| Submitted by: Gopal VenkatUnited States |
| Submission Date: 15 February 2005 |
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After breakfast, we headed out to Tihuanaco (Tiwakanu) where an ancient Civilization flourished between 1500 B.C. and 1100 A.D. We had a Mini Bus and a Local Guide accompanied us. We Climbed from La Paz to El Alto and continued further on. We stopped at the highest point (that is navigable by road) to take in the view of the Splendid Mountain Range. This was at an Altitude of 4200 Metres (13000 Feet). Continuing on, we passed the Village of Laja, a small yet picturesque village, which was the Original Site of La Paz. We reached Tiwakanu around 10 AM. We set off to visit the ruins. The Entry fee was B$ 15. These are neither fully excavated nor restored. They are 5 Main Areas Scattered around. The Akapana, which the Sign Says is a Pyramid, is merely a small hill. There is a Sun Temple and another Structure called the PumaPuku. These are partially reconstructed. All of the Statues here are Originals. Quite Impressive. These People placed great Importance on the Jaguar and the Snake. (Similar to the Mayan People). Most of the Statues are adorned with these two creatures. After spending close to 90 minutes here, we moved on to visit the Archaeological Museum. Without the guide, I would have probably spent around 45 minutes here. As I was leaving the ruins, a local lady showed me some Statuettes that were good. Since I bought one for B$ 5, she gave me an even smaller one as a Gift !
The Museum Contains a lot of Artifacts that are a must see. On Display are Elongated Skulls. These were Skulls deliberately shaped conical on a baby born into a high-class family. Most Priests / Kings were expected to have long skulls (and hence more Intelligence) since they were the ruling class. It was an awesome sight. There was also a Mummy inside a woven casket. This was in a fetal position. The explanation was since we are in a fetal position before birth, we have to be in a fetal position after death, so that we may be born again. Sounds logical ! (Especially if you believe in rebirth) The Museum also contains tools and pottery used by these people.
We had lunch at a local restaurant before moving on. We were to return to La Paz, before proceeding to the Valley de la Luna (Valley of the Moon). We reached La Paz an hour after leaving the restaurant and stopped at a point from where we had excellent view of the City (with Mount Illimani in the Background). We drove through the city moving from the poor to the richer neighbourhoods before climbing up the mountain on the other side of La Paz. From here, the Valley of the Moon was a 10-Minute ride. These are conical shaped rock formations, close to one another, giving the impression of a lunar landscape. I wouldn't know. I have never been to the Moon ! From here we could see a golf course, apparently the highest in the world. An Impressive sight is the fact that the road to the Valley de la Luna runs through a cave dug from a Luna structure itself. After spending around 20 minutes here, we boarded the bus and returned to the hotel.
We got back around 4 PM. After a 10-Minute break, a couple of girls and myself went out to get some Cash. Since the exchange bureau at Hotel Gloria did not have any small bills, we went to another one a bit further away. On the way back, we decided to do some shopping. We just could not locate the local artisans Market (despite seeing it on the Map). Our poor knowledge of Spanish did not help either. We wandered around for a while and I decided to venture into a Hat Shop. I tried one and the Girls thought it looked absolutely terrific on me. Got to go with the popular opinion. The lady at the shop wanted B$30. After a bit of bargaining, I finally got it for B$26 (Approx. US$ 5) One of the girls bought a pair of blankets for B$77 (at $13, it was a steal). I was tempted to get one as well, but the thought of lugging it around (to the Galapagos and then to Europe & Asia) was not a good proposition. I passed.
After a brief rest at the hotel, we went to a local restaurant for dinner (Pena Huari, 339 Calle Sagarnaga. Phone: 316 225). This restaurant has a cultural show every night. There was a cover charge of B$20. 7 of us from the group along with the tour leader went for this option. It turned out to be time well spent. From the time we ordered dinner, (around 9 PM) till the time we left (a little after 11 PM), we were treated to a Cultural extravaganza. Three different groups performed. One was a Trio of Dancers, while the other two were musical groups comprising 5/6 members each. As is customary in many of these dances, the audience is requested to participate with the performers. As luck would have it, I got pulled to the dancing area 4 times. (It was helped by the fact that our Group had just 2 men, while the Majority of Dancers were women). Being an individual who cannot dance if his life depended on it, I must have cut a sorry figure.
Took a lot of Pictures of these performers and their performances. In all, a very enjoyable evening. I am quite contented with my stay in La Paz. We leave for Copacabana tomorrow Morning. I have been chewing Cocoa leaves even though I have not had any problems with the altitude. I was doing it for other reasons ! (Even though I was told by my tour leader that it takes a large quantity of Cocoa - 2 Tons Approx. - to get a few grams of Cocaine) Other members of the group who experienced altitude sickness told me that the chewing of Cocoa leaves had helped them.
