day 22. Sunday, 13th.Oct., 2019. Sucre
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Had a very good night and got up at 6.45 am. but, even at this time, had to endure a long wait for a bathroom to become available; seems that the Neanderthal family next door are both early risers and incredibly slow when it comes to using the washroom facilities!
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Coach scheduled to leave 25 Mayo at 8.30 am but was, in fact, a little delayed; we sat in the penultimate row of seats in front of a pleasant and chatty Dutch couple. The journey itself took ninety minutes through some very arid scenery; both uplands and valleys looked absolutely parched.
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Arrived in Tarabuco at 10.15 am. and were promptly shepherded into the precinct of what is probably the town’s only hostelry with any pretensions to sophistication ( including liveried waiters) – the Samay Wasi. Initially we were subjected to a talk about the markets and the insanitary preparation of local food (due in part to unstable and limited water resources); doubtless all well-intentioned but it all tended to stick in my throat as again I felt like a tourist being led to a fleecing (though perhaps this was not exactly fair).
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Eventually we were let loose to go our own ways; M and I walked up the road and passed through the vegetable market (not nearly as impressive as Sucre’s Mercado Central) and then through lanes lined with stalls selling household goods and cheap Chinese products that one can find in any Third World market.
In a side road leading up to the Main Plaza we did come across a “Quack medicine” salesman; it was interesting to see that the remedies on offer were far from cheap and that although he drew a good-sized crowd of by-standers, one was forced to wonder quite how successful he was in shifting his wares!
We found ourselves entering a bustling Main Plaza which, among other things, boasted several very striking statues.
At the top of the Plaza a band was assembling together with a large number of citizens dressed as though for a carnival (bears, demons, demented old-timers, glamorous young women etc.) We had time to look in the Church adjacent to the Plaza before the parade kicked off and which we followed through the town’s narrow streets – all incredibly noisy and flamboyant. From what I could gather, the celebration is a manifestation of the devotion of the youth of Tarabuco and its citizens to La Virgen del Rosario.
By the time we had followed the procession to its virtual conclusion we were in need of a respite from the noise as well as for some physical sustenance so made our way back to Samay Wasi where we partook of some very fine cheese empanadas plus a couple of large bottles of beer for the very reasonable price of bs. 55.
There remained just sufficient time for us to make another quick sortie to the Plaza, sit in the centre for a while and buy a couple of wristbands from an itinerant seller who thanked me for buying as it meant that he would be able to eat that evening…
Took the bus back to Sucre at 2.30 pm; passed another very exuberant procession on the way so perhaps 13th. Oct. is a significant date. On arrival in Tarabuco we had been told that Morales had been expected that morning and that he would likely appear at some stage; there was plenty of evidence of a welcome for the President with party slogans and motifs painted here there and everywhere but, up until our departure at least, there was not a sign of the Great Man.
Once back in the city we had an expresso at Abis before investigating likely Chifas and then returning to the hostel to relax for a while. We had up until this point enjoyed a warm and reasonably bright day but, during the afternoon, the sky became increasingly overcast and the Green Man foretold rain…
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Abandoned the idea of a Chifa and opted to return to the Joy Ride to try out its offerings from what seemed an appetising menu. Sat on the upper level and ordered beer and burger with mushrooms (plus extras of chips and salad); the meal when it came was absolutely delicious and we both concluded that these were probably the best burgers that we had ever eaten in our lives! [Bill came to 125 bs.]
During the course of the meal we heard rain falling on the roof which seemed to get heavier the closer we came to leaving…Proceeded to walk home through persistent rain accompanied by thunder and lightning but, by staying close to the walls, for two blocks or so we were more-or-less sheltered from the downpour but, however, on turning into C. Azurduy we were exposed to the full blast of the storm! Took what shelter we could in a doorway and then, after some ten minutes, a young woman came along, opened the door and invited us out of the storm…transpired that we were in a religious house and that our benefactress was in fact a nun [Comunidad de Salesianas Misioneras]. We enjoyed a pleasant chat and then, when the rain began to abate, made full haste for our lodgings there to change into dry clothes and relax over some wine before bed.
Sheltering from the storm
Day 23. Monday, 14th.Oct., 2019. Sucre
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Had a good night in spite of a violent storm in the early hours. Made a point of getting up early and thus avoiding the bathroom queues.
First priority to go into the city and book the 9.30 am. Uyuni bus for tomorrow. The supervising of the various crossings around 25 Mayo were taken over by crocodiles and dinosaurs while zebras controlled the crossings leading to the Mercado Central!
