



Saturday, Oct. 15.
Those of you who are following will realize that the picutre from yesterdays’ post actually belong with today’s. Not to worry, because I had too many to download at once for today. I hope today’s will be: the snow-capped mountains (for skiers) north on La Paz; Our first view of the city; the city in the bowl, La Paz; finally for Trevor, Spike enjoying his ride in my backpack to so many interesting places;
It is a real treat to have an early afternoon bus, 1:30, so we sleep in and have a little breakfast. Our check-out is 10:30, so Peter settles the bill and we sit in the atrium for the two hours before we leave. I begin to knit socks and Peter enjoys his Kindle. Although there is a free ride down at 1, we bump our way downhill at 12:45 and are the first in line. I stake-out our place and Peter takes care of the luggage. There is no bus depot in Copacabana - it is one of the main streets in town! There have to be fifteen buses of all sizes and shapes. The couple we call “the poutty girl” couple from our hotel & trip yesterday, are second in line and it is obvious he thinks that they are first! I managed to hold my position. Trevor would be proud of how his old Baba managed this in pleasant, but firm way. We got the first seat which looked out the front window and had lots of leg room. Peter figures the bus will go around the boulevard we are parked on to get out of town. No, he goes up a different street and is blocked by the buses and vans parked outside the Basilica. It is Saturday - wedding day! \Now he driver skilfully and backs down the same, narrow road, pedestrians almost under the wheels. When we finally make it to the bottom, he goes the way Peter figures he should have in the beginning. Oh well, we are a little late in leaving.
On the trip to La Paz you go over two substantial passes. The topography at one point was like going from Rock Creek to Osooyos. We saw a group of bikers on the uphill and thought of how their lungs must be burning enduring both the incline and the air at 4000 metres. You also go over a short stretch of water. Everyone gets out and pays a small fee for a ride across in a dilapidated motor boat, while the bus goes by barge with a minibus or car sharing the space. It is quick and efficiently done. It is also a bathroom or smoke break for those who need it. We are still driving around Lake Titicaca. You get an appreciation for its size on this bus trip.
The land on this side of the crossing appears easier to work as it is in the flat plains of the lake. We pass one town that looks like it is a sport fishing area for the rich of La Paz. The highway, as we near the city becomes quite smooth. Finally, we reach the outskirts which are Alto to the city. People are hustling across in front of the bus. This is the only time our driver used his horn except once when a dog looked like it was going to cross. At one point we notice a crowd of people at one side of the road. As we approach, two ladies run across the road and there is a man (corpse?) being lifted into the back of a van-type taxi. Obviously, he had been hit and was being transported to the hospital. Further on, the road widened into a two?three?-lane boulevard. This went through a city much like the ones we saw in Mexico. Suddenly, we got a view of the city Abajo! It is one of the most extraordinary sights I have ever seen. It is like a big bowl - almost like the inside of an immense volcano with large, modern buildings at the bottom and houses all the way up the sides. You are now on a highway which coils down like the upper level from Horseshoe Bay to the Second Narrows bridge. Part of the way down we take the off ramp onto a highway that is gridlocked. It certainly pays to be the biggest, as the bus got through in less than five minutes. He had to back-off and let a van go so he would have room to squeeze on. This highway is just like in Quebec where the on ramp is before the off ramp so most of the traffic is crossing over! We travel down a little farther and leave the highway to enter the main bus depot. Of course, there is no carrel for us, so the driver just keeps going and parks parallel to the building. Luckily, my luggage is the first to fall out when the driver opens the bottom. Peter’s was right under mine, so we are off quickly. The official taxis are allowed to enter the bus-parking area, and we have one of the first. Then begins the fifteen-minute hair-raising ride to the hostel/hotel. The ride was about $7.00. The tiny bell-hop picks up both our bags and carries them up the flight of stairs to the front desk. After check-in, he carries them, plus Peter’s daypack down the back flight of stairs to our room. Again, there is a bright atrium and our room is tidy and clean. Now a little down-time in La Paz. Spike has been our “good luck” companion and conversation starter snugly settled in my pack. We plan a Hop On/Hop Off city tour on Monday, otherwise, just walk and explore. I’ll post again once we are out of La Paz.
