Report Round the World (11)
La Paz - 24.02.2008
The airport of La Paz, El Alto, has an altitude of 13325 ft. A landing would be possible with clear skies, but a take-off with a rate of climb from 50 - 100 ft/min. is impossible. So we took the bus to La Paz, 3600 m, a journey from 7 hours. A scenically diversified tour, but partly through clouds. The town itselb burts at the seams. Till the last highest mountain sides you'll find houses. All is overcrowded, people push each other. With the traffic it is the same, the streets are blocked. To gaze at the Bolivians is fascinating, the first time an advertising folder tells the truth.
Copacabana / Lake Titicaca 3827 m - 25.02.08
Until the early afternoon we visited Tiwanaku wit the ruins of Muszum. This is an ancient Inka-pyramid close to La Paz. This place did't find our acceptance as there was nearly nothing to see. Afterwards we took the bus (3 hours) to the Lake Titicaca.
The next mornin we made a cruise on the Lake Titicaca to the island of the sun, which shoud be called island of the rain as it was pouring with rain. Nevertheless a guide forced us to climb to the peak of this isand where we could see interesting things. Out of puff 300 m steep uphill at this altitude we saw only an ancient altar and the guide gabbed 1 hours so that we escaped for a while. In the afternoon we returned to Copacaba. This is a colourful village only dedicated to the tourism. Even at summer time it is bitterly cold. The hotels don't have heating and warm water for a shower you get only occasionally. So shivering was the order of the day.
On 27.02.08 we came back to La Paz and it was raining again. Also the buses are without heating.
Feb. 28, 08 we returned to Cochabamba by bus, a tour from 6 hours downhill. Altogether it was raining quite a lot. In between when the clouds cleared up and the sun came out we saw snowcapped 6000 m high mountains, brilliant!
66. El Trompillo, SLET - 29.02.08 - 215 NM - 1:45
Like a condor we escalated over the valley of Cochabamba to cross the high mountains. Through the clouds we had loopholes to enjoy the most impressive panorama. El Trompilo was an airfield only for a technical landing for refuelling. Our "bird" found multiplex admiration.
67. P. Maldonado, SPTU - 29.02.08 - 510 NM - 4:45
Puerto Maldonado - Over never ending marsh and an overflooded Trinidad we flew into the night. A never experienced airport staff welcomed us in Peru; so friendly and without any bureaucracy starting from the controller, the marshaller on a motorcycle, immigration, customs until a lot of other people and all of them worked overtime due to our late arrival. They even drove us to the hotel. Also here only friendly persons who organized immediately our flight to Cuzco for the next day.
Cuzco, 01.03.08, 3400 metres, population of 2 million
We flew with Aero Condor in only 35 minutes to Cuzco. At the airport we arranged our tour to Machu Picchu for the next day as well as a hotel. The drive with the panorama train (very slow and without heating) took us 4 hours, then we changed to a bus and finally after 30 more minutes we arrived in Machu Picchu where it was pouring of rain and all was completely covered by clouds. At the train we froze bitterly and drenched with rain we experienced the "old rocks" of the Inkas as a new world wonder, when the clouds allowed it.
Cuzco is a town to fell in love; the main square with the cathedrale, the arcades with balconies with beautiful carvings, lanes leading in all directions, beautiful small shops, simply grand. Like in Bolivia within the town center all is clean, no dirt at al.
The outside of the cathedral is very simple, but inside you'll find all the gold and silver which was stolen by Spain from the Inkas. Don't forget every ounce of gold is covered with Inka blood. The richness even beats Oro Preto in Brazil and is simply compelling and you feel dazzled.
At the last day we visited the Indian market in Pinac. Comment: If we would have the money like the (Roman) church we would come in with an own Jumbo jet and would buy and buy and buy........
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