Danny and I traveled to Bolivia on June 9 so I could attend my Cochabamba Cooperative School Class of 1986 20th Anniversary High School Reunion. This was his first time in Bolivia, so I wanted to show him around a bit. To prepare him for what to expect, I suggested he think of Mexico, only 4 times poorer, not as reliable, and no tortillas. I think that last thing scared him a little...
With Lloyd Aereo Boliviano's plane repossessed for non-payment in Miami, we flew TAM to Cochabamba (via Sao Paolo, Brazil and Asuncion, Paraguay) and made it to my reunion Saturday night. Turns out only 5 of us (the out-of-towners) showed up. The locals couldn't be bothered, though we ran into one no-show (Michelle) the next day.
My Mom threw a party for me (inviting her friends and relatives) Sunday night. Danny spent some time with the Bolivian Minister of the Economy's hot teen twin daughters. He also shot one of my guns and drove El Poderoso.
Monday we drove to La Paz. The highest altitude we hit was 3 miles. Of course La Paz's El Alto is at 2 1/2 miles. Yep, Denver's for wimps. We stayed with Aunt Maria Elena and Uncle Natalio, who drove us Tuesday to Tiwanaku. We had a good guide to show us around. On the way back we picked up 3 lovely hitchhiking Dutch teenagers who were in Bolivia doing the social work required to graduate high school in Holland. Wednesday we visited Lake Titicaca (highest navigable lake in the world), the original Copacabana (second holiest shrine in the Americas), and hopped the border to Peru. Thursday morning we flew back to Cochabamba on AeroSur.
I visited Edgar's mom Angela, brothers Perico & Nestor, and his son Fernandin. After some ticket difficulties involving Gitano Tours and LAB, we flew back to the US (with my Mom) Friday night.
Danny at Miami's South Beach | 
Waiting for plane in Sao Paulo | 
Last plane change, Asunción | 
Made it to the reunion just in time | 
Michelle, fashionably late (18hrs or so) |
Cochabamba Cooperative School | 
Avenida Javier del Granado, Cbba | 
Avenida Javier del Granado aerial | 
Mom's cousin the Prefect & wife | 
My cousins Liz & Chichi & aunt Vicki |
Minister of Economy's teen twins! | 
2nd living room, post-party w/Mom | 
Danny in front of El Castillo | 
Front door and chapel | 
First courtyard makes a good... |
...firing range for a .357 Magnum! | 
Aerial view of Mom's El Castillo | 
Danny & I in La Paz | 
Uncle Natalio, La Paz's Mt. Illimani | 
Uncle Natalio's house, La Paz |
Tiwanaku's Gate of the Sun | 
Tiwanaku's Ponce Monolith | 
On Tiwanaku's Akapana pyramid | 
Robot set to explore Akapana | 
Tiwanaku's Kalasasaya temple |
Dutch teens hitch-hiking to La Paz | 
Lake Titicaca is gorgeous... | 
...but getting there is treacherous | 
The original and still best Copacabana... |
...home to the sanctuary of the Virgin of Copacabana, one of the most "miraculous" sites in Christendom | 
The altar is 24K gold leaf | 
The miraculous carved statue | 
More views of Lake Titicaca... | 
...and the Cordillera Occidental beyond |
Crystal waters of Lake Titicaca, navigated by... | 
...Hi-tech Hydrofoil water transport... | 
...and low-tech land transport... | 
...to hop the border to Peru! | 
In Cochabamba, with Edgar's mom Angela |
Danny's lovin' it! (and taking the express train straight to hell) | 
Short video message from Uncle Natalio to Nevy | 
Short AVI video of Danny having a blast! | 
My cousin Maria Eugenia Baptista | 
El Poderoso FJ45 |
