Cuentas sobre America Latina
Date: Fri, 31 Aug 2001 01:45:41 +0200
Subject: South America report 7
Hi friends and not-friends!
Some days ago I decided to join this weired english professor "Pablo Diabolo" (does a "normal" professor juggle with fireballs, know stunning cardtricks, play indian sounds on the flute,.... certainly not!) on his way to Coroico, a beautiful holiday spot just 4 hours off La Paz, down the world's most dangerous road (about every other week one vehicle goes down the 1000m, what takes about 100 victims a year). It's just a muddy road partly only about 3 meters wide, which may be a problem when one of the huge trucks encounters another vehicle in a turn - Bolivians tend to go fast - even without any view around the corner. And on weekends most drivers are drunk anyway!
The downward-traffic has to go on the outside on the road (even if this means driving on the left side of the road, sometimes the tires are about 15 cm off the edge, what means about 15cm off some x100 meters straight down without any stop or rescue.)
Some insane tourists even go down this road by bike.... 2 weeks ago one tourist girl just disappeared with the bike over the edge, same as last year!
The most dangerous turn is now secured by a flagman waving either the upward or downward traffic through.... I have been told, this flagman is a family father who lost last year his whole family on just this turn! Sad story. Now he's a voluntarily doing this all day long to safe the lives of others.
Well, had some scary situations, but the landscape around it is worth taking the risks. And especially when you arrive in Coroico, a hill resort on 1700 meters with a pleasant climate and beautiful views. Even just from our beds - waking up - we had this view to all the mountains - and of course - the pool. Almost any hotel in the Yungas has an own pool, which is nice when you consider the daytime temperature of 25 degrees.
By the way.... the best coca leaves of Bolivia are grown in the Yungas (near Coroico). We also did a tour to visit the plantations. It is almost legal to grow coca here, we've been told:
Once the police moved in to destroy the plantations, but the campesinos were more intelligent and just closed the roads and locked the police for two weeks. Then the government gave in and stopped all actions! :-)
What else..... well, on Saturday we went up the road again to La Paz and next day up to Copacabana, an amazing spot on the Lago Titicaca. (for the ones that do not know: The famous beach in Brasil is named after this village!)
The lake - about 3800m high, with a surface of about 8,000 km2 about 13 times the size of the german Bodensee with a maximum depth of 300m and a mean temp. of 13 deg. is said to be the highest navigable lake on earth.
Weired colors around, I must say. But the water would be perfect for Scuba diving. Crystal clear!!!!
But this is the bolivian side of the lake. Yesterday we continued to Puno just to find out that the peruvians actually can spoil this lake. All over green (you know what this means, dont you...) and dirty. anyway....
On the bus to Copacabana I learned to know two really nice austrians from vienna. So got two more friends on earth now, I think :-)
Will keep joined for all the way up to Cuzco I think.
enjoy your time being home.... will join you soon. Only about 2 weeks left, then I will hopefully be in Lima to get back. Just got notice of a strike taking place in the next days, which could mean that I cannot get up to Lima to catch my flight. But.... dont worry... we will find out soon enough....
take care,
Oliver.