LPZ-RBQ-LPZ
Wednesday, 16. July 2008, 22:41:11
When I last updated you, I told you that I was going on a trip to the tropics. So far, it did happen. The specific place where we went is called Rurrenabaque and is situated in the middle of the state Beni (in the north of Bolivia). There are two ways of travelling to this town, mostly considered a village. The first one is by plane (55 minutes) and the other is by bus (20 hours). We chose the second one, mostly because it would be 75% cheaper but we had second thoughts about it. Why? Mostly because there had been a couple of accidents with deathly outcomes during the last weeks. Anyways, I think that if I have to die I will die matter how I travel. So, we took the bus on Thursday morning and did the 20 hours dangerous trip. Dangerous it certainly was! 
The roads are so narrow that only one car/bus can travel at a time. When two buses met, we were on the edge of falling down more than 1000 meters. That road is best known as the “Death Road” of Bolivia.
At 6 in the morning we arrived at the bust station in Rurre and we got to know that most agencies open at 7, and that the tours start after 9. We chose to see the pampas since, compared with the jungle, you get to see about 50% more of the fauna in the pampas.
And we did get to see a lot of life after the three hours road trip. I have no idea how many pics I have snapped on the first day only. Anyhow, a bit before 16 we arrived at our camp just beside the river and I have to say that the view is AMAZING. Latr in the evening, just before dinner we went to a bar where we could se the sunset. It wasnt anythiung out of order. It was just a sunset...and if we wanted to...we could drink beer, something that I didnt. 
After seeing the sunset I laid on a hammock and fell asleep. My mother was out making new friends. 
I woke up when it was time to return back to the camp and on our way we learnt to see if there were any alligator and/or camoens (?) in the river. We did it by using a torch. Alligatorns have orange eyes and camens have red ones. Pretty good to know, right? 
The second day consisted in us going on a very long walk looking for snakes. After about two hours of walk we found a big cobra and a couple of minstes later an anaconda.
It was very tiredning (?) to walk in the mud, river, and specially when the sun was shining as most. The temperature reached surely over 32 degrees C til midday. Everybody was starving by the time we reached the camp. What happened later? We had 2 hours of siesta and then it wore off to swinmming with the dolphins, but it wasnt an actual swin with the dolphins since they were on their own and the humans were on their own as well. The hot temperature made many people jump into the water but I did not since I saw no reason in doing it...I would not get to swin with the pink dolphins anyways. 
The day continued in what felt as slow motion. I did not go to see the sunset since I had already seen it the night before. Instead I stayed in the camp and took it easy in the hammock.
The third day would start at 6 in the morning to see the sunrise but I chose to sleep a little bit more. After breakfast we went piraya fishig.
It was the second time, that I went fishing, in my whole life and it went very good. I caught, all in all, nine fishes, eight small pirayas and another kind of fish. Only three, out of the crew of seven, ate the pirayas...and I was one of them. 
It didnt taste strange at all...except that the head tasted cheesy 
Afterwards we were in a hurry to get back to Rurre, not for any special reason but because nobody looked forward to the three hour long road trip. When we finally arrrived to Rurrenabaque, on our search for a place to stay the night we found the office of the national military airling (TAM Bolivia) and got to know that there were two places left for the afternoon flight the same day. My mother went to the bus terminal to leaver our tickets but since she didnt found the responsible person we remained in Rurre that evening.
That was what I wanted to do since I hadnt seen much of the town..nor the town on the other side of the river.The river is caleld Rio Beni (Beni River). The town on the other side of the river is called San Buenaventura and belongs to the state of La Paz while Rurre belongs to the state of Beni. 
As soon as I stepped on San Buenaventura it definitely felt as home, as La Paz. 
There was a celebration over there becayse of its 146th anniversary. I think that the town is lovely! 
My mother sys that she will move to Rurre when she comes back to Bolivia, but I would much rather prefer to move to San Buenaventura. Ther was much more life, music and entrertainment going on compared to Rurre. I think that Rurrenabaque is more for tourists while San Buenaventura shows the true life of a town.
