Day 90 - Home

Tuesday, 11 November 2014

I arrived in Kuala Lumpur International Airport at approximately 2 pm. After going through customs, immigration, duty free and collecting my bags, I took a cab back home. This is my country but I feel more alone here than I ever did in South America. 

And so ends my journey of 3 months and 7 countries. 

Day 89 - In the air

Monday, 10 November 2014

I arrived at the Rio de Janeiro International Airport super early and had to hang around for my flight at 3 am. But I had no problems with the check-in, luggages and everything and at about 2.10 am I was already boarding the plane. Although it was 3 in the morning I didn't feel sleepy and slept very little throughout the almost 14 hour flight. I watched a lot of movies and read the poems of Pablo Neruda of Chile.

When I think about my trip to South America, I can't help feeling a distinct sense of loss, failure and incompleteness. It is as if I am not done with this trip, as if there was supposed to be something more, something magical that would turn this sad lonely ugly duckling into a happy and beautiful swan but no such luck. After travelling half way around the world for 3 months, I come home the same sad lonely ugly duckling. I have no idea why I feel this way. It is difficult to explain. It is as if I don't belong anywhere. I am an ugly duckling in a world of swans.

Anyway, of the 7 countries I visited, here is my list of most and least:

Most friendly / helpful people - Ecuador

Least friendly / helpful people - Chile

Most happy people - Brazil (Rio de Janeiro)

Most beautiful country - Peru

Best food - Brazil

Best beer - Bohemia, Brazil

Best cocktail - Pisco sour, Peru

Best place I have ever visited ever in my life - Rapa Nui!

Day 88 - Rio de Janeiro

Sunday, 9 November 2014

I woke up feeling better, although the phlegm was still present and copulating for all I know! I booked this hostel solely for convenience purposes, to break my travel trip so that I have a comfortable bed to sleep in for the night. So I booked a really cheap hostel with wifi but breakfast not included. I woke up hungry because I had no dinner last night, and to my pleasant surprise my very pleasant and jovial hostess offered coffee and bread this morning for breakfast! I could've kissed her. I didn't. I felt better after eating.

Then I just communicated with my friends and family, and updated all my blogs. I wanted to take it easy today in light of the long flight home later. At about 1 pm my hostess and another tenant, this girl from Venezuela, asked me if I wanted to come with them to have something to eat. Since I was not familiar with this place at all, I said ok and we set off; they went to the pharmacy and I went to the bank to withdraw some money for the hostel, taxi and food. Then we had lunch, feijao (rice and beans), cabbage and pork chop, and caipirinha. 

Then back to the hostel for more writing, and in the evening the girl from Venezuela asked to go for dinner so I went with her and had a sandwich. Then back to the hostel again. My hostess is really a very nice woman, she heard me coughing my phlegmy cough and fed me (yes, fed me!) some Brazilian medicine which she said is good. God bless her and her fat white rabbit. 

Then proper packing for the last time before I set off for the airport at 11.30 pm, for my flight at 3 am. I am going home! I think none the wiser, but I am going home!

My life - Part 47

After Incident No. 2, I took extra effort to disobey all the rules set by the Indian seniors, and refused to attend any more meetings. For the most part, the seniors let it pass because I think they knew I was pissed off with them, and for good reason. But there was one senior who was particularly arrogant, and when enough time passed, he decided to taunt me in public, asking me whether I thought I was too good for them because I was in the prestigious law faculty and because I could only speak English, etc.

Wrong move. I loudly told him that I didn't think I was too good for them, I KNOW I was too good for them, and they can keep their racist behaviors to themselves. The senior then started to threaten me with the silly boycott nonsense, whereupon I told him there was no need for them to boycott me, because from now on I would boycott all the Indians in my college. And that was that. I was never harassed by any Indian seniors again, and I lived my life on campus without any restrictions, and most importantly, multi-racially.

My life - Part 46

My life - Part 46

So I was stuck with the Indians in my particular college on campus. Every night we were expected to meet the seniors who would make us sing and dance and do all sorts of nonsense stuff, it's part of the ragging culture in universities in Malaysia. It was an uncomfortable time for me because I didn't speak Tamil well, and yet I was Indian, so I was there but I was not really there.

The thing that was drilled in us over and over again was that in university, the Indians had to look out for their fellow Indians, because in times of need, only a fellow Indian will help out another Indian. We had to follow all the rules set by the seniors, and do everything they tell us to do, and in return they would take care of us. If we disobeyed, they would boycott us and we would be ostracized, and when we needed help there would be no one. Being the doe-eyed-small-town girl I was back then, I naively believed this shit.

Two incidents happened to change everything.

Incident No. 1

I had to submit a form at my faculty and it was the last day, with very little time left. The law faculty was very far from my college and if I walked I would not make it in time. So I asked an Indian senior for a lift on his motorbike to the law faculty and explained my situation. He apologized and said he was busy and couldn't help me. Desperate, I then asked a Chinese senior for a lift on his motorbike and he not only took me to the law faculty but waited until I finished submitting the form and brought me back to my college.

