As many know, we’re in La Paz, Bolivia, for our current assignment. And a year from now, we’ll be leaving here, heading to our new post assignment. In order to break our 2-year assignment a little, we headed back to the US for a well-deserved “Rest & Recuperation” [R&R} trip. three weeks driving from Florida to Delaware, stopping, snapping photo shots and introducing our children to new cities/states.
First stop: Saint Augustine, Florida.
As many know, we’re in La Paz, Bolivia, for our current assignment. And a year from now, we’ll be leaving here, heading to our new post assignment. In order to break our 2-year assignment a little, we headed back to the US for a well-deserved “Rest & Recuperation” [R&R} trip. three weeks driving from Florida to Delaware, stopping, snapping photo shots and introducing our children to new cities/states.
In Bolivia there’s always an excuse to bring out colors – by nature, in an incomparable way, or through handmade artwork. Our family of 5 has been at post for exactly 11 months now – enjoying life, watching our kids grow surrounded by new friends, improving their Spanish communication skils, and delighting ourselves with the inherent beauty this country has to offer.
Here’s a small sample of past 11 months in-country:
In Bolivia there’s always an excuse to bring out colors – by nature, in an incomparable way, or through handmade artwork. Our family of 5 has been at post for exactly 11 months now – enjoying life, watching our kids grow surrounded by new friends, improving their Spanish communication skills, and delighting ourselves with the inherent beauty this country has to offer. Here’s a small sample of past 11 months in-country:
The fearless colors of a group of bikers cruising the “World’s Most Dangerous Road”
Despite not having access to the ocean, Bolivia hides some wonderful secrets, like the scenery around the Lake Titicaca…
The unique, multi-color display of beauty… not found in many places like here. Where tradition, religion, faith and pride meet!
The perfect combination between blues, greens and earth tones!
The respect and appreciation to others, shown by people from all over the world:
Our 11th month in Bolivia is ending, sealed with happiness, joy and our warmest greetings to our friends and extended family – wherever they are, please enjoy a bit of our “colorful home“…♥ Now, off to our second year at a great FS Post Assignment – thank you all! 😮
Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 26, already back from a much deserved R&R with friends and family in the USA…
Leaving here the question: ‘what’s life without good companionship?’ 😮
Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by! ♥
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “companionable”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
During our family’s recent R&R in the USA [gotta take a break from work, right? :o], the 5 of us attended one of my husband’s lifelong friend’s wedding in Virginia. Kids were welcome to the celebration [with great baby-sitters on-site/on duty during the ceremony, so grown-ups could really appreciate the traditional wedding events!] and definitely helped us celebrate in style – I guess our kids have become fast learners when it comes to errrr – party! ♥
As one of the groomsmen, husband was looking pretty sharp in the full Scottish kilt gear, I’d say, and well fulfilled his duties…
Modern Scottish wedding traditions are far more relaxed than they were in the olden days, but even today remnants of the ancient traditions still linger – making Scottish weddings the festive and joyous occasions that they are!
Inspired by last week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, this set of photos represent the begining of winter in Bolivia, and all the Celebrations associated with that.
The Kallawaya have been well known as traditional healers and medicine men for centuries, and come from the Cordillera Apolobamba near Charazani in the north of La Paz department.
Inspired by last week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, this set of photos represent the begining of winter in Bolivia, and all the Celebrations associated with that.
The Kallawaya have been well known as traditional healers and medicine men for centuries, and come from the Cordillera Apolobamba near Charazani in the north of La Paz department.
The Kallawaya culture dates from the Pre-Inca period. It originated in the Charazani region (and surroundings of Curva, Chajaya, Inka, Chari, etc.), located in the northern part of the department of La Paz.
This practice is currently carried out itinerantly using plants, animals, minerals, etc., and is part of the Intangible Cultural Heritage recognized by UNESCO.
The Kallawaya speak Quechua, Aymara, Spanish and and their own language where kallawaya means “initiate“.
Their magical and medicinal lore is passed down from one generation to the next, and their therapies are based on rituals, ceremonies, massages, potions, etc., that are used in order to prevent, treat or cure physical or psychic ailments.
The kallawaya have a special Weltanschauung, so their psychotherapy works in three dimensions: symbolic, spiritual and animist. The latter awaits the return of the Ajayu (the soul or element that generates life).
Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by! ♥ Original inspiration here ♥
Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 21, the last one before our family goes back to the USA for a much well-deserved R&R… The chosen spot for our last weekend of May was the intriguing scenario of the Yungas, and these background and foreground images here bring out a bit of the unique beauty of the Cotapata Park. Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by and riding with us! ♥
Inspired by this week’s photo challenge, and continuing our travel project “52 Bolivian Sundays”, we’re cruising though week 21, the last one before our family goes back to the USA for a much well-deserved R&R… The chosen spot for our last weekend of May was the intriguing scenario of the Yungas, and these background and foreground images here bring out a bit of the unique beauty of the Cotapata Park. Enjoy as you please, and thanks for stopping by and riding with us! ♥
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “In the Background”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
From WordPress: “I’m looking forward to seeing you all but disappear into the moments you capture. – Pick”
According to Cheri Lucas, “Escape. Depending on your current mood and headspace, or time in your life, this word can evoke different emotions and conjure a variety of images.”. today, sharing images of a great escape… to the world’s most dangerous road! Join us! 😮
It’s the rainy season all over the city of Nuestra Señora of La Paz: a cold rain often comes at the end of the afternoon, letting us know the upcoming night will be even colder.
It’s time to get the fireplace going, pop in a movie for the kids, and why not, go over the recent photos taken during the a well-deserved experience with nature.
Escaping to the Yungas mountains, on a biking trip, cycling through the world’s most dangerous road, couldn’t be better sealed up than with a unique Zip Line adventure. Instead of going from tree to tree, why not go… from mountain to mountain? 😮
According to Cheri Lucas, the one providing inspiration for this week’s photo challenge: “Escape. Depending on your current mood and headspace, or time in your life, this word can evoke different emotions and conjure a variety of images”. Today, sharing images of a great escape… to the world’s most dangerous road! Join us! 😮
Go Zip-lining at the Yungas!
Definitely, one of the highlights of this month of May: Zip Lining with Gravity Bolivia! All are welcome to enjoy as much as the group did!
Last November was the first time our family travelled ‘solo’ through the roads of Bolivia. Our car had finally arrived, and the time to explore our surroundings had begun!
Some 2 hours from the capital, La Paz, the city of Coroico was the choice made for an extended weekend of adventure and relaxation during the cold months! Also, it’s a fantastic way to test one’s skills when driving/biking with no road shoulders, endless cliffs; and in the Winter, through thick fog and heavy rain, overlooking the so-called, ‘death road‘! From tour buses to brave mountain bikers challenging the road of death; from volcanic rocks to water falls exploding from within the rocks… From green tropical vegetation to snow-capped mountains… Quite an experience – and I’m glad the husband got to do it! Two parents trying it at the same time… errrr… One always has to come back home for the kids 😮
This past Saturday [Mother’s Day Weekend!], it came time for ” Cycling the World’s Most Dangerous Road”!
It’s a bike ride like no other, many have said.
On its upper reaches, the clouds hug the cliff edge, obscuring the abyss.
To the left, there is an unobstructed 600m drop off a cliff while on the right, a vertical rock-face. And the unpaved surface, resembles a rough, dirt track more than a road.
The scenery, if you dare take your eyes off the road, is breathtaking, with the lush rainforest of the Yungas stretching out before your very own eyes! But the stone and wooden crosses that line the route are a sombre reminder that not everyone cycles the full 40 miles (64km) safely to its conclusion.
The man who started the phenomenon in 1998, New Zealander Alistair Matthew, says good instruction and sensible behavior can overcome the dangers. He came up with the idea while trying lots of new rides on his mountain bike in the region near La Paz. His company, Gravity, was the first to offer tourists the chance to cycle the road.. Note to Readers:Alistair is our personal friend. Him and his family, have been our social sponsors since our arrival in Bolivia. We couldn’t have asked for a better choice! 😮
water falls from within the rocks
Stay tuned! There’s more to come your way! After the amazing ride, bikers were taken on a Zip Lineadventure… photos to come soon! 😮
Taking advantage of this being “Mother’s Day” weekend, and inspired by a recent Daily Prompt suggestion, I’ll try to answer this tough question, and yet, illustrate the ‘response’ with a few musical memories… See if you can catch them!
