Bathing Optional

Bolivia: Aug - Sept. 2006

Continents

Continents

Previous Button

Finally in Bolivia! We arrived by the Lake Titicaca town of Copacabana and immediately hiked up its hill to get some fantastic sunset views over this magical lake.
Great sunset colors.
View over Copacabana and its grand, colonial cathedral.
Cobacabana.
Climbing the Cerro Calvario hill (3960 meters) above Copacabana is a religious pilgrimage with crosses and stations along the way and lots of locals making offerings of candles, toys, flowers, and beads.
Maciej by one of the small candle and fire offering spots up high on the hill above Copacabana.
On top of the hill, the rock is covered with confetti and streamers following a long day of celebration and offerings.
Cross.
Sunset.
Following the locals back down the hill to town.
The towers of CopacabanaÂ´s main cathedral at sunrise.
Inside the cathedral and looking out. Viva la Bolivia!
More great stained glass.
That day, we took a boat over to the Isla del Sol to do some hiking and to check out the birthplace of the Incan people.
Boating on Lake Titicaca.
Lake Titicaca views from our boat.
The rocky shores of the Isla del Sol.
Beached boats at the Isla del Sol.
Isla del SolÂ´s shores.
Starting the hike across the Isla del Sol and looking back at the village we had arrived at.
Cacti along the shores of the Isla del Sol.
Ashe on the trail.
Great views from our ridgetop hike along the length of Isla del Sol.
Views from the ridge.
The trail we followed.
Following the trail.
Local islander with her child.
Great beaches and blue-green waters surround the Isla del Sol.
Another beautiful bay.
At the Incan ruins of the labyrinth temple at the far north of the Island.
Ancient portal.
The remains of the temple.
Ashe amongst the Incan ruins, which are situated right by the red rock considered the very birthplace of the Incan Sun God and the very first Incan.
Look down over the ruins and to Lake Titicaca below.
Us at the ruins.
Great views and fresh air along the ridge.
Following the ridge trail towards the south of Isla del Sol.
Nice peninsula.
The snow-capped peaks of northern Bolivia could be seen hovering over the lake waters in the distance.
At the end of our 3 hour hike we were greeted by a donkey and our boat captain.
Clothing out to dry.
Getting some water.
The ancient Incan Staircase at the Isla del SolÂ´s south end.
The Temple of the Sun.
An ancient portal in the Temple of the Sun.
Ashe with Charlie, one of our two new Irish-Scottish friends on the Island.
Another day on Lake Titicaca, another beautiful sunset.
Maciej on the boat trip back to Copacabana from the Isla del Sol.
In Copacabana, the cathedral is known for its blessing of automobiles.
This car has definitely been blessed.
Blessed items for sale outside the cathedral.
Another blessed vehicle and its very excited driver.
Blessing another van.
Restauranteur mixing up our dinner.
On the way to La Paz from Copacabana, we had to make a small water crossing at one point. Our van got to ride in a different boat than us.
Lady on the boat with us.
Almost no lady leaves home without her bowler hat and bundle of goods wrapped in colorful blanket.
Same lady.
Another lady wearing one of those great bowlers -- what a look!
Man on the boat.
Crossing the strait and heading for our mini-van already waiting on the other side.
On the other side, some military dudes selling handicrafts in the form of boats and llamas made of reed.
La Paz, one of the worldÂ´s highest capitals and situated in a deep chasm in the high Altiplano.
Central La Paz beyond a family of entrepreneurs.
More skyscrapers of central La Paz.
Small, red brick homes hug the cliffs on either side of the city center.
Mural along one of many small staircases in the city.
Downtown La Paz. Very busy.
More busy streets in La Paz.
Horse heading for water. In this case, Tampico juice.
AsheÂ´s Godmother TeresaÂ´s old family home in an area of La Paz that is no longer the quiet, residencial neighborhood she remembers.
Maciej feeding the pigeons in the small, city park that Teresa once played in as a young girl.
Early in the morning the saltena vendors open shop and welcome the droves of loyal saltena eaters. We were hoping for veggie saltenas but there were none to be found.