I began to have doubts about 'only Indians will help fellow Indians'. But I let it pass.

Incident No. 2

We had to attend a cultural performance in the main hall in university. It was the first week in university so I still had no idea where all the buildings were situated. The seniors brought us juniors to the hall, and we were to go back to college together. After the performance, I asked a fellow junior to wait for me while I went to the loo. When I returned, they were gone. Nevermind that the stupid junior did not tell the seniors to wait for me, the seniors should have asked if there was anyone missing etc. So then I had to find my way back to my college, at night, alone.

This time I had no doubts. I refused to take part in any further racist activities. They could take whatever action they liked. Give me your best shot.

My life - Part 45

Apart from meeting Best Friend No. 1, the first year in university was not a good year at all for me. It was the first time I was away from my parents, and although I couldn't wait to get away from them for various reasons, I must admit I was ill prepared to face the city. A small town girl in the big city. It was not at all what I expected.

In the first year everyone was given a place to stay on campus, if they wanted to. From then on, if they wanted a place to stay on campus (this is cheaper than renting a place outside and coming to university) you had to be active in various campus activities. We were assigned by race, 3 to a room, in a room for 2 people. So I had to share my room with 2 other Indian girls. There were only 2 beds so we would have to take turns sleeping on the floor. Except. One of my roommate was a mature student who was pregnant, so she said she needed to sleep on the bed at all times. 

Nevermind all of that. The thing that got to me the most was how racism was so rampant on campus. In my hometown, sure, some of the teachers were racist but the students never really were and although we teased each other and called each other names, we still always played together and celebrated festivals together and had fun together. 

In university we were segregated by race.

My life - Part 44

I wanted to discover myself as much as I wanted to explore the world. And with all that I have experienced and seen in these 3 months, comes the realization that I am meant to live this life alone. It is not what I want, it is not how I perceived my life to be, it is not how I want to live, but it is just the way it is. The more I fight against it, the more unhappy I am. So I will have to learn to accept it somehow. Maybe then I will be happy. Or at peace. And if I cannot learn to accept it, the outcome for me is inevitable.

Day 87 - In the air

Saturday, 8 November 2014

I woke up at approximately 3 am this morning to catch my flight from Cusco to Lima at 5.50 am. Not that I slept well, I was coughing throughout the night and had very little sleep. This, despite the cough mixture I bought earlier. I just knew it wouldn't work, I don't know why I bother! As a result, I also had a head ache on top of the coughing fits. 

I took a cab to the airport. At the airport, I had another bad experience. After checking in, the lady at the checking in counter informed me that a police officer would like to check my luggage and that I had to follow him. I followed him to a room where there was another lady officer, and they gave me a form which said that the police had the right to conduct random checks, and that my full cooperation is appreciated etc. I did not mind them checking my bag, I had nothing to hide. I wanted to know why they chose me for the 'random' check. And how often they performed this 'random' check. Because apart from me, I didn't see them checking anyone else's luggages. And apart from me, everyone else was either Peruvian or European looking.

Of course, people will tell me it's all in my head, it could have been anyone, let it go etc. but I know racism when it happens, and this was racism, whether the officers themselves knew it or not. Because I am not blond haired and blue eyed, because I am dark skinned, I was chosen. Like I said, I didn't mind them checking my luggage but because they refused to answer my questions as to why I was chosen and why no one else's luggage was being checked, I became pissed off and decided to become difficult. Once they cleared my bag, I started re-packing everything, and they were asking me other questions like the purpose of my travels, am I travelling alone etc and I refused to answer. And the lady officer, sounding irritated, asked me to answer her whereupon I took the form that she gave me earlier, pretended to read it again, and told her that the form only made reference to my bags being checked, and did not say anything about me answering questions. With a smile, I also told her that I would, however, be more than happy to answer her questions if she answered mine, and she just kept quiet thereafter.

On the form where I had to sign, I wrote a nasty comment. I left the room feeling really pissed off, I really didn't need this when I had a head ache and coughing fit to boot. And after having travelled to 7 countries, my conclusion was that Peru is the most beautiful country, with the 2nd most friendliest people. And yesterday that and now this! It's a pity really, because I had such a lovely time in Peru, it would have been nice to leave on a high note. But of course. We don't always get what we want. I bet they are not racist in Brazil!

My first flight was short, it landed at about 7.15 in Lima. Then through baggage control again, and immigration, and I was on the plane to São Paulo, Brazil, at 8.50 am. I arrived in São Paulo at about 5.15 pm. Here I had to collect my bags (I waited approximately 40 minutes for my bags to arrive) and go through customs (I didn't get stopped at all - I told you they are not racist in Brazil!) and re-check in my bag for my flight to Rio. Then my last and final flight to Rio at 7.30 pm, I arrived in Rio at about 8.30 pm and took a cab to my hostel. Throughout my second flight I was coughing almost non-stop. Then the coughing stopped and I felt a cold coming on. I have no idea what is going on, I am stronger than this, get a grip Sheila!