Even though it was Sunday, people (read: tourists) thought that it was a good evening to party on. I would have had a difficult time to sleep because of all the noise but I drak a cholada, which is a mix of Bolivian beer (to be more precise a beer called Paceña, from La Paz) and coke. In the beginning it didnt taste very good but after one little cup of this cholada I was drunk already. and after having drinken the whole can of Paceña and my bottle of coke I was ready for bed.
I woke up early the next morning and since I knew that my mother wanted to sleep I got dressed and went out for a walk. When I came down to the reception of the hotel I realized thatit was only 0650 in the morning. When I got back my mother had just woken up and after breakfast we decided to take a quick walk before having to go to the terminal of buses for departure to La Paz. We took a moto.taxi each, and were taken to a place from which we xould see the whole town and the one on the other side of the river.
Now you may wonder what the outcome of this short trip is. Well, it is the collection of over 300 pics, several bites of mosquitos and sunburns (on my neck, my arms and shoulderns). A very pleasant feeling (
except the sunburns of course)!
We arrived in La Paz very early in the morning of yesterday (05.15 am) and got home about one hour latr. Later in the day we travelled to the countryside where my grandmother was born. There was a woman in the bus who wanted to talk with me...but I couldnt understand anything of what she said, but still...she continued to talk in Aymara. Grrr....I really have to learn Aymara.
There was a celebration going on in Huarina as well, because of the anniversary of the independence of La Paz, and there was a dog in the crowd of people in search for food. 
I gave him some of the food I was given...and later on I was clapping the dog. This dog was not walking properly...but I clapped him...twice, and the second time I suppose that he got afraid, and therefore bite me in my right hand. It started to bleed and now I have to search for medical expertis every second day. 
Today, La Paz has celebrated its 199th anniversary...and I have just taken a walk to town to take some pics of the celebrations. I think that I will come back next year for the anniversary since the celebrations will be much, but much, bigger. It has already been mentioned that La Paz will be the capital of cultures in Iberoamerica next year. 
This weekend I am going to the countryside again, but I will definitely try to update you more often now...depending on what happens here.
/// Mizz Martínez
The roads are so narrow that only one car/bus can travel at a time. When two buses met, we were on the edge of falling down more than 1000 meters. That road is best known as the “Death Road” of Bolivia. At 6 in the morning we arrived at the bust station in Rurre and we got to know that most agencies open at 7, and that the tours start after 9. We chose to see the pampas since, compared with the jungle, you get to see about 50% more of the fauna in the pampas.
And we did get to see a lot of life after the three hours road trip. I have no idea how many pics I have snapped on the first day only. Anyhow, a bit before 16 we arrived at our camp just beside the river and I have to say that the view is AMAZING. Latr in the evening, just before dinner we went to a bar where we could se the sunset. It wasnt anythiung out of order. It was just a sunset...and if we wanted to...we could drink beer, something that I didnt. After seeing the sunset I laid on a hammock and fell asleep. My mother was out making new friends. I woke up when it was time to return back to the camp and on our way we learnt to see if there were any alligator and/or camoens (?) in the river. We did it by using a torch. Alligatorns have orange eyes and camens have red ones. Pretty good to know, right? The second day consisted in us going on a very long walk looking for snakes. After about two hours of walk we found a big cobra and a couple of minstes later an anaconda.
It was very tiredning (?) to walk in the mud, river, and specially when the sun was shining as most. The temperature reached surely over 32 degrees C til midday. Everybody was starving by the time we reached the camp. What happened later? We had 2 hours of siesta and then it wore off to swinmming with the dolphins, but it wasnt an actual swin with the dolphins since they were on their own and the humans were on their own as well. The hot temperature made many people jump into the water but I did not since I saw no reason in doing it...I would not get to swin with the pink dolphins anyways. The day continued in what felt as slow motion. I did not go to see the sunset since I had already seen it the night before. Instead I stayed in the camp and took it easy in the hammock.The third day would start at 6 in the morning to see the sunrise but I chose to sleep a little bit more. After breakfast we went piraya fishig.