Window of La PazÂ´s Museum of Contemporary Art, an Eiffel design.
Interesting statue outside the Museum.
The streets of La Paz.
La PazÂ´s old cathedral.
Pigeon, bust and the Presidential Palace.
Statue in La PazÂ´s Plaza Murillo.
These militia type dudes were to be found everywhere in La Paz. Always ready for some crowd control or perhaps a coup dÂ´etat.
Inside the cathedral.
The Plaza Murillo.
WeÂ´re not sure how one can look so casual when carring a baton, a machine gun, and wearing body armor.
La PazÂ´s residencial zones rise incredibly up the cliffs that cradle the city.
Dome with rainbow window inside one of the many churches.
Ancient tapestry in the wonderful Ethnographic Museum.
Another old weaving.
Another great, old weaving in the Museum.
One more!
Not your typical bench.
Although not so renowned, La PazÂ´s old town does contain its fair share of beautiful old buildings.
Our favorite, cobbled steets, old buildings.
A small alley ends with a tiny plaza and lamp post.
Cross on a homeÂ´s wall.
Looking up Calle Jaen, the wonderful Spanish alley of colonial mansions turned museum row with 4 fabulous museums lining the short alley.
Looking back down Calle Jaen.
Courtyard inside one of the museums.
View out the window of one of the museums.
Another La Paz scene.
The very clifftop homes in La Paz.
This guy was very entertaining and very happy to get his photo taken!
La PazÂ´s main bus terminal.
More action in downtown La Paz.
Another great scene in La Paz.
Fine old building.
A forgotten building.
Another look down Calle Jaen.
Courtyard inside the Ethnographic Museum.
Mount Illampu, always hovering over eastern La Paz.
Painting by one of BoliviaÂ´s most famous contemporary painters.
CouldnÂ´t help but capture this contrast.
Insided another wonderful art gallery housed in an old, old Spanish wayward inn.
Inside the old inn.
The inn courtyard -- wood and stone.
View out the window from the old inn now museum. Like two different worlds.
One more look at the fantastic old inn.
One of MaciejÂ´s favorite paintings inside.
Ok, last one of the inn-museum.
Bright colors under a shabby facade.
Walking through the main street market in La Paz.
Ancient Dodge buses plow the streets in La Paz.
In the medicinal market, dried llama fetuses are the norm.
Poor llamas.
Gross.
Child in the market.
Llamas are not the only animal sold for medicinal purposes.
Buy your llamas, pottery and sweets here.
Lady with baby in the market.
The Church of San Francisco.
The church dome.
The church dome, again.
Inside the dark church.
Man on the street.
Sunset over the Church of San Francisco.
Lady selling bread on the corner.
Shoeshine boy. They keep themselves covered for the shame of their profession.
Statue.
Somewhere in La Paz.
The main cathedral by night.
The Legislative Palace by night.
The lights of La Paz.
Cochabamba! We made our way to this central Bolivian city to meet the rest of TeresaÂ´s family for their huge 20-year family reunion in a small resort nearby.
Jesus keeps an eye on the city of Cochabamba from his hilltop position.
Beautiful purple blossoms can be seen everywhere in Cochabamba, the City of Eternal Spring.
Blossoms in the grass.
The Palacio Patino, mansion home built in Cochabamba for the former tin magnate.
Fine details at the Palacio.
The Palacio, also called the Palacio Portales.
Statue.
More Palacio details.
The front of the Palacio.
The Palacio entrance, a great tour awaited us inside.
Ashe with her Godmother Teresa.
Great gardens at the Palacio.
A statue of Christ, modeled after that in Rio and just inches taller, stands on a 2900 meter hill above Cochabamba.
Views of Cochabamba from Jesus.
Sunset in Cochabamba.
The clock tower of CochabambaÂ´s main cathedral.
Near Cochambamba is the town of Quillotolla where we visitied for its lively festival.
The festival in Quillotolla involved throwing confetti on this family as they carried a small statue of Mary up and down the streets in the city.
Lots of confetti.
Local ladies wearing their very best for the festival.
Another well-dressed lady with a bowler hat.
You too can have your own Mary statue if you want to recreate the festivities.