The owner of the hostel is a bubbly lady named Iara. She is lovely and the hostel is lovely. I took a shower, 2 piritons, cough mixture, and went to bed.

Day 86 - Cusco

Friday, 7 November 2014

I woke up in the morning feeling much better than I did yesterday, and after laying around for a bit I strolled to the market to have some more of the medicinal flower juice, and thereafter lunch, a variation of spaghetti (called tallarin here, it is flatter and thinner than spaghetti) in a delicious sauce and grilled chicken. As usual the portion was too big so I left all the French fries behind.

And then I was too full, so I walked around Cusco town for probably the last time. I don't know when, if ever, I would have the chance to see this city again which I have grown really fond of. Whilst the fever and sore throat had cleared, the phlegm was still in my chest, and sometimes when I breathe I can hear a whooping sound; once when this happened some years ago the doctor said I had bronchitis, but now, in addition to the phlegm, I also developed a terrible cough caused, no doubt, by the phlegm.

Because I could not stand my coughing fit, I bought some cough medicine although I was convinced it wouldn't work. It usually doesn't work in Malaysia, I don't see why it should work in Peru. But I bought it anyway. Then, in the evening, I had an unpleasant experience. I went to a local pub which I had gone to many times before (because I gather it was safe as it was always full of tourists and close by to my hostel) to have some grub and I noticed that they had brandy for 14 soles. Brandy is my grandfather's cure for flu, fever, cough and cold. So I ordered a glass and downed it, and after eating I downed another just to make sure all the bad germs are thoroughly killed.

Then when the bill came, I saw that they charged me 25 soles for a glass of cognac. So I explained to the waiter, who was white (and therefore probably thought he was better than the rest) that I ordered brandy, and now I am being charged for cognac. He then said that what I in fact consumed was cognac, so I had to pay for that. I politely told him that I ordered brandy, and if he brought the wrong drinks that was his problem, I am paying for brandy. Whereupon he proceeded to tell me that I should have known the difference; if I ordered tequila and beer arrived I should reject the beer. I told him this was hardly the same thing - brandy and cognac to me are similar, plus, I had never tried this particular brand of brandy before (called Napoleon) so I really wouldn't know the difference.

He then said if I was being difficult then he had to call the owner. As if that would scare me off! Call the bloody owner! The owner, God bless his soul, was more understanding than all of his underlings. He saw that it was his staff's fault and charged me only 14 soles i.e. what I ordered. I thanked him for his hospitality, and before leaving I just couldn't resist telling white boy that if he learnt to be more courteous, maybe he would be more successful than he is now working as a waiter in some bar in Cusco. I know, this was mean but I was pissed off. In Malaysia, I think most restaurants would not only have apologised, but thrown in a free drink for good measure. 

My last day in Peru and I just had to fight!

Day 85 - Cusco

Thursday, 6 November 2014

My wish did not come true.  I arrived in Cusco at about 4 am, with a sore throat and the ubiquitous phlegm, I know not what colour this time. I took a cab to my hostel and went straight to bed. I slept most of the day because I really didn't feel well, I think on top of the sore throat and phlegm I also developed a fever.

In the evening I made my way to the local market to look for some food. Here I found shops selling all kinds of herbs, and after explaining to them (with a lot of action rather than words) that I had sore throat and phlegm, they sold me some kind of flower which they said is good for the throat. I had to then bring this flower to another area of the market where drinks were sold, and I asked one of the old women there to prepare the flower for me; which I believe involved boiling the flower and drinking its juices. It didn't taste so bad, and if anything, it was good for the fever because it made me sweat and then the fever was gone. I felt a whole lot better after that so I had dinner at a local restaurant; grilled chicken and fried rice (called chaufa here) of all things! 

Then I took a slow walk back to the hostel for more sleep.

Day 84 - Puno

Wednesday, 5 November 2014

I first went to the bus station to buy a bus ticket to Cusco, at 10 pm. Then I checked out of my hostel in Puno, left my bags there and went to the lake where the festival begins, and waited for the arrival of of the first Incas, Manco Kapac and Mama Ocllo, to arrive by traditional boat made of tortora reeds from Lake Titicaca to shore. The area surrounding the lake was abuzz with activity, with the locals selling all kinds of stuff, including all kinds of local food; it reminded me of a very crowded Sunday market. 

At about 11 am the boat carrying Manco Kapac and Mama Ocllo arrived from Lake Titicaca, together with a procession of what looked like yatiris or shamans, bodyguards and other followers. They got off the boats and walked along the streets, to the ultimate destination which was the stadium. I found a good place to stand in front of some local women selling some fried fish, and took some really great photos and videos of Manco Kapac and Mama Ocllo.