We each have many types of love relationships — parents, children, spouses, friends. And they’re not always with people; you may love an animal, or a place. Is there a single idea or definition that runs through all the varieties of “love”?
Obviously, I’m not the first one who thought about This Song when we saw the title for the prompt… and being a Foreigner myself, it couldn’t be any more fitting! 😮 Who doesn’t love a good play with words
Taking advantage of this being “Mother’s Day” weekend, and inspired by a recent Daily Prompt suggestion, I’ll try to answer this tough question, and yet, illustrate the ‘response’ with a few musical memories… See if you can catch them!
We each have many types of love relationships — parents, children, spouses, friends. And they’re not always with people; you may love an animal, or a place. Is there a single idea or definition that runs through all the varieties of “love”?
Obviously, I’m not the first one who thought aboutthis song ♫ when we saw the title for the prompt… and being a Foreigner myself, it couldn’t be any more fitting! 😮 Who doesn’t love a good play with words?
But, in fact, What’s Love? ♫ – thought I “had a way“ on this, but still missing several connecting dots in order to finely tune down my ideas on love!
Love Changes everything ♫. We’ve become more than a couple, we’re a family, and with each child, we now wholeheartedly understand the meaning of Timeless Love ♫… There are different kinds of love, and we love each person in our lives, in a different way, no more, and no less… Simply different. Fortunately, there’s no single Meaning of Love ♫. But there’s definitely, Not Enough Love In The World ♫ to all the ones that need it!
That said, if I may leave a bit of advice, as somebody who’s constantly experience love, from my family, friends; from the one I chose to be my partner for life, the one who’ve given the most precious expressions of love – our children – here it is: “Put A Little Love In Your Heart“ ♫, and all will be well… ♥
Happy Mother’s Day, to all the moms out there! And much, much love to us all! 😮
For the “non-Portuguese speaking world”, inside the heart you may find the word ‘Mãe’, which means, “Mom”… too perfect, right? 😮
I’d almost forgotten! Inspired by Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge, this blog shares a ‘weekly taste of Bolivia’.
Without noticing, I jumped straight from week 18 [“from above”] to week 20 [“escape”]! Humm, am I trying to ‘escape’ from something? Don’t think so! And to prove that, here is the response for the 19th week of this year, inspired by “Pattern” – the colors of the Seasons in Bolivia, an ode to our 10th month in country [already? time really flies when you’re having fun!].
Without noticing, I jumped straight from week 18 [“from above”] to week 20 [“escape”]! Humm, am I trying to ‘escape’ from something? Don’t think so! And to prove that, here is the response for the 19th week of this year, inspired by “Pattern” – the colors of the Seasons in Bolivia, an ode to our 10th month in country [already? time really flies when you’re having fun!].
Above us all, the peaceful skies over the city of Nuestra Señora of La Paz, turn into a magnificent and quasi-frightening scenario. Suddenly, the temperature changes and the clouds let us know that a powerful force of nature will bring down the showers. They might simply be hail or the heavy rain showers… one never knows what to expect… It’s the force of nature in action. It may last for a few minutes, and before one is ready for it, the sun will be shining again, above us all. It’s nature at its best performance…
Above us all, the peaceful skies over the city of Nuestra Señora of La Paz, turn into a magnificent and quasi-frightening scenario. Suddenly, the temperature changes and the clouds let us know that a powerful force of nature will bring down the showers. They might simply be hail or the heavy rain showers… one never knows what to expect… It’s the force of nature in action. It may last for a few minutes, and before one is ready for it, the sun will be shining again, above us all. It’s nature at its best performance…
The idea for this post is to try ‘inverting’ the perspective of the suggested theme. “From Above” inspired me to look for a different approach – the way the nature ‘perceive’ us, from above. Above us all, as the most powerful force…. Let’s see how it came out! 😮 Thank you all for visiting, and sharing your impressions! ♥
“The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it!” We all need The Force. Something stronger is coming from above… Above us all, there’s a stronger counter-force: the power of a child who decide that playing was a better choice than his well-needed 8 hours of sleep…
May the Force be with you. With all of you. With all of us, parents, who have to deal with an unforeseen middle-of-the-night playtime!
Star Wars figures, inherited from his dad. From his dad’s collection [see the Darth Vader carrying case?] Yes, the same one who betrayed the Jedi Order and his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi! – for over 30 years this case has secured the dreams of the boy I ended up marrying. And now, the carrying case and its figures are happily laying on the carpet, next to the hamster’s cage, planning some sort of invasion (???). And this is all happening way past my son’s bedtime…
May the Force be with you, parents of the world! May your sleepless nights be filled with giggles and pretend-fights among little toy figures… May the 4th of May be a great and restful Saturday, for us all… 😮
“the light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it!”
We all need the Force. Something stronger is coming from above... Above us all, there’s a stronger counter-force: the power of a child who decided that playing was a better choice than his well-needed 8 hours of sleep…
May the Force be with you. With all of you. With all of us, parents, who have to deal with an unforeseen middle-of-the-night playtime!
Star Wars figures, inherited from his dad. From his dad’s collection [see the Darth Vadercarrying case?] Yes, the same one who betrayed the Jedi Order and his Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi! – for over 30 years this case has secured the dreams of the boy I ended up marrying. And now, the carrying case and its figures are happily laying on the carpet, next to the hamster’s cage, planning some sort of invasion (???). And this is all happening way past my son’s bedtime…
May the Force be with you, parents of the world! May your sleepless nights be filled with giggles and pretend-fights among little toy figures… May the 4th, the first day of a long-waited weekend, be a great and restful Saturday, for us all… for our own sake and mental health!
The Diplomatic Ladies Association [Asociación de Damas Diplomáticas] in La Paz, Bolivia, organized a fair to showcase products and a little bit of the culture of the many countries who mark their presence in La Paz. Entrance fees were used as a fundraiser for charity projects throughout the capital. Here, a collection of snapshots of a few of these countries, including Panama, Japan, Great Britain, and, the United States…
Wish I wouldn’t be so caught up working at the booth, and gone around snapping more pictures from the beautiful German Embassador’s Residence! Maybe next time… next year, for sure! 😮
Diplomatic Corp present at the Diplomatic Ladies Event in La Paz {April 2013}.
The Diplomatic Ladies Association [Asociación de Damas Diplomáticas] in La Paz, Bolivia, organized a fair to showcase products and a little bit of the culture of the many countries who mark their presence in La Paz. Entrance fees were used as a fundraiser for charity projects throughout the capital. Here, a collection of snapshots of a few of these countries, including Panama, Japan, Great Britain, and, the United States…
Wish I weren’t be so caught up working at the booth, and had the opportunity to go around snapping more pictures from the beautiful German Embassador’s Residence! Maybe next time… next year, for sure! 😮
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Culture”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
A El 19 de abril, el Encargado de Negocios Larry Memmott presidió la ceremonia de graduación de estudiantes del Programa Access 2011-2013. La ceremonia tuvo lugar en la Residencia del Jefe de Misión en La Paz. El evento comenzó con una presentación artística a cargo de jóvenes egresados de la ciudad de El Alto que deleitaron a la audiencia con un recital de violín. Durante el evento, los estudiantes destacaron la importancia del programa Access en sus vidas y demostraron su habilidad en el uso del idioma inglés, que es el resultado de dos años de cursos intensivos de idioma, comprensión cultural y liderazgo. Un total de 127 estudiantes de escasos recursos de la ciudad de El Alto se benefician del programa y reciben clases de forma gratuita con patrocinio del Departamento de Estado.