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May 5, 1999
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We departed for Copacabana around 8:30 AM. This was to be a 4-hour Journey by Bus. After 3 hours we reached a place called Tiquina. We (the Passengers and the Bus) were to Cross Lake Titicaca by ferry and continue our journey from the other side of Lake Titicaca. The Sight of the highest navigable lake in the world was Spectacular. The Passengers crossed the Lake on 2 ferries and the Bus crossed the Lake on a Separate Ferry. Took quite a few pictures around this time. On the other side, a Bolivian Security officer was doing a Passport / Visa Check of everyone disembarking from the ferry. All my fellow trip members were carrying their Passports around their neck and hence were able to produce it. I deliberately stayed at the very end of the line. When it was my turn, I explained to the officer in bad Spanglish that my Passport was in my bag on the tour bus. I offered my US driver's license as a form of picture Identification, though ! The officer wanted to know whether I was returning to La Paz or continuing on to Peru. When I told him that I was continuing on to Peru, he informed me that I have to produce my passport at the Border. I dutifully agreed and promised to have it ready at the Bolivian / Peruvian Border. Quite a nice guy.
From Tiquina, we climbed the mountains. It looked Like Lake Titicaca was everywhere. Got some Great Pictures (hope they come out well) of the Lake from the top of these Mountains. Around Noon we descended in to Copacabana. After dropping us off in a side street along with our baggage, the bus left. Barbara (the tour leader) then informed us that it was a short hike to the hotel where we were to spend the night. Little did I realize, that it would be a Steep hike. Carrying my Camera bag and my duffel bag almost blew my lungs and killed me. Barbara's comment that we should only bring what we could carry wasn't exactly helpful. I was all revved up to chew her head off, when I came upon the hotel (Hotel Cupula, Calle Michel Perez 1-3. Phone: 0862-2029. Includes area code for Copacabana) and was Presented with a Magnificent view of the harbour and Lake Titicaca. I was mollified. Since I was the lone single male in the group, I got a room to myself. Not bad, if you consider that I did not pay any single supplement.
We decided to rent a private boat for B$300 (10 Persons Max.) to take us to the Island of the sun and the Island of the moon. It worked out to B$30 per person (US$ 6) and the boat was to depart from the harbour at 1:30 PM. We had lunch at the hotel restaurant (which claims itself to be a vegetarian restaurant) and due to the paucity of time, I ordered a Cheese Sandwich and a Soda. They fry the cheese out here. It is different. After Lunch we headed to the harbour and boarded our Private Boat ! Took some more pictures of Lake Titicaca and Copacabana. The ride to these Islands turned out to be a long ride (2 ¼ Hours) that had some members of the group getting impatient. On reaching the island, we were told that we would have to pay B$5 for a guided tour of the Museum and a visit to the ruins. We agreed and the guide (who lives on the island) opened the museum for us. Most of the members of the group were impatient and they started their walk to the ruins. However, Barbara, one of the Australian girls and myself decided to take the guided tour of the museum. The local guide (who spoke only Spanish) was quite knowledgeable. I was amazed at the amount of information he provided us during the tour of the museum. After spending around 15 minutes at the Museum, we hit the trail to the ruins. The local guide informed us that it would take us an hour to reach the ruins and an hour to get back. This was not the Time span we had planned on.
There was some grumbling about how this was not stated in the Itinerary and this & that. It seemed to me that some members of the group were big time whiners. Take them out of their usual environment and they tend to get upset. True, Barbara (whose English was not prefect) may not have provided adequate information. But what these members of the group failed to realize was that, this was her first tour Group as a GAP tour leader. Therefore, she may not have a lot of familiarity (or) information on some of the things that GAP does. The biggest Crybabies are the Yanks. Most of them expect the same amenities (Hot shower / Flush toilets / Porters etc.) that they can get in their home cities. They fail to realize that they are in a different land with a different Culture.
Some members of the group were even complaining about how the ruins at Tiwakanu are not as impressive as the Mayan ruins in Mexico or the Pyramids of Egypt. I did not know whether to laugh or cry. I really empathized with Barbara. If you want something like Egypt, go to Egypt. Don't land at Macchu Picchu and complain that it is not as good as the Acropolis in Athens (or) the Pyramids at Giza. This is NOT an assembly line job, where one ruin can be identical to another. What's more galling is that these comments come from Yanks & Australians whose entire history as a nation State is almost negligible in the grand scheme of things. As for those who want amenities a simple word of advice: Stay at home and vicariously enjoy the various places around the world by watching National Geographic Programmes on Television or by reading the Magazine !
The walk to the ruins did take an hour. I was quite awed by the sheer beauty of it all. Lake Titicaca, the mountains and the ruins simply mesmerized me that words fail me in describing the transcendent beauty. Even the people who had complained earlier agreed that this long hike (and the even longer boat journey) had been rewarded. On the way back, we were treated to clear views of Mount Illimani towering Over Lake Titicaca. My cup of contentment runneth over. (For the day, anyway) As we departed the Island of the Sun, the setting sun cast a red glow over the snowy peaks of Mount Illimani and an orange hue over Lake Titicaca. I had to remind myself that this IS real. An excellent trip that is well worth the money and the effort. |
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