It was the second time, that I went fishing, in my whole life and it went very good. I caught, all in all, nine fishes, eight small pirayas and another kind of fish. Only three, out of the crew of seven, ate the pirayas...and I was one of them. It didnt taste strange at all...except that the head tasted cheesy Afterwards we were in a hurry to get back to Rurre, not for any special reason but because nobody looked forward to the three hour long road trip. When we finally arrrived to Rurrenabaque, on our search for a place to stay the night we found the office of the national military airling (TAM Bolivia) and got to know that there were two places left for the afternoon flight the same day. My mother went to the bus terminal to leaver our tickets but since she didnt found the responsible person we remained in Rurre that evening. That was what I wanted to do since I hadnt seen much of the town..nor the town on the other side of the river.The river is caleld Rio Beni (Beni River). The town on the other side of the river is called San Buenaventura and belongs to the state of La Paz while Rurre belongs to the state of Beni. As soon as I stepped on San Buenaventura it definitely felt as home, as La Paz. There was a celebration over there becayse of its 146th anniversary. I think that the town is lovely! My mother sys that she will move to Rurre when she comes back to Bolivia, but I would much rather prefer to move to San Buenaventura. Ther was much more life, music and entrertainment going on compared to Rurre. I think that Rurrenabaque is more for tourists while San Buenaventura shows the true life of a town. Even though it was Sunday, people (read: tourists) thought that it was a good evening to party on. I would have had a difficult time to sleep because of all the noise but I drak a cholada, which is a mix of Bolivian beer (to be more precise a beer called Paceña, from La Paz) and coke. In the beginning it didnt taste very good but after one little cup of this cholada I was drunk already.
and after having drinken the whole can of Paceña and my bottle of coke I was ready for bed. I woke up early the next morning and since I knew that my mother wanted to sleep I got dressed and went out for a walk. When I came down to the reception of the hotel I realized thatit was only 0650 in the morning. When I got back my mother had just woken up and after breakfast we decided to take a quick walk before having to go to the terminal of buses for departure to La Paz. We took a moto.taxi each, and were taken to a place from which we xould see the whole town and the one on the other side of the river.Now you may wonder what the outcome of this short trip is. Well, it is the collection of over 300 pics, several bites of mosquitos and sunburns (on my neck, my arms and shoulderns). A very pleasant feeling (
except the sunburns of course)!We arrived in La Paz very early in the morning of yesterday (05.15 am) and got home about one hour latr. Later in the day we travelled to the countryside where my grandmother was born. There was a woman in the bus who wanted to talk with me...but I couldnt understand anything of what she said, but still...she continued to talk in Aymara. Grrr....I really have to learn Aymara.
There was a celebration going on in Huarina as well, because of the anniversary of the independence of La Paz, and there was a dog in the crowd of people in search for food. I gave him some of the food I was given...and later on I was clapping the dog. This dog was not walking properly...but I clapped him...twice, and the second time I suppose that he got afraid, and therefore bite me in my right hand. It started to bleed and now I have to search for medical expertis every second day. Today, La Paz has celebrated its 199th anniversary...and I have just taken a walk to town to take some pics of the celebrations. I think that I will come back next year for the anniversary since the celebrations will be much, but much, bigger. It has already been mentioned that La Paz will be the capital of cultures in Iberoamerica next year. This weekend I am going to the countryside again, but I will definitely try to update you more often now...depending on what happens here.
/// Mizz Martínez
By dragon_harrower, # 16. July 2008, 22:53:00
By jrd2498, # 16. July 2008, 23:00:45
It sounds like you are having a wonderful time; keep enjoying yourself and thanks for the update!
Is the black thing in your hand a snake?
By ripp2002, # 17. July 2008, 00:44:52
What do you keep in your hand on the 4th photo!???? It looks like snake...
By Olgita, # 17. July 2008, 05:01:17
Glad to see you doing your bit to promote My Opera in picture 4
It definitely looks like you are holding a snake in the picture.
So, it is very potent is it?
I didn't know that caimans and alligators reflected different colours when you shone a light in their eyes.
I figured out that RBQ is short for Rurrenabaque but what is LPZ short for? La Paz?