Loading the baby.
Mother with baby.
Get your fresh orange juice here!
Orange juice ladies everywhere!
WeÂ´ve seen Che murals everywhere. Still a hero.
We came to Cochabamba for the family reunion of AsheÂ´s Godmother, Teresa. So much family showed up for the huge Suarez family reunion that they needed to rent their own bus to get around.
Campo Campestre, the site of the family reunion festivities.
Our accomodations for the weekend-long reunion.
Ashe on our cabinÂ´s patio.
Some of the family.
Ashe with Teresa and Yvonne.
Us with Kiyo and Allen.
Us with the three brothers Alan, Enrique and Pablo.
Ashe with two of the kids.
Ashe with cousin Vera from Sao Paolo.
TeresaÂ´s two brothers, Miki and Richie, with old, old friend Alberto in the middle.
An old friend, Marlene, with TeresaÂ´s youngest sister Rosie.
Allen, Kiyo and Yvonne.
Us with Rodrigo and Fabiola.
Maciej with Alan and Carlos.
Teresa with the youngest familly member attending the reunion.
Many of the Suarez clan at the formal dinner on Saturday evening with lots of them wearing their official family reunion t-shirt.
The party went long and hard that night!
Another afternoon in Cochabamba. The Â´City of Eternal SpringÂ´ has beautiful blossoms everywhere!
CochabambaÂ´s main cathedral and fountain.
The main cathedralÂ´s clocktower with blossoms.
The fountain and blossoms.
Love those purple blossoms!
The main plaza as seen off of AsheÂ´s sunglasses.
People chilling in the main plaza.
The old Carmelite Convent chapel.
Another one off of AsheÂ´s sunglasses.
Altiplano mountain views during the ride from La Paz to Lake Titicaca.
More great mountaintops.
View of our bus from our motorboat as we were making the Tiquina Strait crossing.
On the San Pedro de Tiquina side of the Strait.
Lake Titicaca views from Tiquina.
View of Copacabana as we approached it along the highway.
When youÂ´ve gotta to go the toilet, youÂ´ve gotta to go the toilet.
Back in La Paz from Peru and looking at the sky.
As if we havenÂ´t put up enough Moorish colonial balcony photos -- hereÂ´s one more in La Paz.
Typical traffic situation in La Paz.
Finger puppets are a big seller in La Paz.
Sucre, southern BoliviaÂ´s colonial gem from back in the mining days.
La Recoleta Monestary on the hill over Sucre.
Part of the Monestary.
Those great purple blossoms again!
It was really 10:13, but close enough.
Statue in one of the MonasteryÂ´s four cloisters.
Walking the cloister hall.
Great flowers.
Cloister fountain.
Golden treasures.
View from the upper cloister.
Mary in the choir.
Great carving.
Walking down from La Recoleta Monestary to central Sucre.
Another view of Sucre from the streets above.
Central Sucre looks great at every turn.
Lots of churches.
Local walking through the park.
Great colonial facades.
Clocktower of the main cathedral in Sucre.
Selling orange juice -- a noble profession.
City Hall in Sucre, once BoliviaÂ´s capital.
Buildings along SucreÂ´s main plaza.
More of Sucre.
Inside one of SucreÂ´s churches.
Intricately carved pulpit.
Sucre as seen from the roof of one of its churches.
Sucre... again.
A closer look at SucreÂ´s main churchÂ´s tower.
More of Sucre.
Clocktower views over Sucre.
Another fine old building in central Sucre.
Ashe on a church roof over Sucre.
Holy light?
Us on the church roof together.
Welcome to Potosi, the worldÂ´s highest city at over 4000 meters above sea level. Those donkeys were being chased away by that vendor a minute later after they had urinated all over her stand and legs.
Local dude in Potosi.
Mother and baby.
Another local guy with plenty of character.
Local lady.
Church in Potosi.
Potosi building.
Bad photo but the only one we could get of this great lady in a witchÂ´s hat.
Baby in the market.
Potosi lane.
Potosi lane.
Four great looking guys in Potosi.
Inside the first courtyard of PotosiÂ´s amazing, historic Spanish mint.