All photos and text are protperty of the US Embassy La Paz [Flicker Gallery]
One of these weekends, our son spotted unique formations in sky. Husband was quick enough to get the camera and register the view through our window… The very peculiar sky over the city of La Paz, in the neighborhood of Achumani, place we’re calling home… ♥
One of these weekends, our son spotted unique formations in sky. Husband was quick enough to get the camera and register the view through our window… The very peculiar sky over the city of La Paz, in the neighborhood of Achumani, place we’re calling home… ♥
The most popular beach resort in Chile, Viña del Mar is within reach of both Santiago and Valparaiso. Viña teems with tourists during peak months December, January and February, despite Antarctic currents that make swimming a formidable prospect. Renaca is the hippest spot to sink onto the sands – and the ‘chosen spot’ for our son’s ‘acrobatic performances’… 😮
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The most popular beach resort in Chile, and an easy flight-and-drive from our house in La Paz, Viña del Mar is within reach of both Santiago and Valparaiso. Viña teems with tourists during peak months December, January and February, despite Antarctic currents that make swimming a formidable prospect. Our family went there during Spring/School Break [why not?] Renaca Beach is the hippest spot to sink onto the sands – and the ‘chosen spot’ for our oldest kids’ [7 & 5 yrs] ‘acrobatic performances‘… Our 2-year-old daughter is still too shy [and her parents, too cautious!] to give it a try! 😮
“Viña del Mar, is a city and commune on central Chile’s Pacific coast. Its long stretches of white sandy beaches are a major attraction for national and international tourists”, from Wikipedia.
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers on “Up”… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Innovation. Technology. CHANGE. Using social media tools to change the way the world is perceived. In this case, celebrating the landmark of having 100,000 friends on the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia [text extracted & adapted from the US Embassy Bolivia Website, link here] – simultaneously welcoming guests in the five different cities in Bolivia, through webchat technology. Changing the way celebrations are done… 😮
Innovation.Technology.CHANGE.
Using social media tools to change the way the world is perceived. In this case, celebrating the landmark of having 100,000 friends on the Facebook page of the U.S. Embassy in Bolivia [text extracted & adapted from the US Embassy Bolivia Website, link here] – simultaneously welcoming guests in the five different cities in Bolivia, through webchat technology. Hope on over to their fan page for images from guests in all 5 cities… Number of fans are changing every day… Changing now the way celebrations are done. 😮
Just mentioned [on a previous post] our recent trip to Chile, during the Easter break, taking advantage of the short and pleasant flights to Santiago. As part of our personal photo project called 52 Bolivian Sundays, inspired by the Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge, now it’s time to share colorful images, from recent visit to Viña del Mar, Valparaiso and the Concha y Toro Winery, located in Pirque, a few of the many scenarios spotted during our family trip to Chile. Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Just mentioned [on a previous post] our recent trip to Chile, during the Easter break, taking advantage of the short and pleasant flights to Santiago. As part of our personal photo project called 52 Bolivian Sundays, inspired by the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, now it’s time to share colorful images, from recent visit to Viña del Mar, Valparaiso and the Concha y Toro Winery, located in Pirque, a few of the many scenarios spotted during our family trip to Chile.
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
GREEN AND DELICIOUS BURGUNDY! 😮
ALL BURGUNDY… AND EXQUISITE! 😮
THE COLORS OF HAPPINESS & FRIENDSHIP!
kids just being kids!
city mural
city mural
Classic Travel Family Photo: everyone exhausted, but happy! 😮
Just mentioned [on a previous post] our recent trip to Chile, during the Easter break, taking advantage of the short and pleasant flights to Santiago. As part of our personal photo project called 52 Bolivian Sundays, inspired by the Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge, now it’s time to share a day in Chile’s main port and known for its bohemian, artistic vibe and lovely vistas. I’m talking about the famous city of Valparaiso, only 70 miles northwest of capital Santiago. Its UNESCO-designated historic downtown offers charming colonial architecture, great seafood restaurants, markets and stores were our family’s chosen spot for enjoying the last Friday of March.
Classic Travel Family Photo: everyone exhausted, but happy! 😮
Detail from downtown Valparaiso
Paseo Mirador
family going up on the Ascensor Concepcion
boardwalk
kids just being kids!
Colorful Valparaiso
Entrance to the Ascensor
city mural
city mural
hotel, by the boardwalk
A quick stop to eat, before the walking and sightseeing continue! 😮
overview of the city
Just mentioned [on a previous post] our recent trip to Chile, during the Easter break, taking advantage of the short and pleasant flights to Santiago. As part of our personal photo project called 52 Bolivian Sundays, inspired by the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, now it’s time to share a day in Chile’s main port and known for its bohemian, artistic vibe and lovely vistas. I’m talking about the famous city of Valparaiso, only 70 miles northwest of capital Santiago. Its UNESCO-designated historic downtown offers charming colonial architecture, great seafood restaurants, markets and stores were our family’s chosen spot for enjoying the last Friday of March.
Sharing here, impressions and snapshots of a day well spent with our family of 5 and dear friends from our time in Africa, now, adjusted expats in Santiago. Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, always inspired by the Wordpress Weekly Photo Challenge, travels recently took our family of 5 to the beautiful city of Santiago, capital of Chile, a neighboring country. We had the opportunity to enjoy day trips throughout the city and its surroundings, like the famous winery of Concha y Toro, the beach, the cosmopolitan Viña del Mar, and the exquisite Valparaiso. More posts to come, with unique images of our travels in Chile, but for now, will share an image that represents ‘future tense’, taken at the Plaza de Armas, in Santiago.
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, always inspired by the WordPress Weekly Photo Challenge, travels recently took our family of 5 to the beautiful city of Santiago, capital of Chile, a neighboring country. We had the opportunity to enjoy day trips throughout the city and its surroundings, like the famous winery of Concha y Toro, the beach, the cosmopolitan Viña del Mar, and the exquisite Valparaiso. More posts to come, with unique images of our travels in Chile, but for now, will share an image that represents ‘future tense’, taken at the Plaza de Armas, in Santiago.
So many impressions on the future to look forward to… what is out there for many of us? Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Chocolate Kahlua Mousse & Vanilla Bailey’s Mousse… pairing the Irish with the Mexican!
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do.
For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Lunchtime“, we will ‘share’ a few images from our Sunday luncheon with a couple of friends and their children…
An all-time winner: chocolate pudding!
A heathy option: colorful & delicious fruit bowl
Too cold outside? Let’s enjoy dessert inside, by the fireplace!
Mexican-style chips
As part of the menu, New Mexican stacked Enchiladas, Spanish Rice, Beans, Pico de Gallo, Flautas – all accompanied by Paloma cocktails and an intriguing set of desserts- Fruit Bowl, Chocolate & Kahlua Mousse, and since it’s also Saint Patrick’s Day, why not bring out a new family favorite – Vanilla Baileys Mousse – “pairing the Irish with the Mexican” ♥… What if it starts getting too cold outside? Simply head back inside to enjoy dessert and coffee by the fireplace… All, in a very special Bolivian-style! 😮
Throw impromptu ‘theme lunches’
So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do. For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “My Neighborhood”, through a few images that are so very familiar to us, and yet, a surprise every single day, due to the unpredictable weather, so characteristic to the city of La Paz…
So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do.