Then I went off to have lunch at the local market, and I tried the typical local dish here in Puno, called 'thimpo de trucha y karachi', which is trout and another small fish called karachi, steamed in some kind of sauce. Karachi is a small but flavourful fish, but full of bones! The fish dish was delicious, but what made it even tastier was a chilli dish called 'rocoto', which is supposed to be spicier than 'ahi'. While it was spicier than ahi, it was still not our cili padi. What can I say. For me, the spicier the better. And 3 months without spice is a big sacrifice for me!

Then back to the stadium to watch the festival. I paid 2 soles to enter the stadium. I found out later that the price for tourists to enter the stadium was 20 soles! I think because I didn't say anything except 'un' which means I wanted 1 ticket, the lady at the ticket counter assumed I was local and gave me the local price. Whatever the reason, I was in.

The yatiri or shaman was giving a speech when I entered the stadium. Apparently his job is to interpret the way the fire burned or the ashes scattered or something like that and predict the future based on that interpretation. Then Manco Kapac gave a short speech to the people in Quechua, and Mama Ocllo gave a speech to the people in Aymara.

And then there was a traditional song and dance competition by 9 groups, and the winner would get to perform in the festival known as Fiesta de la Candelaria, in honour of the Virgin Candelaria, the patron saint of Puno. This is a festival apparently recognised by UNESCO for its cultural significance. I watched all the performances, all were pretty much the same kind of music and dance with perhaps 1 or 2 stand outs. It was a really hot day today, and I sat at a part of the stadium where there was no roof, and even for someone who should be used to the sun, I was feeling a little 'burned out' when the competition was over.

Then back to town, near the main square where school students performed dances on the streets all day and into the night. I watched as many performances as I could, but at about 7 pm I started feeling a bit off, I think it's the contrast in the weather; it was blazing hot earlier in the day and suddenly after the sun set it became freezing cold. So I went into a cozy restaurant to have something to eat and to just relax for a while, and at about 9 pm I went to collect my bag from the hostel, and made my way to the bus station. 

On the bus I took a piriton and went straight to sleep hoping I would not fall sick.

Day 83 - On the road / Puno

Tuesday, 4 November 2014

I arrived in La Paz at about 7 am. I then looked for a bus ticket to Puno at 8.30 am. I wanted to go to Puno instead of Cusco directly because firstly, I still had some time, and secondly, a fellow traveller informed me that there is a festival in Puno tomorrow, celebrating the arrival of the first Incas, Manco Kapac and Mama Ocllo, from the Sun and the Moon Islands on Lake Titicaca to shore, to look for the foundation of the Inca empire which would be Cusco.

At about 11 am the bus stopped at the border for the usual customs and immigration checks, and I arrived in Puno at about 2.00 pm. I went to my hostel, brushed my teeth and took a nice long shower (this felt really good after 2 days of not brushing teeth and not showering) and walked around the town of Puno for a bit. 

Then dinner at a small diner like place, and back to my hostel for a good nights's sleep. After 2 nights of sleeping on buses and with so much travelling on buses, I fell asleep straight away. Nothing like a bed to fall asleep on.    

Day 82 - Salar de Uyuni

Monday, 3 November 2014

I arrived in Uyuni at about 6.45 am. I was told that a girl named Lydia would meet me at the bus station but there was no one there. I was also told that if no one came, I was to go to a nearby restaurant. After asking for directions, I made my way to the restaurant, where I washed up a bit, and I asked the lady what time the tour would start. She told me the tour would only start at 10.30 am. It was then only about 7.15 am. Great. So I ordered breakfast and sat down in the restaurant for a bit, and then Lydia came. Lydia is really a nice girl, she outlined the tour to me, and told me that I could leave my stuff in the restaurant, use the bathroom and wifi for as long as I wanted. I asked her if there was anything to do while waiting for the tour and she suggested a museum and the local market.

So after breakfast I walked around the small town of Uyuni, it is really a very small town with one main church and a walkway which I gather was the main walkway. I found the local market but I had already been in and out of local markets that this market did not really interest me that much. Around the town there were interesting monuments which I took pictures of, and the words "Dakar - Bolivia" everywhere, I found out later that the Dakar Rally went through Bolivia this year. I also found a small museum of anthropology in town but it was closed right up till 10 am. 

Having done my tour of the town of Uyuni, I made my way back to the restaurant to wait for the tour. The tour was to be in a 4x4, with 9 of us, including the driver. Here I got really angry; the tour agency that I booked this tour with told me that there would be a guide who spoke 'basic' English. What I got was a driver who spoke no English. Ok, nevermind the not speaking English,  there was no explanation or information whatsoever about the places we visited! I was properly pissed off with the tour agency, but I knew it wasn't the 'guide' or Lydia's fault, and besides, I was already on this tour and there was nothing I could do about it now, so there was no use being angry. In this way, I managed to calm myself down.