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Went back to hostel to consider our next moves; a cool morning that looked as if it might easily turn inclement. Eventually decided to take our chances, go out again and maybe visit the Museo Militar. Passed by the square adjacent to S. Francisco which was occupied by a variety of very lively and colourful stalls all manned by medical students and everyone of them dealing with matters medical eg. Downs Syndrome, birth and heart defects , alcohol-affected foetuses and, particularly gruesome, a stall dedicated to the role of the placenta with a human specimen being used for demonstration purposes!
Of course, by the time we arrived at the Military Museum it had closed for lunch! Sat on a bench in the Plaza 25 Mayo and watched the “Green Man” at work – he seemed to do quite well; returned to Tarabuco as rain began to fall.
Early afternoon and the weather began to ameliorate; left at 2.00 pm. for a steep walk five blocks out of town to the Plaza de la Recoleta where we took in a few minutes of some young people doing traditional dancing, examined some of the numerous craft stalls and then paid 25 bs. each to visit the superb Museo de Arte Indigena which fully lived up to its reputation.
Spent ninety minutes in the museum which left us with just enough time for a slightly hurried, though rewarding, guided tour of the Franciscan Convento de la Recoleta.
Later in the evening we returned for a final visit to the Joy Ride for a final taste of their superlative hamburguesas con hongos [50 bs. each]. Went back to the hostel, took a couple of Engoves and then felt confident enough to start to attack our wine stores with relish! Cold forced us back into our room where we continued our imbibing.
Day 24. Tuesday, 15th. Oct., 2019, Sucre – Uyuni
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No doubt about it, Engove works! Woke at 5.40 am. full of the joys of spring after a sound night. Taxi picked us up at 8.30 am and took us on a lengthy ride to the bus terminal. Checked-in with the transport company, 6 de Octubre, and then waited on the platform for departure but not before paying an embarkation tax of 2.50 bs. each.
Small delay in getting off and then, when we did, we were informed that due to on-going unrest in Potosí we would have to embark upon a lengthy detour which would add at least two more hours to the journey and would cost us each another 10 bs.!
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Soon left Sucre behind and climbed into the mountains – roads fortunately in excellent condition although it was disconcerting to observe the number of shrines at so many of the numerous hair-pin bends!
At mid-day there was a lunch stop at what appeared to be a pristine comedor set in the middle of nowhere; we could have been tempted by a meal but for the fact that we had been to the rear of the establishment and seen at first hand its quite dire food-preparation area! Quite clearly the place had no running water! Most of our fellow passengers sought lavatories but in vain and had to resort to the open air!
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The alternative route took us almost to Oururo before turning south via Ventilla – a huge detour. Drove for several hours across the high plateau (yet again the prevalence of litter being a disturbing feature) before another comfort stop at Huari where we were able to buy some very good local cheese and some crackers. Sat opposite an individual with a seemingly insatiable appetite – after grinding his way through a large bag of chocolate biscuits he then went on to devour at least eight plain, large white rolls!
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The journey which was originally scheduled to terminate in Uyuni at 5.30 pm finally came to an end at 8.pm. when, in the dark, we arrived at what appeared to be a very lively little town. Took directions from some locals and soon arrived at our hotel, Sacay, not far from the centre.
Left M to check-in while I went in search of a supermarket; am still unclear as to whether I found the supermarket or not but at least I was able to buy a couple of bottles of wine!
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Back to Sacay and a comfortable but very narrow room before going across the road to a cheap diner [Snack San Juan] for chicken and chips [30 bs.] Finished off the evening sitting on our beds drinking wine and watching the Democratic Party candidates debating on CNN.
Day 25. Wednesday, 16th. Oct., 2019. Uyuni
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Enjoyed a really sound night and was able to rise at 6.20 am for a hot shower. Went for a pretty decent breakfast by myself as M was not feeling at her best.
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Went into town to sort out tickets for Chile; found the agent and went through all the procedures only at the end to discover that I had insufficient cash on me![300 bs.] so promised to return asap…
Purely by chance, on my way back to the hotel, I found myself passing by Perla de Bolivia, the company with whom we shall be travelling later this morning to the Salar and so was able to go into the office and confirm our booking for 10.30 am.
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Returned to Sacay, and paid for our accommodation [340 bs. for two nights] and then visited a nearby Casa de Cambio to cash US 50 [345 bs.] and thence back to the bus office to redeem our tickets for Calama.