For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “My Neighborhood“, we will ‘stroll’ through a few images that are so very familiar to us, and yet, a surprise every single day, due to the unpredictable weather, so characteristic to the city of La Paz, the place we’ll be calling ‘home’ for the next year and a half…
Our morning greeting… the nostalgic design of the streets, the contrast between the cobblestones and the always green foliage covering the house walls…
And what we spot when looking up to the sky: the ‘chaotic and intricate’ arrange displayed by the electric cables, against the peaceful tree covers and the white clouds…
What about different views from a popular playground? Trying to show the intriguing ways a child would perceive its surroundings… the metal structures, the reddish mountains in the background, the memories of our childhood brought by the set of swings, and the majestic palm trees…
A walk towards the kids school leads to a nice quaint restaurant, with an inviting outdoors patio…
And finally, a roof top, like many around our neighborhood, after one of the many 15-minutes hail showers, leaving the tiles covered with tiny pieces of ice… Don’t like the weather? Just wait a few minutes, and a new scenario will arrive at your ‘Paceña‘ neighborhood… 😮
So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Tomorrow, March 8, it’s Women’s International Day. Bolivia, like many other countries, is honoring all women with a full month of celebration and recognition. In the capital, La Paz, it’s possible to appreciate the artistic works of several gifted women, through painting and photography – and luckily, a couple of the artists presenting their pieces are friends of ours, and members of the US community here. Congratulations, ladies! 😮
Sharing here a few images from the exhibit, with art pieces [paintings and photography], courtesy of one of the participants, Mrs Susan Scanlon – my deepest appreciation to her as a wife, committed mother, artist and friend – thank you! ♥
Tomorrow, March 8, it’s Women’s International Day. Bolivia, like many other countries, is honoring all women with a full month of celebration and recognition. In the capital, La Paz, it’s possible to appreciate the artistic works of several gifted women, through painting and photography – and luckily, a couple of the artists presenting their pieces are friends of ours, and members of the US community here. Congratulations, ladies! 😮
Sharing here a few images from the exhibit, at the Galeria de Arte Alternativa – by the neighborhood of San Miguel, La Paz – with art pieces [paintings and photography], courtesy of one of the participants, Mrs Susan Scanlon – my deepest appreciation to her as a wife, committed mother, artist and friend – thank you! ♥
Spanish: La galería Alternativa inauguró el sábado la muestra Mujeres artistas con obras pictóricas de Mirta Cwirko, Carolina Lovo, Mónica Rina Mamani, Rosmery Mamani, Guiomar Mesa, Laura Miller, Susan Scanlon y Cecilia Wilde, las esculturas en cerámica de Corina Barreto y los trabajos en metal de Marcela Mérida.
Con un total de 40 obras realizadas en diferentes formatos, técnicas y con una amplia variedad de temática, esta muestra estará abierta al público paceño hasta el 22 de marzo.
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, titled 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do. For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Lost in the Details”, brings images from our recent visit to Mallasa, and a day very well spent with friends from La Paz and from Washington, DC, at the Oberland Hotel Complex, a taste of Switzerland in Bolivia. In order to get there, one of the requirements is to appreciate the fascinating mountains from the Valle de La Luna [The Moon Valley]… The mineral content of the mountains varies greatly between individual rock formations. As a result, the sides of the mountains are different colors, creating very striking optical illusions. A majority of them are a clear beige or light brown color. There are also areas that are almost red, with sections of dark violet.
Moon Valley – “Valle de La Luna”
Above, details from the drive up to the Hotel Complex, through the Valle de La Luna mountains.
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, called 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do. For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Lost in the Details“, brings images from our recent visit to Mallasa, and a day very well spent with friends from La Paz and from Washington, DC, at the Oberland Hotel Complex, a taste of Switzerland in Bolivia. In order to get there, one of the requirements is to appreciate the fascinating mountains from the Valle de La Luna [The Moon Valley]… The mineral content of the mountains varies greatly between individual rock formations. As a result, the sides of the mountains are different colors, creating very striking optical illusions. A majority of them are a clear beige or light brown color. There are also areas that are almost red, with sections of dark violet.
And here, a few more ‘detailed impressions’ from a great reward! 😮
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So many details to look forward to! Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
From a sunny afternoon, to 12 minutes of intense HAIL SHOWERS, back to a calm and warm end of the day… That’s La Paz… gotta love the ‘Paceño weather’! 😮
At 4:00pm, a regular sunny Monday, like many others…
Right around 4:30pm
Finally, at 4:42pm [yeap, I had a stopwatch!]…
How not to love this? If you don’t like the weather… just wait a few minutes, and it’s guaranteed to change! 😮
A good way, indeed, to begin a peaceful week – the last one of February – sharing images from our surroundings, the municipality of Mallasa, a town 20-30 minutes from the city of La Paz, is a place of family entertainment with a pleasant climate, nature and tourist attractions.
One of the places most frequented by tourists is the VALLEY OF THE MOON, which are land formations that resemble the lunar soil, the Municipal Zoo “Vesty Pakos” animal’s own Andean area as the llama, alpaca, condor and others, the Parque Valle del Sol family recreational place but especially for children.
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, titled 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do. For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Forward”, a great place to spend some good quality time with friends, the Bowling Ally in La Paz: “Rock and Bowl” – our chosen spot for the last Saturday of February! 😮 Hitting it forward!!!
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… their special understanding of “Forward”: Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Continuing with my very personal Photo Project throughout this year, titled 52 Bolivian Sundays, sharing images that represent this beautiful country, its traditions, cultural events and neat places/things to do.
For this week, pairing with the Daily Post inspiration, “Forward“, a great place to spend some good quality time with friends, the Bowling Alley in La Paz: “Rock’n Bowl” – our chosen spot for the last Saturday of February! 😮 Hitting it forward!!!
Find here, more impressions from other bloggers… Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Parenting isn’t an easy task. There aren’t many solutions out there for our ‘day-to-day challenges’. And yet, we all keep on going… And why? Many bloggers/parents may relate to these statements, and who knows, even add more to the pot! With that in mind, and a bit of inspiration provided by this week’s suggested writing challenge from The Daily Post [Image vs. Text], had the perfect scenario for a ‘pictorial explanation’ of, ‘why we do what we do’ for our children!
Parenting isn’t an easy task. There aren’t many solutions out there for our ‘day-to-day challenges’. Yet, we all keep on going… And why? Many bloggers/parents may relate to these statements, and who knows, even add more to the pot! With that in mind, and a bit of inspiration provided by this week’s suggested writing challenge from The Daily Post [Image vs. Text], had the perfect scenario for a ‘pictorial explanation’ of, ‘why we do what we do’ for our children!
Hopefully, the plan for this post will work. The images should provide at least a clue about the answers to these proposed questions… check the list below, and let’s see if you agree with the ‘suggested reasons’! ♥
* Why trying to prepare that special treat they love, knowingly we’d be tired after a full week of work, and the weekend is our only chance to recover and rescue ourselves before the upcoming work week strikes again? 😮
* Why teaching our children the importance of group activities, the meaning of camaraderie and why being part of a team is greater than knowing how to work alone?
* Why having your house ‘invaded’ by little ‘barbarians’, who love to scream and cry, fighting over toys and games with their peers, during a so-called ‘birthday celebration’?
Host a kids Halloween Blast!
Throw impromptu costume parties!
Join the traditional ‘water balloon fights’ during Carnaval!
* Why teaching kids to love and respect their cultural traditions, their distinct backgrounds and their personal stories?
June Festivities in Brazil
African Bath
Carnaval in Brazil
* Whygetting up early in the morning, making sure our children have all they need for that particular school day, even if sometimes, we need to come up with a ‘last-minute’ solution for a very special request for some school activity?
* Why going over and over their school homework, despite sometimes having a splitting headache and zero inspiration to help them with their writing assignments? 😮
A letter of ‘appreciation’, from my resident first grader…
* Why volunteering your very scarce free time, to join them in some activity at the school?
* Why teaching our children that they need to share their life skills and abilities with others, in a selfless way?
* Why is it necessary to show our children they’re special, unique, important in their own way, and always, unconditionally loved?
