July 5, 2002 - La Paz, Bolivia
I caught a local bus to the boarder between Peru and Bolivia. Got an exit stamp in my passport for Peru, walked across a guarded bridge, and got an entry stamp for Bolivia. I Toured the Tiahuanaco ruins and headed to La Paz. Luckily a friend of a friend of a friend offered a room in their very nice house with hot water, great food, DSL, and quiet sleep. Unfortunately, I have had to spend the last few days helping my head recover, but nothing some good antibiotics won't cure. I ate watermelon and ice cream for the 4th of July, and even got to see some fireworks on the television.
July 7, 2002 - La Paz, Bolivia
I spent the morning in a Bolivian Prison. San Perdo Prison. A sign outside strictly states that tourists are not allowed inside for any reason. But the guidebooks explain that for a few dollars the guards are happy to open the door. This prison is unlike any other I have heard about. The guards stay outside and only enter once a day to count the 1300 prisoners. Inside the drug lords are rooming freely around you, along with 300 children who live with their fathers at night and go to school outside during the day. There are restaurants, stores, pool tables, cable TV, and a soccer field. All the business are owned by prisoners. The president of the prison (a prisoner) has his own Italian chef (also a prisoner). My guide was sentenced to 8 years for trying to the smuggle 5 kilos of cocaine into Switzerland. One of the more bizarre tours I have had.
July 12, 2002 - Rurrenabaque, Bolivia
I flew over the snow capped Andes and landed on a grass field in Rurrenabaque. I took a 3 day tour of the Pampas. First, we took a bumpy ride in a 4WD vehicle, and arrived at our long boat after 4 hours and 2 major repairs. The river and it's banks are full of animals: alligators, pink dolpins, turtles, capybaras (a rat-like animal larger than most dogs), and a large variety of birds. We stayed at a camp with beds, mosquito nets, and monkeys playing the the trees above. I had my picture taken while holding a 2 foot alligator. We searched for anocondas and cobras in swampy mud up to my knees - not so surprisingly, this wasn't my favorite activity. And we went fishing for piranhas. On the boat ride back I counted how many alligators I saw in a 15 minute period. The answer: 178. (And to think, the guide wanted me to swim in the river with the dolphins - I haven't lost my sanity!)
July 17, 2002 - Rurrenabaque, Bolivia
After a rest day to do laundry, I went on a 3 day tour of Madidi National Park in the Amazon rainforest. The first day we took a boat up river to the camp and climbed up a cliff to watch and listen to parrots and macaws over the trees. Brilliant. The guide shared information on the huge diversity of plant life: malaria medicine from the bark of a tree, a anesthetic we tried on our tongues, a green leaf that made a purple dye when mixed with water (looked good in my hair, but washed out after a couple of days). I walked in the mud to look at frogs. During a night walk I came with in a few feet of a coral snake. On the boat ride out we saw a jaguar.
July 25, 2002 - Arequipa, Peru
I headed to La Paz for a couple days of relaxation at a friends house. Then to Sorata where I had great luck with the weather. Nothing but bright blue skies for two day-hikes with views of Illampu towering 12,000 feet above the town. The weather in South America has been strange. Time to head north, and return to Bolivia in a couple months. After a quick day stop in Copaba�a on Lake Titicaca, I headed to Arequipa in southern Peru. I have spent the last few days visiting churches and convents.
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