The first stop on the tour was the Train Cemetery which is more than 70 years old. In the past, Uyuni was an important distribution hub for the trains carrying minerals such as copper to Pacific Ocean ports. The rail lines were built by British engineers arriving near the end of the 19th century. In the 1940s, the mining industry collapsed, partly because of mineral depletion. Many trains were abandoned, producing the train cemetery. Lydia informed me that the Bolivian President at that time, a man named Gorni (who had a dual American-Bolivian citizenship) was more of a businessman than anything else, and he did not order the abandoned trains to be discarded because it would be a waste of money. So it was just left there till today.

Next was a small town called Colchani. The people in this small town sell handicrafts and work the salt flats for a living. Here we were given time to buy souvenirs, but I didn't buy any.

Next, the Salar, the biggest salt flat in the world! Some 30,000 to 42,000 years ago, the entire Salar was part of a giant prehistoric lake, Lake Minchin. When it dried, it left behind two modern lakes and two major salt deserts, Salar de Coipasa and the larger Salar de Uyuni. Salar de Uyuni spreads over 10,582 square kilometers. The salt flat is a renewable source of sodium, lithium and magnesium chloride, and according to Lydia, the government plans to set up a company soon dedicated to extracting lithium chloride for exportation. I wonder why this was not done sooner; perhaps Bolivia would be better off now. 

The 'guide' showed us where the salt was brewing from underground. We had lunch at the Salar which was nice. We took many funny photographs here, and the Salar is really beautiful. Miles and miles of white salt.

Next, we went to the Island of Incahuasi. When the salt flat was a lake, this was an island in the lake, and now we could drive up to this island and trek to the top, which I did. When the lake dried up, it made interesting indentations on the rocks at the base of the island, it looked to me like bubbles on the rock, quite pretty! The island is inhabited by many cactuses, some as high as 15 metres. At the top of the island is something that looks like a stone table with stones piled on top of it. According to a guide (I was eavesdropping again), the local people believed that if you made a wish and placed a rock on top of the pile of stones and the rock stayed where it was, your wish would come true; but if the rock falls off, your wish would not come true.

The scenery from the top of the island was beautiful. In the distance was the most famous peak in Uyuni, known as Tunupa. There is a legend about this peak (I love legends! - and today I had developed excellent eavesdropping skills out of necessity) - the Aymara legend tells that the mountains Tunupa, Kusku and Kusina, which surround the Salar, were giant people. Tunupa married Kusku, but Kusku ran away from her with Kusina. Grieving Tunupa started to cry while breast-feeding her son. Her tears mixed with breast milk formed the Salar. Many locals consider the Tunupa an important deity and say that the place should be called Salar de Tunupa rather than Salar de Uyuni.

It was good to go trekking after lunch, which happened to be delicious (at least something turned out nice today on the tour). After the Island of Incahuasi we went to see a salt hotel, this was a hotel made entirely of salt. Then more pictures at a monument made of salt with the Dakar Rally symbol, and then we were done with the tour at about 6 pm.

I returned to the restaurant where I accosted Lydia and asked her for all the information about the places I saw today. I also had a beer while waiting for the bus, and then at about 7.30 pm I went to the bus station to take the 8 pm bus back to La Paz.

Day 81 - Tiwanaku (continued)

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Perhaps the most important structure in the ruins is the Gateway of the Sun, with the God Wirakocha's face in the middle of the gate. In 1445, Pachacuti Inca Yupanqui (the 9th Inca)  began conquest of the Titicaca regions. He incorporated and developed what was left from the Tiwanaku patterns of culture. So, the last traces of the Tiwanaku civilization were integrated or abandoned.

There was already a storm threatening to brew, I could hear thunder all morning. And then it hit us. Except that it was not a rainstorm, it was a hailstorm! It was so cold, and the hail was hitting against my face with such force, it was not funny at all. So we had to stop the tour at the archaeological site and have an early lunch.

After lunch we went to another ruin, Pumapunku which means Door of the Puma, where there is a Temple of the Moon. Here we saw the same type of advanced architecture as seen at the Temple of the Sun, the fusion of rocks using metal, either in solid or liquid form. The heaviest stone found in Pumapunku weighs about 132 tonnes, and it is another mystery as to how the ancient people moved this stone from the quarry about 10 km away. 

We also saw 'H' shaped blocks, according to the guide the Tiwanaku people also built the temple with these blocks, one on top of the other, like Lego. The Rock is very precisely cut, and very smooth to the touch (I felt it) and another mystery is how the ancient people cut the rocks so precisely solely with ancient techniques. According to the guide, a man from the Discovery Channel made a documentary about this and came up with the theory that the ancient people used laser. Laser! In the year 400! I don't think so. But I don't have an alternative explanation either. 

The guide also told us something that was very interesting to me. The ancient people believed in dimensions; that is why there are many gateways and doorways, they believed when you enter these gateways and doorways you are entering into a different dimension (mentally and spiritually, of course). So the ancient people believed that 3 sacred animals held the secrets to 3 different aspects - the condor who had the secrets of the sky, the snake who had the secrets of the earth, and the puma who had the secrets of the 4 dimensions. And the 4th dimension is capable of being reached by every human being here on earth if one uses all 5 senses simultaneously.