* Why we, parents, end up doing exactly what we do, despite our list of countless complaints, which include tiredness, lack of resources and sleepless nights? We do it because we care. We care for their well-being, we care for raising emotionally resilient children, who will mature to become grounded adults, for a more compassionate and stable society. That’s why we do what we do… ♥
Here her big brother welcoming his Valentine’s Day sister, with a kiss, a perfect fit for this week’s theme. She’s not a baby anymore… better to say, she’s a young lady… a ‘señorita’… 😮
We’re pleased, lucky and grateful for all the experiences we’ve been through, and we’re grateful for having had this intense, warm, active and loving girl into our lives for the past five years… Half a decade ago, husband and I received the best gift one could ever expect for Valentine’s Day: the birth of a baby girl! ♥
Being born in South Africa
Here, the big brother welcoming his Valentine’s Day sister, with a kiss, a perfect fit for this week’s theme. She’s not a baby anymore… better to say, she’s a young lady… a ‘señorita’… 😮
We’re pleased, lucky and grateful for all the experiences we’ve been through, and we’re grateful for having had this intense, warm, active and loving girl into our lives for the past five years… Half a decade ago, husband and I received the best gift one could ever expect for Valentine’s Day: the birth of a baby girl! ♥
Find here, some lovely impressions from other bloggers… their special understanding of “KISS”: Thank you all for sharing! ♥
Home is anywhere where one is able to share the joy of being alive, being its own person… Home is where we share, where we teach in exchange of learning… home is where we feel safe, surrounded by trustworthy friends… Home is the place where we share love…for a nomad like myself, trying to answer the question: “where is home” has a very unique response, because it’s a challenge to define ‘home’ for ‘serial expats’… Very personally, home is the place I feel free to be myself, and share all my passions! 😮
The ‘photographers’… 😮
Go on a boat trip along the waters of Lake Titicaca
Join a ‘greening initiative’ for a weekend of activities
Home is anywhere where one is able to share the joy of being alive, being its own person… Home is where we share, where we teach in exchange of learning… home is where we feel safe, surrounded by trustworthy friends… Home is the place where we share love…for a nomad like myself, trying to answer the question: “where is home” has a very unique response, because it’s a challenge to define ‘home’ for ‘serial expats’… Very personally, home is the place I feel free to be myself, and share all my passions! 😮
Previous Posts from the Project “52 Bolivian Sundays”: 😮
How to be a full-time mom of little kids, capable of helping them with homework despite the baby’s high pitch crying, not forgetting to devote some attention to the hubby, and yet trying to look good and stylish according to the ‘Latino’ trends? ? I know, pretty hard, right? We all try to be the “perfect woman-wife-mom”, fully committed with school activities, extra-curricular schedules, reserving some quality time for the growing family, keeping up with friends, being a committed professional…
Bringing out fantastic idea, since it’s CARNAVAL weekend all over South America, and Bolivia is no different!
I simply love, love any type of ‘finger nail artwork’. And Bolivia, like any other Latin country, is probably one of the best places to exercise this passion! ♥
How to be a full-time mom of little kids, capable of helping them with homework despite the baby’s high pitch crying, not forgetting to devote some attention to the hubby, and yet trying to look good and stylish according to the ‘Latino’ trends? ? I know, pretty hard, right? We all try to be the “perfect woman-wife-mom”, fully committed with school activities, extra-curricular schedules, reserving some quality time for the growing family, keeping up with friends, being a committed professional…
Sometimes, it’s just too much… And then, you remember: you’re still a girl, and you’d like to (once in a while!) to look good, trendy, fashionable, stylish… not for your friends, your partner, your colleagues at work – but for your OWN SELF. The question: how? You don’t have a whole lot of time for any pampering, and you’re not willing to spend a lot of money. Hummm…
The answer: just give your hands/nails a make-up… a few minutes later and, voilá! The beauty of living in South America is that one is over-exposed to whatever is trendy/hot…. Why not try something new? And, I gotta say, I went for the nails thing… why not a different color a week? Below, a few suggestions from Paloma Cuesta:
Why not go for something different, just for the fun of it? And be a “very trendy & cool busy mom”, even if it’s only for a week! 😮 Below, a few images, courtesy of the artist Carla Llanos:
What about some stylish toenails? Feet deserve the same amount of TLC… and fashion! 😮
A few snapshots of the capital of Bolivia [Plurinational State of Bolivia], the city of ‘Nuestra Señora de La Paz’, and we’re looking at a population of over 800 thousand people, just in La Paz. The average elevation of the city, Bolivia is 3,829 meters – what makes one wonder about how we find a way to adjust to ‘life in the high altitude’… But we do, and we’re currently loving it! :oThese are photo shots taken from El Alto, just outside the city, overlooking what seems to be a ‘toy city’, where houses and buildings resemble ‘building blocks’… Above we have, La Paz, during the day, and a snapshot of the city, at night, below. Enjoy!
The average elevation of the city, Bolivia is 3,829 meters – making one wonder about how we find a way to adjust to ‘life in the high altitude‘… But we do, and we’re currently loving it!
The urban peacefully co-existing with the natural
The ‘photographers’… 😮
These are photo shots taken from El Alto, just outside the city, overlooking what seems to be a ‘toy city’, where houses and buildings resemble ‘building blocks’… Above we have, La Paz, during the day, and a snapshot of the city, at night, below. Enjoy! 😮
Ekeko is a diminutive fellow with a jolly disposition. His happiness may have something to do with the material wealth overflowing in his arms. Miniature versions of dollar bills, euros, fancy cars, houses, and college diplomas can all be seen in the presence of Ekeko. In Bolivia, Ekeko is a character associated with abundance and prosperity, and he is the central figure in the Festival of Alasitas. This event is based in the city of La Paz, but can also be seen in other cities of Bolivia.
During the month of January, we were introduced to the popular Alasitas! Miniatures representing a wish one is seeking pursuing. It could be a house, a job, a diploma, a car, food for the pantry, a construction building or construction supplies…even money! [they actually had miniature copies of dollar, euro and peso/boliviano bills!].
The Alasitas is a 3-week long fair that, in La Paz, takes place beginning on the 24th of January. Everything is in miniature! This festival originally started when farmers prayed for a good crop so their harvest would be bountiful. Alasitas is an Aymara festival Bolivia celebrates in reverence of the indigenous “god of bounty” or “abundance” called the Ekeko.
Therefore, Alasitas has been called the Festival of Abundance. Ekeko is a diminutive fellow with a jolly disposition. His happiness may have something to do with the material wealth overflowing in his arms. Miniature versions of dollar bills, euros, fancy cars, houses, and college diplomas can all be seen in the presence of Ekeko. This event is based in the city of La Paz, but can also be seen in other cities of Bolivia.
Old, young and children become excited to acquire bills, houses, vehicles, household items, college diplomas… The desire to buy some bills is so that one’s pockets aren’t empty during the year. In addition to shopping, there was some excitement to find those that in Aymara are called “YATIRIS,” which can be said to mean “PSYCHIC,” so that they can CHALLAR (bless) the purchased miniatures, which helps make these wishes into reality. The challa is an Andean ritual that sprinkle these items with a drink (alcohol or wine) and cover them with incense.
People would buy their ‘product of desire’ and have it blessed by a priest [at the church] or by a native yatiiri… Some people chose both options, why not? 😮
Miniatures for every taste and wish: your dream house, your car, passports, credit cards & suitcases for that long waited travel… or, maybe, that wonderful engagement ring…
For those ladies seeking marriage(!!), why not go for a blessed miniature of a Rooster?! That could guarantee not only a good mate for the seeking lady, but also, would ensure he could father many children! 😮 [for the unmarried men, there’s also a version, with Chicken, instead of the male bird…]
Having trouble finding a job? Getting your College Degree? Or… putting an end to a bad marriage? Find there miniatures of Work Contracts, College Diplomas and… a Divorce Certificate! 😮 [top left, kid’s hand, “compre aqui su sentencia de divorcio” = buy here your divorce agreement!]
What about you? What would be your ‘miniature of desire’? 😮
Like many others, I need colorful experiences in my life. A few years back, I discovered a good way to cope with the intense life of the foreign service, moving every so often, and raising kids along the way – through artistic expressions. We’ve been at our new posting for exactly 6 months, and I’m always on the lookout for interesting stories, traditional customs, unique ways that represent the Bolivian Culture. The first post was about Art in La Paz through paintings. This time, a group of friends was taken to El Alto, just outside La Paz, for a Sunday afternoon experience with the ‘Fighting Cholitas’!
Like many others, I need colorful and fun experiences in my life. A good way to cope with the intense life of the foreign service [moving every so often, and raising kids along the way]: find ways to ‘dive into the local culture, learning about their traditions and what moves their hearts! 😮
We’ve already been posted in Bolivia for exactly 6 months, and I’m always on the lookout for interesting stories, traditional eventss, unique ways that represent the Bolivian Culture. The first post was about Art in La Paz through paintings. This time, a group of friends was taken to El Alto, just outside La Paz, for a Sunday afternoon experience with the ‘Fighting Cholitas‘! A unique experience for many foreigners visiting Bolivia, and a great fit for this week’s photo challenge!