Those of you who are following will realize that the picutre from yesterdays’ post actually belong with today’s. Not to worry, because I had too many to download at once for today. I hope today’s will be: the snow-capped mountains (for skiers) north on La Paz; Our first view of the city; the city in the bowl, La Paz; finally for Trevor, Spike enjoying his ride in my backpack to so many interesting places;
It is a real treat to have an early afternoon bus, 1:30, so we sleep in and have a little breakfast. Our check-out is 10:30, so Peter settles the bill and we sit in the atrium for the two hours before we leave. I begin to knit socks and Peter enjoys his Kindle. Although there is a free ride down at 1, we bump our way downhill at 12:45 and are the first in line. I stake-out our place and Peter takes care of the luggage. There is no bus depot in Copacabana - it is one of the main streets in town! There have to be fifteen buses of all sizes and shapes. The couple we call “the poutty girl” couple from our hotel & trip yesterday, are second in line and it is obvious he thinks that they are first! I managed to hold my position. Trevor would be proud of how his old Baba managed this in pleasant, but firm way. We got the first seat which looked out the front window and had lots of leg room. Peter figures the bus will go around the boulevard we are parked on to get out of town. No, he goes up a different street and is blocked by the buses and vans parked outside the Basilica. It is Saturday - wedding day! \Now he driver skilfully and backs down the same, narrow road, pedestrians almost under the wheels. When we finally make it to the bottom, he goes the way Peter figures he should have in the beginning. Oh well, we are a little late in leaving.
On the trip to La Paz you go over two substantial passes. The topography at one point was like going from Rock Creek to Osooyos. We saw a group of bikers on the uphill and thought of how their lungs must be burning enduring both the incline and the air at 4000 metres. You also go over a short stretch of water. Everyone gets out and pays a small fee for a ride across in a dilapidated motor boat, while the bus goes by barge with a minibus or car sharing the space. It is quick and efficiently done. It is also a bathroom or smoke break for those who need it. We are still driving around Lake Titicaca. You get an appreciation for its size on this bus trip.
The land on this side of the crossing appears easier to work as it is in the flat plains of the lake. We pass one town that looks like it is a sport fishing area for the rich of La Paz. The highway, as we near the city becomes quite smooth. Finally, we reach the outskirts which are Alto to the city. People are hustling across in front of the bus. This is the only time our driver used his horn except once when a dog looked like it was going to cross. At one point we notice a crowd of people at one side of the road. As we approach, two ladies run across the road and there is a man (corpse?) being lifted into the back of a van-type taxi. Obviously, he had been hit and was being transported to the hospital. Further on, the road widened into a two?three?-lane boulevard. This went through a city much like the ones we saw in Mexico. Suddenly, we got a view of the city Abajo! It is one of the most extraordinary sights I have ever seen. It is like a big bowl - almost like the inside of an immense volcano with large, modern buildings at the bottom and houses all the way up the sides. You are now on a highway which coils down like the upper level from Horseshoe Bay to the Second Narrows bridge. Part of the way down we take the off ramp onto a highway that is gridlocked. It certainly pays to be the biggest, as the bus got through in less than five minutes. He had to back-off and let a van go so he would have room to squeeze on. This highway is just like in Quebec where the on ramp is before the off ramp so most of the traffic is crossing over! We travel down a little farther and leave the highway to enter the main bus depot. Of course, there is no carrel for us, so the driver just keeps going and parks parallel to the building. Luckily, my luggage is the first to fall out when the driver opens the bottom. Peter’s was right under mine, so we are off quickly. The official taxis are allowed to enter the bus-parking area, and we have one of the first. Then begins the fifteen-minute hair-raising ride to the hostel/hotel. The ride was about $7.00. The tiny bell-hop picks up both our bags and carries them up the flight of stairs to the front desk. After check-in, he carries them, plus Peter’s daypack down the back flight of stairs to our room. Again, there is a bright atrium and our room is tidy and clean. Now a little down-time in La Paz. Spike has been our “good luck” companion and conversation starter snugly settled in my pack. We plan a Hop On/Hop Off city tour on Monday, otherwise, just walk and explore. I’ll post again once we are out of La Paz.
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