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9.50 am and a short walk to the Perla offices from whence, after a short wait, we set off with a couple of young Australians (currently residing in Whistler, B.C.) and a guide, Carlos.
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First point of call was a weird railway engine graveyard in the desert and then on to a small town on the edge of the flats where we were introduced to the processes of salt production and where we bought some examples of the fancier salts.
At length we reached the Salar itself, a huge expanse of white, hard salt flat, and made for the Salt Hotel where we had a wander around before, our driver having put out table and chairs, we enjoyed a very fine picnic lunch of meat, salad and quinoa out on the Salar.
After lunch we drove for some ninety minutes before arriving at one of the most bizarre places that I have ever visited, La Isla Incahuasi, a volcanic outcrop covered in coral and home to a forest of giant cacti! Explored the site thoroughly and finished this section of the trip sharing some beers with the Australian couple.
The final objective of the day’s excursion was to witness the sun setting over the salt flats; arrived at a suitable location at 5.45 pm. drew to a halt and the driver produced a table and chairs, some crisps and a bottle of wine and we sat and relaxed while waiting for the sun to sink below the horizon.
Having seen the sunset we set off to return to Uyuni and our ways parted at 7.30 pm.; returned to the hotel where M, still not feeling 100%, remained while I ventured out into town.
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Drew 100 bs. from an ATM and then found a supermarket where I was able to buy a couple of bottles of Bolivian wine to which we have become increasingly devoted. On the way back I visited the cheap comedor that we had patronised yesterday and had, for only 15 bs., a strange meal of chips, hard-boiled egg, cheese and charquekan (fried, shredded, dried llama!)
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Returned home, opened up the wine and watched CNN’s coverage of the shenanigans in Washington before setting the alarm for 3.30 am. and retiring to bed.
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Day 26. Thursday, 17th. Oct., 2019. Uyuni – Calama
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Had a really comfortable night, showered at 3.25 am. and felt remarkably refreshed. Quit the Salcay at 4.45 am. and had boarded the bus within forty-five minutes; were pleased to find that we had secured seat numbers 1 & 2 although, on a single-decker this wasn’t such a great advantage (happily the occupants of 3 & 4 were only going a short part of the way so that, before too long, we had 1 -4 to ourselves!)
Passed through spectacular volcanic scenery yet again – all completely desolate.
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There was a welcome breakfast stop at 10.00 am. at a thriving comedor set amidst breath-taking surrounds – I had a couple of very tasty llama sausages.
Reached the border towards mid-day and simply went through the formalities on the Bolivian side while the Chilean authorities, a few km. further on in Ollague, took a more serious approach and all bags underwent a rigorous inspection.
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Once back on the bus we travelled another couple of hours to Calama passing through the most spectacular scenery of the holiday – smoking volcanoes, vast salt lakes, lofty mountains all around, tortuous roads…
Arrived in Calama at 1.45 pm local time [one hour behind Bolivian time]. We had no plans as to how we would spend this evening as we were in the dark as to connections to Iquique; however, as the day was not too far advanced we thought that we should try and make for Iquique and hope that our hotel, booked for tomorrow, might be able to fit us in tonight! According to internet information the buses for Iquique depart from another terminal some six minutes away from that at which we had just arrived; gathered our belongings (or so we thought) and began to make our way to the other bus station…
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We were about half-way to our objective when M suddenly realised that she was without her handbag! Left her on a street corner with our remaining baggage and hurried back to the terminal; of course, by now, our bus had departed for S. Pedro de Atacama! Ticket office staff tried in vain to contact the bus and told me to return in a couple of hours by which time the bus should have reached the end of its route.
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Well, this at least settled the question of where we would be spending the night. I found Hotel Aymara just a block away [Abaroa # 2120] – very friendly receptionist who offered a small but clean room and a couple of shared (but again, clean) bathrooms [CP 28,000]. Retrieved M and the baggage and then a laborious haul up a precipitate flight of stairs to our room.
Returned to the Cruz del Norte office but there was no good news; the bus had been searched in S. Pedro but no bag had been found.
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Now confirmed that the bag was irredeemably lost we had no option but to file a police report and get corroborative documentation for the ensuing insurance claim. Fortunately the local carabineros was located close to the Aymara and we were treated with the utmost care and attention (as attested by the fact that we did not finally leave the office with our precious crime number until 7.30 pm!) Ahead of us in the queue was a young German who recognized us from the bus station – he had had his bag with all his valuables stolen whilst he took a cigarette break and his friend looked after the baggage…
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Left the carabinero office and made for the “other” bus terminal where we bought tickets for tomorrow’s 11.00 am. departure for Iquique [CP 22,000]. Back in town we had a good-value dinner [CP 550] of an excellent soup, a litre or more of fizzy drink and pollo milanesas accompanied by rice and salad.