The towers of PotosiÂ´s main cathedral.
Inside the old mintÂ´s walls.
Love those breast feeding paintings. For others that weÂ´ve come across, refer back to our France trip, photos 28 and 29 and also somewhere in our Egypt trip youÂ´ll find a young pharaoh drinking milk as well.
In order to convert the local indigenous peoples, the Spanish had to meld Catholicism with local traditions. Here, Mary is also the PachaMama, Mother Earth.
The old coin presses inside the Mint.
Students in Bolivia wear these great mini lab coats. All future doctors and scientists!
Ashe with our haul of fruits.
We LOVE our streetside fresh orange juice!
Potosi church.
Fountain insmall square in Potosi.
Potosi block.
More future doctors and scientists parading through the streets of Potosi towards the mountain of silver that was once the largest silver mine in the world and the reason for Potosi once being South AmericaÂ´s largest city.
Uyuni, a high altitude desert town and access point for the incredible Salar de Uyuni salt desert.
Uyuni looks like a ghost town most of the time.
Once a very important rail hub in the mining heartlands of South America, old locomotives still line UyuniÂ´s main street.
Fantastic statue made entirely of scrap metal by UyuniÂ´s train station.
The Railroad Cemetery, not far from Uyuni.
Old locomotive and cars at the Railroad Cemetery.
Maciej doing a Â´western movieÂ´ type jump from railcar to railcar.
The Salar de Uyuni, southern BoliviaÂ´s incredible salt desert and the worldÂ´s largest.
Ashe in the Salar de Uyuni.
Us in the Salar de Uyuni.
We werenÂ´t the only jeep full of tourists beginning the drive into the salt desert.
Ashe relaxing against a pile of salt.
Driving through the salt desert, blinding white in every direction.
A stop at the Salt Hotel, a hotel made entirely of salt.
Flags at the Salt Hotel.
Us on salt chairs by a salt table at the Salt Hotel.
Driving through the Salar de Uyuni.
Next stop, the amazing Islad de Pescado, an island home to thousands of huge cacti right in the middle of the huge salt desert.
Views from the Island.
Lots of cacti!
Ashe and the huge cacti.
More cacti.
Cacti with white salt desert all around.
The Bolivian flag waving above the salt desert.
More cacti and desert.
We just couldnÂ´t get enough of the amazing views from the cactus island.
Cactus, up close.
More amazing views.
Ashe leaning on a Coke bottle. Or is she?
Ashe standing on MaciejÂ´s foot. She looks a little small, doesnÂ´t she?
Ashe with Maciej in the palm of her hand (the regular state of affairs).
Us in the salt desert with nothing but white as far as the eye could see.
Our jeep in the Salar de Uyuni.
Surrounding and beyond the salt desert, fabulous pastel colored peaks.
Just out of the salt desert and looking back.
Great high altitude plain (Altiplano) views beyond the salt desert.
Volcanoes all around.
Ashe by one of the active volcanoes.
Volcanic landscape.
Another volcano.
Another great volcano rising from the desolate plains.
Our first flamingo sighting! Lagoons full of these fabulous birds dot the high plains in southern Bolivia.
Flamingos, closer up.
Amazing views.
A real close look at one of the flamingos.
Another flamingo feeding on microscopic lagoon life.
A group of flamingos. Love those yellow beaks!
Ashe with one of our jeep-mates, Veronica from Ecuador.
Another turn of the head, another volcano.
Ashe with both the Ecuadorians, Alex and Veronica.
More flamingos doing their thing. Get used to these photos -- we loved the flamingos!
Taking off with footsteps in the water.
As our friends told us, flamingos raise their heads to the sky to thank God for every mouthful of food.
Walking away.
Another flamingo taking off.
Flamingos.
Another one of these sunglass pictures. YouÂ´ll see more, IÂ´m sure.
All of us (back: Veronica, Cory and Alex; front: DJ, Ashe and Maciej) in our jeep.
More great scenery outside our windows.
Another lagoon, more flamingos.
Flamingos and volcanos -- canÂ´t ask for more!
Us in the wilderness.
Flamingo.
Flamingos.