In order to ‘educate myself’ a bit, I did a brief research on these famous women, and the easiest explanation comes from Wikipedia:
The Fighting Cholitas are a group of female lucha librewrestlers who perform in El Alto, Bolivia. The Cholitas are part of a group called the Titans of the Ring, which includes both male and female wrestlers. The Titans perform each Sunday for an audience of hundreds at El Alto’s Multifunctional Center.
Like the general population of El Alto, which consists almost entirely of Aymara and Quechua residents, the Cholitas are indigenous. They wear braided hair, bowler hats and multilayered skirts in the ring.
Now, less talk and more images. Starting with our short trip leaving the city of La Paz, towards El Alto, the ‘grand stage’ for the Cholitas Performance!
The ‘way to travel’: our Cholita Wrestling Bus, personalized tickets, snacks and souvenirs!
The ‘performers’… or should I say… ‘the fearless fighters’ and their loyal fans? 😮
These women aren’t like the men in their spandex outfits and masks. They’re Cholitas, indigenous Bolivian women in their traditional Aymara Indian clothes. The outfit includes a layered skirt buoyed by petticoats, a shawl with long swinging fringe and a bowler hat adorned with gold pins. It’s what the women wear in, and out, of the wrestling ring.
Cholitas wrestling is an ever-growing business. Hundreds of tourists, and Bolivians, line up every week to watch the cholitas beat on each other. But why the fascination? “It’s something spectacular, something never seen before to have a cholita in the ring,” a common opinion shared among us, astonished and somehow, confused (?), members of the Sunday audience…. 😮
At 6,438 m (21,122 ft), mount Illimani is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real, the second highest in Bolivia and the 18th highest in the Andes.
It lies just south of La Paz at the eastern edge of the Altiplano.
It dominates the city of La Paz like a sentinel on guard.
It has three prominent peaks seen from La Paz (it actually has several peaks over 6000 meters) and the most commonly climbed route is on the west face.
To climb this mountain one should have some experience and be very well acclimatized. It’s recommended to spend at least 7 days above 3000 meters and work on some high altitude trekking or climbed another 5500 meter plus peak.
Here, the magnificent peak, waiting for a storm to come… Despite the frightful image, the mountain remains peaceful among the dark clouds…
At 6,438 m (21,122 ft), mount Illimani is the highest mountain in the Cordillera Real, the second highest in Bolivia and the 18th highest in the Andes.
It lies just south of La Paz at the eastern edge of the Altiplano, dominating the city of La Paz like a sentinel on guard.
It has three prominent peaks seen from La Paz (it actually has several peaks over 6000 meters) and the most commonly climbed route is on the west face. To climb this mountain one should have some experience and be very well acclimatized. It’s recommended to spend at least 7 days above 3000 meters and work on some high altitude trekking, before any attempt!
Here, this series of images display the snow capped magnificent peak, waiting for a storm to come…a very common scenario during this time of the year… Despite the frightful image, the mountain remains peaceful among the dark clouds…
…and after the storm has passed – the calming view of the mountain, once we’re safely back home, in La Paz!
♥ Thanks for reading! Curious about the previous posts on this Photo Project?
Trying a different thing here! Before you begin reading, let’s try this: I hope you’ll enjoy this post — please let me know your thoughts by dropping me a comment below – obviously, after checking all these beautiful images out! ♥ Thank you! This is the third post of a series on our visit to the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. The previous posts focused on people and our perception of their lives, as well as our ‘on-foot exploration’ of the Copacabana town [missed the great images? No problem! Just hop over to the posts using these links: stop 1 & stop 2!]
From our home, La Paz, to the town of Copacabana, we drove some 172 kilometers, route including a ride on a Ferry Boat! Once in town, we took a 2-hour boat, packed with tourists, families, kids, to the mystic Isla del Sol, for an exciting and exhausting challenging (!!) 3 hour hike through the rocky mountains, towards the pre-Inca ruins, the Sacred Inca Labyrinth, and a well deserved stop at the intriguing ‘floating islands’ [islas flotantes], artificially established fish farms, restaurants & rest areas, for some delicious trout lunch! 😮
According to Wikitravel, “Isla del Sol (“Island of the Sun”) is the largest island on Lake Titicaca, and part of Bolivian territory. An ancient holy site of the Inca, it’s easily reachable from Copacabana”. Considering I love to search for meanings, reasons, traditional explanations, I really loved to learn that, “the Inca [people] legend says that Viracocha, the bearded god who created the universe, emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca and created the sun at this location”… How can something get any cooler than this?
Trying an unusual blogging experience here!
I hope you’ll enjoy this post. Before you begin reading, let’s try this: “what do you expect to see through this post? What type of images come to your mind when you read ‘Isla del Sol’? ‘Bolivia’? — please let me know your thoughts by dropping me a comment below: did the results live up to your expectations? – obviously, share your thoughts after checking all these beautiful images out! ♥Thank you!
This is the third post of a series on our visit to the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. The previous posts focused on people and our perception of their lives, as well as our ‘on-foot exploration’ of the Copacabana town [missed the great images? No problem! Just hop over to the posts using these links: stop 1 & stop 2!]
From our home, La Paz, to the town of Copacabana, we drove some 172 kilometers, route including a ride on a Ferry Boat! Once in town, we took a 2-hour boat, packed with tourists, families, kids, to the mystic Isla del Sol, for an exciting and exhausting challenging (!!) 3 hour hike through the rocky mountains, towards the pre-Inca ruins, the Sacred Inca Labyrinth, and a well deserved stop at the intriguing ‘floating islands’ [islas flotantes], artificially established fish farms, restaurants & rest areas, for some delicious trout lunch! 😮
According to Wikitravel, “Isla del Sol (“Island of the Sun“) is the largest island on Lake Titicaca, and part of Bolivian territory. An ancient holy site of the Inca, it’s easily reachable from Copacabana“. Considering I love to search for meanings, reasons, traditional explanations, I really loved to learn that, “the Inca [people] legend says that Viracocha, the bearded god who created the universe, emerged from the waters of Lake Titicaca and created the sun at this location”… How can something get any cooler than this? 😮 That said, we’ve been to the place where it all began… or at least, the spot where the Sun was created! ♥
Lovely, right? And the images are a testimony of that… take a look and enjoy this journey with our traveling family!
The boat ride to the Isla del Sol…
Take weekend trips with other families with kids -it’s a life-saver!
Largest freshwater lake in South America
…and snapshots of the floating islands and the fish [trout] farms!
The floating restaurant
The floating restaurant
Detail from the trout farm
The fish farm
The floating restaurant
view from the floating restaurant
Learning a bit about the island and its features:
A full-day tour took two hours to get from Copacabana to Cha’llapampa, two and a half hours to see the museum and make a round trip hike to the Rock of the Puma, and back to the Inca Steps and two hours for the ride back to Copacabana.
It’s possible to hike from the Rock of the Puma back to Yumani (three hours) and catch the boat from there. Our family just could not do this, and we skipped the extra 3-hour hike, due to exhausted kids… But, our adventure was well-worthy:
Cha’llapampa, the town on the northern end of the island, is where the boat lets you off. The Gold Museum (Museo de Oro) displays Inca treasures which were discovered underwater off the island in the last decade.
The sights on the northern tip are ancient Inca sacred sites. The Rock of the Puma, or Titi Kharka, after which the lake is named.
A short distance from the rock is the Inca Table, a low platform fashioned of stone. which was supposedly used for human sacrifices. The Footsteps of the Sun nearby are a set of natural impressions in rock.
From Yumani on the southern part of the island, the Inca Steps descend down to the water. At the bottom is the Fountain of Youth.
Finally, once at the island, our hiking adventure through mysticism, tradition & culture!
This is the second post of a series on the city of Copacabana, the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca.
Our path towards a very restful weekend. Bags packed, kids packed, car tank full. Let’s begin! ♥
Our ‘home away from home’, Hotel Rosario do Lago Titicaca, a welcome respite in this funky beach town …. heavenly views, spacious rooms very tastefully decorated, modern and spacious bath, comfortable and beautiful beds. Food is fantastic with beautiful views overlooking lake and lovely gardens…
Typical lady of Copacabana, selling bread in front of the church. Photo taken at the Basilica of the Virgin of Copacabana
This is the second post of a series on the city of Copacabana, the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca.