Walked off the meal with a short visit to the Plaza de las Armas which, to our surprise, was both attractive and modern; walked back to our lodging armed with a 1.5 litre bottle of red wine bought at a knock-down price from a nearby shop (CP 2,900).
Drank wine in our room whilst watching the same Argie chef that we used to watch last year – his recipes and demeanour didn’t seem to have changed at all!
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The South American Handbook recommends giving Calama a miss and that, of course, is what we had originally planned to do; some random observations:
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An attractive Plaza de Armas.
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Far too many dogs – they even seem to have license to come and go as they please at Police Stations!
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An extraordinarily large number of hairdressers (with a large number of Jamaicans and Dominicans active in the trade.)
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Beer seemed to be unobtainable outside of heavily-guarded and seedy bars seemingly patronised exclusively by men “served” by voluptuous and scantily-dressed young women…
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A plethora of large cars and many commercial car-parking lots; numerous fruit machine arcades.
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Calama resonates with what one can only call a “frontier” atmosphere.
Day 27. Friday, 18th. October, 2019. Calama – Iquique
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Had a superbly comfortable night; indeed, I cannot remember when I slept better! (a max strength “sleep-aide” probably helped!). Breakfast at 8.30 am of toast, cheese, juice and marmelada was quite definitely one of the better breakfasts of the trip so far.
Left Aymara at 10.00am. and walked up to the Terminal to wait for the bus which, with all seats occupied ( we were towards the back of the upper floor in seats 39 & 40), departed at 11.04 am. A long trip through the desert ensued with no serious stops save for at Pozo Almonte.
Arrived in Iquique at 4.00 pm. and left M with the bags while I sought a company to take us on to Arica on Sunday ; bought two tickets from Pullman Cuevas for 12.30 pm, Domingo [CP 16,000]. As luck would have it there was a large supermarket in the immediate vicinity so popped in for some essentials and then crossed over to the taxi rank to engage a vehicle [CP 3000] to transport us to the “White House” Gorostiaga 127].
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Casa Blanca proved to be a very attractive house in a quiet back street; friendly receptionist and a very pleasant little room upstairs with a large relaxation area outside.
Dumped our gear and then went out to explore; had only gone a stone’s throw when we came across a trendy little bar where we imbibed a couple of expensive beers before moving on to the sea-front. City has an extensive water-front and there were a number of people braving the decidedly cool conditions; vast flocks of birds skimmed the surface of the water.
Moving towards the centre we passed a Chifa and stopped for chop suey and rice [CP9000].
On the way back we passed a square which was hosting a youth traditional dance competition and we spent the next hour or so observing the spectacle before continuing homewards.
Paid for our two nights [CP 53,000] and then proceeded to our room to drink wine and to watch on TV the mayhem in Santiago provoked by a fare hike on the city’s Metro. By the time we went to bed the situation in Santiago had become decidedly serious and, apparently, there were now demonstrations in Iquique too!..
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Day 28. Saturday, 19th. October, 2019. Iquique
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Had a reasonable night; M woke me up twice – once to tell me that I was snoring heavily and then, later, to tell me that it was 8.45 am.! Breakfasted and then returned to the room to read for a while.
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Our first plan of action was to visit the nearby Turismo and acquire a map and perhaps some information concerning places of interest in the neighbourhood. We were just a few steps away from our goal when a smartly-dressed woman stopped us and invited us to attend a “cultural event” taking place in a building just around the corner; we followed and found ourselves in a well-appointed auditorium with only a sprinkling of spectators. A substantial wait ensued before the performance began celebrating the shared cultural heritage of the various national communities present in Chile; there were contributions from the Colombian, Paraguayan, Arabic and Chilean mestizo sectors and all the performers were of an exceedingly high standard – it was only a pity that there were so few present to appreciate them!
Concert ended at 1.15 pm after which we finally made it to Turismo where a very helpful man gave me a free batch of postcards and told us that, if time was short, there was just one place that we simply had to visit…Humberstone.
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Humberstone is a complete, deserted caliche (salt petre)-mining town about 34 km. from Iquique. We took a colectivo from the Central Market [CP 2000 each] and got dropped off a short walk from the settlement.