By Moesring, # 17. July 2008, 07:10:58
By LorenzoCelsi, # 17. July 2008, 07:18:24
By Postman Pechkin, # 17. July 2008, 18:59:59
Yes, I am holding a snake in my hand!
Yes, Paceña is very potent Moe!
By MizzMartinez, # 17. July 2008, 21:07:26
Try to make sure you get back with all your limbs attached.
By ripp2002, # 17. July 2008, 23:08:02
By jrd2498, # 17. July 2008, 23:08:56
By ripp2002, # 17. July 2008, 23:15:53
By jrd2498, # 17. July 2008, 23:19:02
By ripp2002, # 18. July 2008, 00:15:25
By jrd2498, # 18. July 2008, 02:18:05
Kerst! I am proud of you!!!!! So brave girl!!!
By Olgita, # 18. July 2008, 05:04:50
By Postman Pechkin, # 18. July 2008, 05:30:05
By LorenzoCelsi, # 18. July 2008, 07:08:52
By Olgita, # 18. July 2008, 07:53:58
I am definitely getting a tan, and I am having a blast over here. Sometimes I wish I lived here!
The snakes over here, as Lorenzo wrote, are not as dangerous as snakes in Africa for example. If you get a bite from them you may feel ill, and want to puke...but after a while you are feeling perfectly okay!
I dont know how to put it Ripp...but I am pretty sure that you understand what I mean by "clapping" a dog!
Moe, of course I do promote the best community ever! I would be a traitor if I would not do it!
I could not miss the opportunity of holding a snake...would you miss it?
I am definitely the best!
What did you think about the documentary Ripp?
Wouldnt you dare to hold a snake in your hand Olga?
And no Lorenzo, you are wrong...I would definitely not poke lions with anything...but I would love to have a pic taken with one!
By MizzMartinez, # 18. July 2008, 16:17:03
Is it like patting?
By Moesring, # 18. July 2008, 16:21:39
By MizzMartinez, # 18. July 2008, 16:24:55
Lions are different since seeing Kerstin coming to poke them with her stick they would get curious at first and then mad at Kerstin after a few pokes, which would lead to bad consequences.
By LorenzoCelsi, # 18. July 2008, 16:25:52
That's why I wanted to check
By Moesring, # 18. July 2008, 16:26:07
By Olgita, # 18. July 2008, 18:54:27
By jrd2498, # 18. July 2008, 21:25:24
As for the "clapping" a dog. I have no idea what that means. That is why I asked
By ripp2002, # 19. July 2008, 03:51:04
By qlue, # 19. July 2008, 07:28:27
By ripp2002, # 19. July 2008, 15:13:53
By Postman Pechkin, # 19. July 2008, 15:39:07
By jrd2498, # 19. July 2008, 20:24:40
By ripp2002, # 19. July 2008, 23:45:54
By jrd2498, # 20. July 2008, 02:54:56
By ripp2002, # 20. July 2008, 14:14:28
By jrd2498, # 20. July 2008, 14:33:43
I meant petting Moe and Ripp!
Wow, that is sooooo cool Jose! Say hi to him/her!!
Olga...you stepped on a snake? What happened?
By MizzMartinez, # 21. July 2008, 16:07:12
By ripp2002, # 21. July 2008, 17:05:27
By Olgita, # 21. July 2008, 19:48:28
Yeah she is on my face book friends page.
By jrd2498, # 21. July 2008, 23:47:20
By ripp2002, # 22. July 2008, 00:08:02
By jrd2498, # 22. July 2008, 00:45:06
By ripp2002, # 22. July 2008, 00:46:50
By jrd2498, # 22. July 2008, 00:48:22
By qlue, # 22. July 2008, 01:40:19
By ripp2002, # 22. July 2008, 03:20:18
By Olgita, # 22. July 2008, 05:08:26
By jrd2498, # 22. July 2008, 11:44:46
However, my letter is:
U. so U suck JRD for reminding me
By ripp2002, # 22. July 2008, 13:44:17
By dragon_harrower, # 22. July 2008, 14:05:16
By ripp2002, # 22. July 2008, 14:25:36
By dragon_harrower, # 22. July 2008, 14:28:55