Last days in Bolivia

We spent two and a half weeks travelling in Bolivia. Entering from Chile via the spectacular Paso Ollague/Avaroa then passing through Uyuni, Potosi, Sucre, Cochabumba and on to La Paz, we saw a lot of the western side of the country. The contrasts, the natural beauty, the poverty and the way of life were all on show, but the strength of the culture in this country is ‘in your face’ wherever you go and is great to see and experience. The hardworking Bolivian people are friendly and relaxed – it’s a great place to travel!

We stayed on the outskirts of La Paz, in a campground perched on the edge of a cliff overlooking a stunning valley.

Lonely Planet’s warnings about the unsafe nature of La Paz were almost enough to turn us off visiting this amazing city – almost! We were so glad we did. It’s location at the bottom of a valley surrounded by towering mountains creates a unique setting for a city. Add in a first class public transport system that goes over the city as opposed to underneath it and you have the setting for something very, very different and enjoyable.

The La Paz teleferico is hi tech, clean, safe, cheap and a fantastic way to see the city.

A barge crossing on Lake Titicaca – all marine safety rules adhered to eh Bob!

But it’s ok, these barges take buses and trucks, no problem!

Lake Titicaca, west of La Paz is more like an inland sea, such is its size. Above is a barge crossing over a narrow stretch of the lake. As you can see, all equipment is in top condition and all maritime safety regulations are being followed – eh Bob! Then again the view from above shows these barges handle buses and trucks with ease, so what were we worried about!

At an altitude of 3,800 metres, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. Along it’s shores, the local indigenous people run their own tourist enterprises like these floating restaurants and boat excursions to the adjacent islands.