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To cut a long story short, Humberstone is a fabulous place to visit – we only had a few hours but a whole day would hardly have been too much! Part collection of semi-derelict buildings and part wonderful museum, this had to be one of the best places that I have visited for a long time.
Back to Iquique at 7.00 pm. to observe the growing street protests – banners, flares, cacerolas after which a good meal at a restaurant on the Plaza de las Armas of chicken soup followed by fried fish [CP4000].
Meal over, we crossed the square to witness an exceedingly exuberant exhibition of bands and groups of dancers and, once again, we were struck by the superb level of performance (although, personally, I did feel that the whole event was just a little too drawn-out!)
Home to imbibe some Chilean wine and watch, in amazement, the growing mayhem in the country!…
Day 29. Sunday, 20th. October, 2019. Iquique – Arica
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Enjoyed a comfortable night. Breakfasted and then had plenty of time in which to pack up before leaving at 11.30 am.
Leisurely walk to the bus terminal to catch the 12.30 pm. departure. Had front seats in the bus and so enjoyed an excellent view of the road ahead; leg-wise, however, we were a little cramped.
Another journey through the desert with vertiginous drops into deep gorges on our right which took some four and a half hours and saw us arrive in Arica at 5.00 pm. A most persistent taxista very handily showed us where to get colectivos to Tacna and then transported us to Hostal la Posada Gallo, agreeing to pick us up on Tuesday to return us to the colectivo centre.
Posada Gallo appeared to be even more of a hippy haven than Sucre’s Tarabuco Hostel! A very friendly and obliging receptionist, Dimitri, a Ukrainian, made us welcome; we paid our rent by Visa and added on an extra CP 70,000 for a full day trip around Arica and its environs. Settled into our rather basic room and were then shown around the premises – clean and very laid-back.
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Walked into town via Calle S. Marcos arriving eventually at the celebrated Eiffel-designed Cathedral from whence we progressed into the centre of the city and, after enjoying a very cold beer, sought out a functioning restaurant (it being the Sabbath many eating establishments were closed.) Finally found a suitable eating place and partook of a very good meal of lomo de cerdo, huevo frito and papas fritas [CP 1100].
Returned to the Gallo stopping along the way to buy 1.5 litres of Vino 120 which we polished off once we got back to the hostel! The later it got the noisier our neighbours seemed to become! By 10.45 we had had enough and I felt compelled to complain gently to the night manager…mirabile dictu, all went quiet (even before, I believe, she had got around to talking to them).
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Day 30. Monday 21st. October, 2019. Arica
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Yesterday afternoon/evening we had hoped to ascend Arica’s famous hill (El Morro) which overlooks the scene of Chile’s illustrious military victory over Bolivia and Peru, but found that we did not have the time; made this a priority for this morning. Up at 7.30 for a “bracing” cold shower and then prepared for the assault on the hill.
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The whole Morro complex is meant to open up at 8.00 am. but we did not arrive until an hour later and even then had to knock at the neighbouring museum to get the gate-keeper to unlock the gates for us! We made it to the top of the hill – a very steep climb (mercifully up a paved path and not one of shale and scrabble!).
Once at the summit we noticed a number of armed soldiers patrolling (due to the newly-declared state of emergency perhaps?) and the Military Museum was cordoned-off even though the ticket office appeared to be “open”. As luck would have it, lack of time would probably have prevented us from visiting the Museum as we had to hurry back for our tour which was scheduled for 10.00 am.
Got back to the hostel in time to learn of a one hour delay to the tour plans!…whiled away the time playing with some delightful five-week-old puppies.
Well, eventually, a little after 11.00 am. Dimitri turned up with a Ukrainian friend, Olga, and we finally set off. After this delay we had started to fear that the excursion might prove somewhat amateurish and disappointing – we were to be proved completely wrong!
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First port of call was the nature reserve in El Valle de Lluta (the Lluta is apparently, a wide flowing river in the rainy season but, at this point in time was little more than an unspectacular stream!) We left the reserve and moved on into the desert and the Valle de Azapa where we visited a small settlement, Poconchile, which boasts one of the country’s oldest churches as well as a pretty bizarre cemetery.
Lunch was taken at the fabulous Santuario del Picaflor – a wonderful oasis of plants and trees populated by assorted wild-life: ducks, goats, llamas, peacocks, chickens plus, of course, hummingbirds.