This is very interesting to me because in Hinduism and Buddhism we believe that meditation can lead you to a higher state of being, almost like being in a different dimension, but you are still in this plain. I wonder if they are all talking about one and the same thing here, but in different parables.

The tour ended at approximately 4 pm, and I reached my hostel at about 4.30 pm. Here I had a quick shower and packed my essential stuff for the one day trip to Salar de Uyuni tomorrow. To go to the Salar, I have to take a bus which is a 12 hour journey one way to Uyuni. At about 6.30 pm I arrived at the bus station to take the 7 pm bus to Uyuni.

Day 81 - Tiwanaku

Sunday, 2 November 2014

Today I had a tour to Tiwanaku (also spelled as Tihuanaco), an ancient site which is now in ruins. The Tiwanaku culture developed as a result of 2 primitive cultures, the Chiripas who worshipped the llamas, and the Wankiri who worshipped the puma. There are some doubts as to when the Tiwanaku culture first developed, but the popular theory is that they came about some time around 300 BC, and the height of their population was from 400 to 1100. And then they died out, and there are many theories as to why this happened, but the most popular theory is that there was a severe drought and this agricultural based society just could not survive.

The Tiwanaku civilisation is one of the oldest civilisations in South America, and one of the most advanced of its times in terms of architecture and construction. Unfortunately there is no written records about the activities of the Tiwanaku people, making it still a mystery for archaeologists to figure out how these people built this city with limited technology at that time. Even the name Tiwanaku or Tihuanaco is not the original name of this civilisation, this name was given by the Incas when they discovered this site. According to a story, a soldier who discovered this site ran to tell the Inca King of his discovery, and because he was panting from running, the King told him, "Tiwana Wanaku" which in Quechua means "Sit down, rabbit (or guanaco)" and the civilisation was thereafter named Tiwanaku. 

The first site we went to was the ruins of the Temple of the Sun. There are 2 museums here; one for ceramics used by the Tiwanaku people, and another for the monoliths found on the site. The ceramics museum displayed all sorts of ceramics throughout the Tiwanaku civilisation, so we could see the progress from less detailed pots and pans to more intricate designs as the society advanced. According to the guide, the plain ones are for domestic use, and the more decorated ones are for ceremonial rites.

We also saw that the Tiwanaku people had an advanced agricultural system, by controlling water and wind. They controlled water by artificially raising planting mounds which are then separated by shallow canals filled with water. The canals supply moisture for growing crops, but they also absorb heat from solar radiation during the day. This heat is gradually emitted during the bitterly cold windy nights and provide thermal insulation against the endemic frost in the region. By controlling water and wind, the Tiwanaku people managed to thrive due to vast agricultural crops.

Next, was the museum for the monoliths. The Tiwanaku people built many monoliths, some in the form of pumas or jaguars, and some in the form of Pacha Mama, Kocha Mama, and various other important figures. The biggest that was found is that of Pacha Mama, standing at 7 metres tall, 3 metres for the stand underground and 4 metres for the statue above ground. There are inscriptions on the monoliths, but nobody has yet been able to decipher these symbols, although archaeologists believe they are astronomical charts of some sort.

Then we walked to the archaeological site where the Temple of the Sun once stood. The temple and the surrounding site used to be a city, with about 20,000 inhabitants, according to archaeologists. The Temple was in the shape of a pyramid which would have stood about 50 metres high, with an Andean cross in the middle. The architecture of the city and the temple was very advanced for the time, with blocks of rock fused together with metal, such as copper and nickel, ( I-shaped) either in solid form and hammered into place, or in liquid form poured into sockets. One mystery is how the Tiwanaku people produced heat hot enough to melt metal in those days. 

Then we came to a site which the guide explained was a burial site, known as Akapana. This may have been an ancestor burial site, or a place where humans were sacrificed, or both. Skeletons were found buried in this site, and are now in the La Paz museum. 

Day 80 - La Paz

Saturday, 1 November 2014

Today I explored the city of La Paz. Bolivia is a country with about 11 million people, and there are about 1 million people living in La Paz. It is a hilly city with an altitude of about 3,800 metres above sea level. Luckily my hostel is quite close to the town centre, but I still couldn't avoid walking up steep hilly paths. 

First, I went to a tour agency to sort out my tours for the next days. The must see for me are Tiwanaku (sometimes spelled Tihuanaco) and Salar de Uyuni. The usual itinerary for Salar is 3 days 2 nights, but the second day is just visiting the Red Lagoon and the third day is really travelling back to the town of Uyuni so I decided to do just one day at the Salar. My tours sorted, I was free to walk around La Paz.

