The Last Breath I Could Muster

After a week or so of laying low in La Paz, I figured I would give it a shot and crawl my way to Peru. I took a bus to Copacabana, three hours away from La Paz.

The city of La Paz is an interesting one and riding out of it is an experience in itself. La Paz stands on what can be described as a canyon. There is a flat top part, a hilly part and a flat bottom part.

The top part, called el Alto, is the poorest. The day I decided to ride out of la Paz into Copacabana, there was a swap meet going on. You would be amazed at what Bolivians manage to fit in a bus. Bed frames, tvs, rocking chairs, anything they bought at the swap meet will have to go in the bus. It is amazing what they will do to a back pack. They will toss it around, flip'em over, place them upside down, fold them... whatever it takes so they can jam another random thing in the bus.

I was freaking out about my backpack the entire time but we made it to Copacabana in one piece.

Copacabana was really nice, with a big church that was impressive. Multi colored tiles cover its domes, making it look very much like a Turkish mosque, or at least what I have seen on pictures.

Lake Titicaca, a holy place of Aztecs, Incas and Mayas, is not actually that impressive on account. The thing is people can't perceive altitude in front of a lake and therefore the highest navigable lake on earth (which is impressive) becomes just another lake on earth (which is not that impressive)

One thing did catch up with me, the change of country. Whenever you change countries, there is a change in spices, bacteria or whatever it is that you drink in the water or eat in food. Eventually, you stomach catches up to it... big time.

I got really really sick and basically got stuck in the hostel I was at.

It was holy Friday and prices on the hostel were going up from 10 Bolivianos to 20 U$, 2o times the original price.

I figured I would keep my cool and go seat for a new hostel that didnt want to gauge my eyes out but it is hard to keep your cool when your stomach is acting up on your. I eventually found a spot that was willing to charge me the same price all through the holiday. It was dingy,dirty, musty and ugly. I had already paid for one more night at my current hostel so I told the lady I would come back in the morning.