Lagoon under a volcano.
Flamingos in chilly waters.
Ashe saying Â´noÂ´ to the 50 cent fee at the Â´Flamingo BathroomÂ´ by one of the lagoons. Why pay with all this nature all around?
Getting ready to take off.
Flamingos in flight.
Flamingos doing what they do best: chillin.
Desert fox.
Our jeep in the middle of nowhere.
Another great volcano.
In the jeep with Alex making the photo more interesting.
No roads, just tire tracks telling us which way to go.
Two days into our trip and the scenery was still great!
Artsy?
The moon.
The Rock Tree.
The amazing Laguna Colorado -- strikingly red in color!
Laguna Colorado -- a red river flows into the amazing red lake.
Our shadows by the Laguna.
Surreal.
Flamingos come out to the red waters too!
Ashe looking out over a stunning scene.
Us by Laguna Colorado.
Flamingo.
Flamingo running away from me. They are more timid than we expected.
One more look at fantastic Laguna Colorado.
Couple more flamingos.
Us with our jeep-mates.
Sunrise in the Altiplano. Day 3 of our jeep tour of southwestern Bolivia begins.
An early morning visit to bubbling mud pots, geysers and more.
Steaming vents with our jeep beyond.
Ashe dancing amidst sulphur smelling steam vents.
Steaming vents.
More steam! The photo doesnÂ´t capture the hissing and power of the release.
Geysers and steam vents.
Ashe danced and so did Maciej amidst all the steam.
On the road again.
Amazing.
Us in the hotsprings! Loving it on a morning when temperatures dipped below -20. Yes, we are wearing bathing suits...
Steamy hotsprings. Great!
The Dali Desert. Aptly named.
Incredible colors.
Incredible Laguna Verde. Does it look green?
A closer look at Laguna Verde with its volcano.
The high plain, desert border between Bolivia and Chile.
Altiplano scenery.
Us with our jeep-mates near the Chilean border -- a final goodbye as they head into Chile and we stay in Bolivia. So rushed that Maciej didnÂ´t even have time to get his pants on!
On our way back to Uyuni, we passed Laguna Colorado and its flamingos once again. No complaints from us.
Laguna Colorado. Incredible!
The tiny church in the equally tiny village of Villa Mar deep in the desert.
Locals in Villa Mar.
The Pueblo de Piedra, a collection of red-stone monoliths near Villa Mar.
Lots of Â´ventanasÂ´ amongst the rock formations in the rock village.
Desert views.
Another ventana at the rock village.
Us within one of the rock windows.
Can you spot Ashe?
Ashe is looking great!
Ashe, rock surfing.
WhereÂ´s Maciej?
One last lagoon on our way back to Uyuni.
Lagoon = flamingos out here.
Out by the lagoon.
Strange mossy, green rocks.
Our road.
The Rio Alota.
The Alota Canyon.
Maciej with our driver, Irenio, at the Alota Canyon overlook.
The moon above the Alota Canyon.
Us at the Alota Canyon overlook.
Armadillo inside our hostel at Villa Alota.
Sunset llamas.
More sunset llamas.
Brilliant sunset!
Great colors.
One last sunset llama!
SunRISE, the next morning.
View over Villa Alota at sunrise.
The great little church in Villa Alota.
Fountain.
Every home in Villa Alota has a small cross on its straw roof.
Another home, another cross.
All doors and windows in Villa Alota are painted bright and inviting.
Beyond smooth, colorful walls lie the more modest interiors of each familyÂ´s home.
The 1607 mission church in San Cristobal.
Following lunch, Maciej had the energy boost he needed to play soccer by himself, with no ball, in the ghost town we found ourselves in.
He didnÂ´t stop at soccer. Finding a ball in the dirt, the hit the basketball court. Michael Jordan look out!
Back in Uyuni. Looks attractive, doesnÂ´t it? DonÂ´t let this photo fool you -- these are the only 2 good looking buildings in town.
Back in Uyuni and reflecting on our fantastic journey through southwestern Bolivia. Follow our route if you can.

View all picture thumbnails...

Move your mouse over a pin on the map and you will see some information here!