First I went to the Witches' Market. It is called as such because they sell an assortment of potions, traditional cures, and stuff for rituals, ceremonies and offerings. For example, I saw them selling llama foetuses and dead baby llamas; these are supposed to be offerings to Pacha Mama for better agriculture, etc. This was where a lot of souvenirs were also sold, so I bought a few cute llama key chains and magnets as souvenirs. Apart from that, I don't know what other souvenirs to buy because the souvenirs here look very similar to the ones in Peru; apparently Bolivia and Peru share similar cultures, tradition and beliefs. The people also look the same but I think the people in Peru are friendlier.

After this I walked to the San Francisco Church, this is a big and old church which was founded in 1548 and rebuilt in 1784. Unfortunately it was closed so I couldn't see the inside. Then I walked to the main square which is also known as Murillo Square (Murillo is an important independence leader in Bolivia, his statue is found in the middle of the square). Here there was the Metropolitan Cathedral which was built in 1835. Right next to the Metropolitan Cathedral is the Presidential Palace, also known as the 'Burned Palace' because it was burned down once and had to be rebuilt. Next to the Presidential Palace is the Palace of Justice, a big, majestic looking building.

Then I walked along the 16th of July Avenue, the most important avenue in La Paz. And then it was about 4 pm so I had an early dinner in a local restaurant; trout fried in egg and flour with salad and the ubiquitous French fries. I seriously don't understand the combination of rice and French fries. Talk about carb overload! And the other problem I find with Andean cuisine is the lack of sauce for the rice. They are perfectly fine eating fried chicken or fish with rice; I find it too dry, I need either curry or soup or sambal or something to make it easier on the palate.

Anyway, the fish was delicious and I finished everything, and then I headed back to the hostel to rest and sleep.

Day 79 - Isla de la Luna / Copacabana / La Paz

Friday, 31 October 2014

This morning I woke up in time to take the 10 am boat to Isla de la Luna or the Moon Island. This island is much smaller compared to the Sun Island, and has only one ruin, the Moon Temple or the House of Women. The entire Moon Island or Coati was a palace of worship of the sun's woman, considered his wife. The Moon Temple or the House of Women was a place of gathering for chosen virgins, who were guided by an old woman called Mamacona who instructed them in worship and divided the work among the girls, such as learning handicrafts and other domestic responsibilities such as cooking, cleaning and washing. Those days only women lived on the island; men were not allowed. Girls as young as 5 were selected and sent to this island for training to become a proper woman.

The building has a centre courtyard with stone roofs, walls with trapezoidal door and windows, and the stones were laid one on top of the other without any mortar. The Moon temple dates back to the Tiwanaku people, but when the Incas came they rebuilt the temple directly over the older Tiwanaku one, so what we see today is an Inca ruin.

The Moon Island is also known as Coati, from the Aymara word Coa which means snake. The story is that the island used to be festered with snakes, thus the name. But now there are no snakes on the island because there was a big battle between the Inca leader Pachacutec and a the leader of all snakes, in which Pachacutec slayed the giant snake and then there were no more snakes throughout the Inca empire. Or so the story goes.

After this it was back on the boat to the south part of the Sun Island for about 2 hours, before the boat left for Copacabana. This was what I wanted to do on the first day I arrived on the Sun Island, but my bloody boat arrived late. I hung around the Sun Island for a bit, and then took the boat to Copacabana. Here I bought a bus ticket to La Paz at 6.30 pm, and I would arrive at La Paz at approximately 10 pm. I booked a hostel in La Paz with wifi as I had been without wifi for about 3 days now.

Since I still had time, I decided to go check out this magic frog in Copacabana where if you smash a bottle of champagne in its mouth, your wishes would apparently come true. This required taking a boat for a short ride to another part of the coast. With a bit of imagination, you could make out the shape of a toad with its mouth open. Here there were shamans offering all sorts of services, but there was one man who told me in broken English what the tradition was. First I needed to buy 4 bottles of beer; 2 were to be used as offerings to Pacha Mama, the stone frog, and various other Andean beliefs. 2 is for me to drink, but before that I am to make a wish and break a bottle of cheap champagne directly in the frog's mouth. Since I was already there, I decided to try out this local belief so the 2 bottle of beers for all sorts of offerings, and then I made a wish and luckily for me, I managed to break the bottle of champagne directly in the frog's mouth. If I missed, it would mean that my wish(es) would not come true. And then I drank a bottle of beer and I couldn't finish the second, so I gave it to the man who told me about the tradition.

Then I returned to Copacabana by the same boat (the service includes the waiting time) and boarded the bus to La Paz feeling slightly high.

On the way, we had to stop to take a boat across Lake Titicaca and then re-board the same bus. The bus also had to be transported on a ferry across Lake Titicaca to continue the journey to La Paz. I have no idea whether this is the only way to La Paz or whether there is in fact a road all the way to La Paz, but this way creates a lot of opportunities for the locals to earn some money giving boat and ferry rides to tourists. While waiting for the bus, I saw some women selling some fried fish, and an old woman offered a small fish called ispi for me to try, and it was suspiciously devoid of any bones; at least I could not feel the crunch of the bones when I ate it. So I bought some of this fish to eat on the bus, it was delicious. Ispi is one of the local fishes that is indigenous to Lake Titicaca, unlike the trout which is an introduced species.