The previous post focused more on people and our perception of their lives, the image on the right should give a pretty good first impression of what we found during our visit [if curious, hop over to the post using this link!]
Our path towards a very restful weekend. Bags packed, kids packed, car tank full. Let’s begin! ♥
172 kilometers to drive, route including a Ferry!
Leaving La Paz was a breeze! Not the heavy traffic we expected throughout El Alto, and as a bonus, some very interesting buildings along the way – see below!
Our kids simply loved their ‘new way of moving’ along the Lake!
Our ‘home away from home’,Hotel Rosario do Lago Titicaca, a welcome respite in this funky beach town …. heavenly views, spacious rooms very tastefully decorated, modern and spacious bath, comfortable and beautiful beds. Food is fantastic with beautiful views overlooking lake and lovely gardens… Here is what we spotted from our hotel, while enjoying a cup of coffee [me] or a chilled beer [husband] – the magnificent Lake Titicaca:
The city was completely ready for pilgrims and tourists coming from all sorts of places. People seeking blessings, people honoring promises, people of faith and tourists. The colorful city of Copacabanahad a special place for each and every one of them!
The street markets were a sure hotspot for visitors! Clothing articles, leather-made products, typical food, ‘the famous tostadas’ were among the offers!
Hiking options were also available to all, and again, the reasons varied with the will: adventure, faith, curiosity, photography… you name it! The views from up top the Calvary Hill are definitely priceless, and made us forget the difficulties climbing up through the 14 Stations [of the Cross] with a bunch of little kids!
Our youngest member of the hiking team: a 2-yr-old girl”
The little members of our family’s hiking team – our kids!
…and more kids along the way!
Entrance to the “Calvary”
Detail from another one of the 14 Stations of the Cross
The city of Copacabana, spotted from our hiking mid-point
Moms & Kids, resting at mid-point.
The beginning of the hike along the Calvary Hill
Detail from one of the “Stations of the Cross”
Detail: hiking and adventure see no boundaries… no age is too young!
Once at the top of the Calvary Hill, we were introduced to the popular Alasitas! Miniatures representing a wish. It could be a house, a job, a diploma, a car…even money! [they actually had miniature copies of dollar bills!]
People would buy their ‘product of desire’ and have it blessed by a priest [at the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana] or by a native yakiri… Some people chose both options, why not? 😮
At the top of the Calvary Hill, it was time to enjoy the magnificent natural beauty around us: the Lake seemed endless, powerful, and yet, soothing. The deep blue colors from the waters mirrored the blue ceiling the sky was offering to all the ones brave enough to accomplish the walk up… ♥
After all this, were we tired? For a bit, we were, for sure. But we found enough energy to keep moving on, and exploring… an island! The Isla del Sol [Sun Island], a 2-hour boat ride away from Copacabana, with occasional stops at the ‘floating islands‘… But this will be part of an upcoming post… For now, just get back to the images, enjoy them, and if you wish, let us know what you think! 😮 Thanks for tagging along with our ‘traveling family of 5′!’
[Spanish] Copacabana, región encantadora a orillas del Lago Titikaka, está situada a una altura de 3.841 m.s.n.m, y a una distancia de 155 km la ciudad de La Paz, que es la sede de Gobierno de Bolivia y la ciudad más importante del país.
El recorrido desde La Paz toma aproximadamente 3 horas y media por carretera asfaltada. Copacabana, casi es un paso obligatorio entre Cusco (Perú) y la ciudad de La Paz.
A traditional expression of love, for something bigger than oneself…
Religion, devotion, faith, Love – many names for the several different ways of approaching what’s believed to be a stronger, powerful protective force… People seeking blessings, seeking help, seeking guidance…
Cerro Calvario (Calvary Hill) is a hill in Copacabana lined with small monuments representing the 14 Stations of the Cross. Pilgrims visit the Stations for prayer and penance. Thousands of pilgrims journey to Copacabana – some on foot for the entire 158km distance from La Paz, and it’s the chosen inspiration for the fourth week of this 52-week Photo Project, and the last Sunday of January 2013.
At the summit of Cerro Calvario, pilgrims light incense and buy mini replicas of various material possessions that they hope the Virgin will grant them during the year.
The Virgen de la Candelaria in Copacabana is a statue of the Virgin Mary sculpted by an Inca craftsman in 1576. Believed to work miracles, the statue of the “Dark Virgin of the Lake” is the most important pilgrimage destination in Bolivia.
According to a local legend, in 1576, some Inca fishermen were caught in a terrible storm on Lake Titicaca. As they prayed for help, the Virgin Mary appeared and led them to safety.
A traditional expression of love, for something bigger than oneself…
This is the first post of a series on the city of Copacabana, the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It’s an amateur attempt to capture more than just images, landscapes and hotspots from the enormous Lake Titicaca and its surroundings – it’s an experiment to enter people’s lives and understand their feelings… That’s why it’s being called ‘People and Feelings of Copacabana’.
Typical lady of Copacabana, selling bread in front of the church. Photo taken at the Basilica of the Virgin of Copacabana patio, where she patiently waited for the Mass to end…
This is the first post of a series on the city of Copacabana, the main Bolivian town on the shore of Lake Titicaca. It’s an amateur attempt to capture more than just images, landscapes and hotspots from the enormous Lake Titicaca and its surroundings – it’s an experiment to enter people’s lives and understand their feelings… That’s why it’s being called ‘People and Feelings of Copacabana‘.
[Spanish] Copacabana, región encantadora a orillas del Lago Titikaka, está situada a una altura de 3.841 m.s.n.m, y a una distancia de 155 km la ciudad de La Paz, que es la sede de Gobierno de Bolivia y la ciudad más importante del país. El recorrido desde La Paz toma aproximadamente 3 horas y media por carretera asfaltada. Copacabana, casi es un paso obligatorio entre Cusco (Perú) y la ciudad de La Paz.
Religion, devotion, faith – many names for the several different ways of approaching what’s believed to be a stronger, powerful protective force… People seeking blessings, seeking help, seeking guidance…
The town has a large 16th-century shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana. Our Lady of Copacabana is the patron saint of Bolivia. As part of our trip, we also visited the Isla del Sol, and appreciated the long and heartwarming hike through the rocky paths, up to the pre-Inca ruins – sensations and feelings, were everywhere…
More still to come on our recent family 4-day road trip, but for now, let’s begin with these very personal and intimate photo shots… Hope you are all able to perceive the same sensations we got… ♥ Let us know!
Do you have a photo which invites the viewer to look beyond? Are there hidden depths in the background? Is the focal point just a framing for the rest of the picture? If it’s not clear why we should look beyond, tell us! Lead us through the story in your photo.
With at least a post a week for 2013, which I’m calling “52 Bolivian Sundays”, I keep moving forward with the plan to share my [photo] impressions about our surroundings, the culture we’re currently calling ‘ours’, the place we’ll call home for the next year and a half…
Today, for the third Sunday of 2013, I’m sharing one of photo I snapped during a recent visit to a local Art Exhibit in town. The photo responds to the weekly photo challenge, “Beyond“, trying to answer to: “Do you have a photo which invites the viewer to look beyond?”
Leading the readers through the story in the photo. What do YOU SEE BEYOND the picture? 😮
This is s very powerful picture, an oil painting, part of this months current Art Exhibit at the Museo de Arte Contemporaneo ‘Plaza’, in La Paz [more images from my visit to the museum to come later this week, after we return from our family escape to the Lake Titicaca!].
The image has many possible meanings/interpretations, although I believe there’s not doubt about its powerful impact/reaction… The picture portraits the image of a kid, maybe in despair? And, at the same time you find yourself looking at the helpless face of this boy, you discover the image is being ‘ripped off’ from its reality, which brings us to the questions:
‘Is it all real?‘ ‘Is all the pain portrait here, simply an illusion?’ Is the image a symbol of a lost childhood?’