The latter part of the afternoon we spent along the coast in the vicinity of Las Cuevas de Anzota and, having explored the caves, finished off our day at the Port of Arica where, on hearing English spoken, an old “Salt” (Sr. Carlos Gonzalez) who had spent four years in Aberdeen in the 70’s, took us under his wing and, in effect, gave us a guided tour of the place!
Dimitri and Olga
Back in town we parted from the Ukrainian couple and found a very good and economical Chifa run by a friendly and chatty elderly couple. Home via Tia Rosita’s to shower and then sit drinking wine in our room. News came through that a general strike had been called for Wednesday which made us grateful that we had arranged to leave Chile tomorrow!
Day 31. Tuesday 22nd. October, 2019. Arica – Tacna –
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Got up at 6.30 and hurried off to the “hot water” bathroom but still had a cold shower!
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Called the taxista and whiled away the wait talking to a very interesting American guy, Lauren, who had been raised in Hawaii and educated in Alaska! Got chatting about Trump but before we could come to any conclusions our ride had arrived – pity–that we had not met up before! Got in the taxi with a cash-less German girl whose plans had been disrupted by the civil unrest and were taken to the colectivo port where, for CP 400 each, we got seats in a Tacna- bound car [we also had to pay a travel tax of CP 450].
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Crossing the border proved uneventful and we soon found ourselves in the Tacna terminal having bought tickets on Cromotex Bus [s/ 80], breakfasting on milanesa, rice and salad [s/9] and waiting for a 11.30 am. departure for Lima.
Bus proved very comfortable ( we were in seats 23 & 24) and we were even served a reasonable lunch! (There was even an evening meal of sorts of rolls and dulce de leche…)
Bus made good progress until we reached the Arequipa region and road-block protests: "Agro – Si! Mine – No!" and we ground to a lengthy halt. Some of the protestors objected to me taking snaps and so demanded that I delete what I had taken! Did my best to placate the strikers but as I had never deleted a picture before only succeeded in erasing one photo – by keeping my hand over the lens I was able to convince them that I had obeyed their demands!
The blockade was finally lifted as darkness fell at 7.00 pm. but the road was littered for miles beyond with piles of stones, rocks, rubbish, tree roots etc.
Day 32. Wednesday, 23rd. October, 2019, Lima
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In view of the delays we did well to reach the terminal in Lima at 10.30 am; took a taxi to the Marquay and was glad to have a shower and take it easy for a short while; the taxista seemed a decent and reliable sort so we booked him to take us to the airport tomorrow.
Out to the C. Arequipa for a 301 to the city centre and a very cheap and very extensive lunch before going on to the Artesanal Centre to buy some odds and ends (including a new handbag for M’s birthday).
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Crossed the road to the Church of Santo Domingo mainly to see once more the crypts of S. Rosa and S. Martin de Porres before another hectic ride on the 301 back to Miraflores
By 7.15 pm. we were in Miraflores’ centre taking advantage of “Happy Hour” and enjoying a couple of pisco sours. Afterwards walked home via a large supermarket on Arequipa where we bought a bottle of pisco. By 9.00 pm. we had retired to our room to sup wine and struggle (largely in vain) with the TV; took the precaution of dosing ourselves with Engove in anticipation of following the wine with pisco!…
Day 33. Thursday, 24th. October, 2019. Lima –
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Little to do after getting up and showering; breakfasted on omelette and rolls and then relaxed in the room for an hour or more.
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10.30 am left Marqay to meander around the Miraflores Artesanal Market [Inca Plaza] and buy a few gifts before returning to await the taxi to the airport.
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The taxista, Jonathan Huerta Trujillo, turned up on the dot and we enjoyed a tedious ride through Calayo to the airport; funnily enough, we all got on rather well and finished the ride as firm friends! Jonathan gave us some newly-minted, animal-featuring, sole coins plus his WhatsApp number and we gave him a s/20 tip!
Sat in Departures killing time and going over, from time to time, to watch the live broadcast of the AFC vs Guimaraes (ended happily but not without some severe alarums along the way!).
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Unremarkable flight on an A320 from Lima to Bogota and from thence, at 22.55 pm., to London. For this leg of the journey we chose aisle seats and this proved far better than our usual seating arrangements; the aircraft, a B787, also seemed roomier than usual. Did not bother with the in-flight entertainment but read while the lights were on. Reasonable evening meal served with a couple of cups of wine.
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After a pleasant enough flight we arrived in a gloomy Heathrow Terminal 2 at around 3.00 pm. The usual depressing and tedious underground journey back to Gants Hill and home!