I reached La Paz at about 10 pm, and I took a cab to my hostel where I had a shower and went to bed.

Day 78 - Isla del Sol, Bolivia

Thursday, 30 October 2014

This morning I first walked to the museum, it is really a small museum containing artefacts such as porcelain and ceramics from the Tiwanaku culture. The Tiwanaku people existed before the Incas, from about 300 BC. The height of their civilisation was from 400 to 1100, and then they died out, most probably due to a severe drought, and since they were an agricultural society they could not survive. Some stories also say that there was another tribe, the Aymaras who came to the Sun and Moon Islands to dominate the Tiwanaku people, and many were killed, but some ran away and later formed the Inca empire. The Aymaras are the predominant people on the islands today.

Some stories also say that the artefacts found under water near the Sun and Moon Islands were remnants of a lost city that sunk. However, there is no scientific proof of this, other than the finding of artefacts under water. Other stories say that when the Spanish came, the Aymaras who continued the Tiwanaku culture, hid the most important and sacred artefacts under water so that the Spanish people could not destroy them. 

After the museum I asked the people at the harbour whether they could carry my luggage to the south part of the island, as I wanted to walk the trail from the north to the south. In Bolivia everything is possible with money, so I paid them to carry my luggage, and I continued to walk to the ruins in the north. This was about a 2 km trek uphill, which took me about 1 hour 20 minutes. Along the way there were many munya plants growing in the wild and I kept inhaling the scent which is supposed to help with the altitude, and I think it did because walking uphill for me today was easier than yesterday. 

Very near the ruins was a viewpoint where I took some photos of Lake Titicaca. For me, the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca was more beautiful. Maybe the novelty has worn off since I already saw the lake in Peru. Then I made my way to the ruins. The first thing to see was the sacred rock or rock of the puma (Titi Khar'ka), which is a natural rock shaped like the head of a puma (with a lot of imagination). This rock is what gave the lake its name - titi which means puma, and haha which means stone or great. The Spanish later changed the name to Titicaca. 

There is also supposed to be a shape of a face beside the puma, and from the pictures in the museum I could see the face, but in real life, using all the imagination I could muster, I just could not make out the face. Maybe it has eroded over the years. Anyway, the face is supposed to be that of Wira Kocha, the all powerful God in the Inca religion. 

Next was the Ceremonial Table or Mesa Ceremonia, which was built by the Incas, just in front of the rock of the puma. The table is used for sacrifices, mainly llamas, for the 4 main elements - earth, water, wind and fire (sun). Today, it is still used as a sacrificial table in a local celebration that takes place on 29 November of every year, involving all 3 villages on the island - Yumani, Cha'lla and Cha'llapampa. The celebration is to give thanks to Mother Earth for good agricultural produce, as well as to ask for better produce for the following year.

The last ruins in this area was Chincana. Before reaching this site, there are imprints on the floor of what looks like 2 giant footprints, which I suppose gives rise to some stories that this island used to be inhabited by giants. Before entering the actual site of Chincana, there appears to be what used to be a gate. According to one of the guides (I pretended to take pictures while eavesdropping on what a guide was explaining to a tourist couple), there were 12 gates to Chincana. The first gate was in Copacabana. In those days, people used to perform pilgrimages, where they used to fast and perform other rituals for months in advance of the pilgrimage, and then walk barefoot from Copacabana, take a boat to the south part of the Sun Island, and walk to Chincana barefooted, to be cleansed of all evil thoughts and be purified.

I also read in the museum that the Spanish described this place as a convent, but the locals say it was a temple inhabited by priests and other religious people. It is a maze of a place, with many passageways and what looked like chambers, all made of rocks. 

And then I began the trek to the south. It is approximately 10 km, mostly uphill. It took me 4 hours with many, many stops along the way, but this was ok because the scenery was quite beautiful along the way. I reached the south at about 6 pm, and I stopped at a restaurant overlooking Lake Titicaca to have dinner because I was starving. At about 7 pm I made my way down towards the harbour, where I saw the captain of the boat which transported my luggage from the north to the south this morning. He informed me that he left my luggage at a hotel near the harbour, so I continued to make my way down. 

It was already dark by then, and there were no street lights here, so I just had the light of the moon to guide me. It was not an easy walk downhill at all, what could've taken me 10 minutes took me half an hour because I could hardly see where I was going and the walkway was made of uneven stone steps, so I had to tread really carefully. I made it down in the end, and I found out that the price to stay in that hotel was ok for me so I stayed the night here.

I definitely prefer the north part of the island better than the south part of the island; I find the things in the north cheaper, the people friendlier, and the scenery more beautiful than the south. Also, the south is largely a hilly area with very little beach, and I am not particularly keen on hills.