What about you? What are you seeing beyond the painted image? ♥
Today, for the second Sunday of 2013, the chosen photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenge, “Illumination”, and is a little remembrance of the way the city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz greeted the New Year of 2013… Illumination brings rebirth, reinvention.
“Lights are functional — everyday objects in our rooms and on our streets. Yet lights can be powerful symbols: signs of life, curiosity, and discovery…”
Today, for the second Sunday of 2013, the chosen photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenge, “Illumination“, and is a little remembrance of the way the city of Nuestra Señora de La Paz greeted the New Year of 2013… Illumination brings rebirth, reinvention, rejoice!
“Lights are functional — everyday objects in our rooms and on our streets. Yet lights can be powerful symbols:signs of life, curiosity, and discovery…”
Well, this is the time to come up with New Year Resolutions. I’m no different than many others, and since once of my resolutions is to get better at photoblogging, I’ve resolved to do something.
Just created a project for 2013, which I’m calling ’52 Bolivian Sundays’. And why? Well, it’s a simple way to share my visual impressions about my surroundings, throughout this year… and considering our family still has a year and half here, it’s safe to bet on the 52 weeks.Today, the first Sunday of 2013, the opening photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenged, “Resolved”.
52 images of natural landscapes, people, culture, food, tradition, daily life, social events, artistic expressions… you name it! But each and every one of them need to represent the place we’re now calling home, the beautiful country of Bolivia! ♥
My first resolution for the year: getting out and exploring the country. We haven’t done a lot of traveling in these past 5 months here, but now it’s time to explore… and find out what’s hiding behind these mountains…
Well, this is the time to come up with New Year Resolutions. I’m no different than many others, and since once of my resolutions is to get better at photoblogging, I’ve resolved to do something.
My resolution? Trying to blog better, more consistently… this year, I’ll see if I can abide by a weekly schedule… with at least a post a week for 2013, which I’m calling “52 Bolivian Sundays”, my plan to share my [photo] impressions about our surroundings, the culture we’re currently calling ‘ours’, the place we’ll call home for the next year and a half… Hopefully, I’ll stick to the plan, and have a photo post out every Sunday… 52 images of natural landscapes, people, culture, food, tradition, daily life, social events, artistic expressions… you name it! But each and every one of them need to representthe place we’re now calling home, the beautiful country of Bolivia! ♥
Today, the first Sunday of 2013, the opening photo is inspired by the weekly photo challenge, “Resolved“. My first resolution for the year: getting out [more] and exploring the country. We haven’t done a lot of traveling in these past 5 months here, but now it’s time to explore… and find out what’s hiding behind these mountains… or, what lies beyond these clouds… 😮
So, 2013 is here… and we got to celebrate it’s first hours surrounded by great music, yummy food, good friends, all of our kids (yeap, kids were too excited to fall asleep, or even, take a short nap! but it’s all part of the course, and we let them join us for a midnight celebration), watching the fireworks throughout the city of La Paz).♥
Image Credit: http://stuckonthe80s.com/
Earlier, I’d shared that a couple of our expat friends here had decided to put together an 80s party to welcome the New Year! It was a blast, and here are some of the images from the last day of 2012, and the very first hours of 2013.
So, 2013 is here… and we got to celebrate it’s first hours surrounded by great music, yummy food, good friends, all of our kids, who joined us for the midnight celebration (yeap, kids were too excited to fall asleep, or even, take a short nap!); while we all watched the fireworks happening throughout the city of La Paz…♥
Earlier, I’d shared that a couple of our expat friends here had decided to put together an 80s party to welcome the New Year! Everyone had a blast, and here are some of the images from the last day of 2012, and the very first hours of 2013.
That’s what the New Year’s Celebration brought out! The best? Definitely the 80s hair styles… look at what people came up with! 😮
Someone else who wrote about ‘Style’ for the New Year? Here!
Celebrating the arrival of 2013, and bidding farewell to a dear 2012… All with style – 80s style! Could there be a more fun way to do it?
[A confession,thank you very much, Robert Smith, for not only making my high school/early College years bearable, but also for helping me endure my recent parenting years, as a mother of 3 little ones…
Only another tired mom would understand the calming and motivational power of an 80s song…
😮 Especially if, that same mom is ready to give up on her first-grader’s homework on a Saturday morning!
Somehow, the 80s music finds a way to ‘reach out to me’, and bring me back to reality… Not in high school anymore… the sleepless nights are not due to some term paper or exam…
now, the short nights usually come from a crying kid with fever, or, another one having a nightmare; or simply, missing my well-deserved beauty rest by having a couple of extra ‘bodies’ in our bed… every single night, since 2005! ♥
But well, that’s the path we chose, and the 80s music have always helped me thru ‘tough times’… ♥ My favorite, without question, The Cure…
Wonders that only a blond wig can do! 5 years later, 3 kids, 2 more countries under the belt… the forties have arrived… let’s see what type of hairstyle this mom will bring out! 😮
Let’s see what the New Year’s Celebration brings!
Now, not only I’ll go to a party with ‘my guy’, but a handful of other ‘accessories’, which will include a 7-year-old boy, who loves 70s & 80s music; an almost 5 year old girl who loves to dress up [like her mother!] and is ‘addicted’ to dance… and a 2-year-old girl, which’s still a bit young to define her style… time will tell…
That said, getting these bad boys out of the closet [I mean, the leg warmers! mine are pink with white stripes], making sure the hair will be ‘par’ for the celebration, check the clothing colors [lots of them, and they better be bright!], accessories, make-up… and head to the party humming my favorite tunes!
NOW:on my way out to the local market, trying to find some ‘miracle hair products’ for tomorrow night’s bash! 😮
How was the year of 2012? Apparently, we all did okay through the Mayan quasi-apocalipse, so, that’s a pretty positive point!
It’s often said that images speak more than words, so…. Here’s our 2012 through photos!
June 2012: After 2 years at post, our family says goodbye to Brazil in style, surrounded by friends & family!!
2012 will mark the 12th New Year’s Eve with my guy… yeah, the one riding the Peace & Love 70s van with me, just pictured above… ♥ And this December we celebrate 110 months of married life… it sure goes by pretty fast!
How was the year of 2012?
Apparently, we all did okay through the Mayan quasi-apocalipse, so, that’s a pretty positive point!
It’s often said that images speak more than words, so…. Considering that during 2012, we had homes in three countries, it was a bit of challenge to pick an image to represent each month, but, why not give it a shot? :
Here is our 2012, through photos!
August 2012: New life, new school, new friends. School kids receive their ‘welcome’ with a traditional ‘Salteñada’.
July 2012: Spending Home Leave in the USA. During a family Reunion, kids get to ‘show their colors!
September 2012: Learning about our new home, the beautiful country of Bolivia. First stop: the traditional architecture of the San Francisco Church
October 2012: Halloween at the USAID/Bol Compound
“November 2012: Celebrating the Anniversary of the Marine Corps. “Who doesn’t like a Ball?”
January 2012: Beginning the year cooking: a typical Portuguese/Brazilian dish: Shrimp casserole, here, with an added hint of…. beer!
June 2012: After 2 years at post, our family says goodbye to Brazil in style, surrounded by friends, family and co-workers!
March 2012: A trip full of adventure to the Archipelago of Fernando de Noronha, Northeast of Brazil.
May 2012: A visit to the Rainbow Warrior, ship from Greenpeace on Brazilian Waters.
February 2012: Enjoying the largest street carnival in the world – Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.
December 2012: Scenes from old homes and present home. The warmest wishes for a fantastic New Year!
April 2012: Visiting the mystic city of Brasilia, capital of Brazil, for a USA/Brazil summit. Here, the architecture, lighting and unique beauty of the Metropolitan Cathedral.
This week’s photo inspiration is to portrait 2012 in pictures… one per month… Let’s see how good of a job I did over here!
As many know, we’re in La Paz, Bolivia, for our current assignment. And a year from now, we’ll be leaving here, heading to our new post assignment. In order to break our 2-year assignment a little, we headed back to the US for a well-deserved “Rest & Recuperation” [R&R} trip. three weeks driving from Florida to Delaware, stopping, snapping photo shots and introducing our children to new cities/states.
3rdculturechildren 