Cochabamba and Toro Toro

Next stop---Cochabamba---and who was waiting for us there---our special friend Linda---how exciting!!! She was there visiting the family of Jose (of Inka Marka fame!!!)---and they kindly invited us to stay there as well. After our over-night bus trip, we jumped in a taxi, and when we arrived at their street---there was Linda waiting to meet us, jumping up and down with excitement. It was so exciting to see a friendly face from home---and also lovely to meet Jose´s family.

It was actually his dad´s birthday---and a party was planned---good timing hey!!! So--after breaky which included yummy Vegemite which Linda had brought!!! (and Linda and my "blah blah blah blah blah"---months of not talking to catch up on!!!)---off we went to town to do some party shopping. Food, drink and cake---what else does a party need!!!
The party started mid-afternoon---first lunch, then cake---then the drinking started. Beer and chicha!!! Chicha is a drink made from fermented corn, and it´s pretty potent---they love it over here!!

Then---time for music and dancing. It´s not a Latin American party without dancing!!! Our entertainment was provided by an Andean band in which Jose´s son Dayan plays and sings. A group of extremely talented musicians---and in particular Dayan. A Mariachi band was also organised---so lots of dancing and fun was had by all.

Jesus and I had seen a poster promoting Tora Tora, a cute little town in a National Park about 160km from Cochabamba. As it happened, this next weekend was the "Festival de Tata Santiago" there---a big local Indigenous festival honouring the Saint "Tata Santiago"---with lots of music and dancing and entertainment and Indigenous culture. So--after a bit of a sleep in and a yummy breaky (yep---soup for breaky!!!), the 3 of us headed off excitedly Tora Tora bound!!!

We arrived to where we were told buses were leaving from--to find one bus stationed there. They told us there was no buses leaving, and were selling tickets for this bus for the next day. We were a bit disheartened--but oh well, what could we do---so we bought 3 of the last 4 seats on the bus. We then crossed the road to head back to the house to find 2 mini buses calling out for people heading to Tora Tora. Yep---in true Latin American style they had lied to us to sell seats on their bus!!! But---we went back, told them off and asked for our money back---and surprisingly they gave it to us!!!---a rarity over here!!!

So---off we headed in our mini-van. The trip took 4 1/2 hours to go 160km!!! A pretty rough ride---but apparently this was a "good" road compared to before!!! Hmmm!!! At parts the road was quite narrow---and at one point our driver pulled over to let a truck pass. As the drivers are a bit crazy over here---the truck driver went past too fast and not very carefully, hit the back corner of our van, and took off the back bumper bar!!! So, the rest of the trip Linda and I were sitting in the back seats with a bumper bar---and nearly dieing from dust inhalation!!!

We finally arrived in Tora Tora at 7pm to find all the hostels booked out months ago---oh dear!!! We went to the tourist office to ask for advice---and the young guy just looked at us!!! Luckily a lady overheard us---as in one of the hostels a group of 40 had booked, and only 25 actually arrived. So--luckily for us there was a room with 3 beds---just waiting for us!!! Complete with views over the street below and the mountains in front---with a flat rock-like area with---Dinosuar foot-prints!!!

We went for a bit of a walk around the town---with its cute little Plaza de Armas (central plaza) complete with a dinosaur statue. This National Park was also home to Dinosaurs millions of years ago---and yep, more dinosaur foot-prints---and the plan is to put 21 of these life-sized dinosaur sculptures throughout the park. We enjoyed the town in its "relaxed" state before the festival started!!!

We also found this funny sign nailed to a tree...translated "Prohibited to urinate and defacate"...doesnt stop them though!!!

Not much was happening this night, as the festival actually started the next day---the town was just beginning to come to life with people arriving and setting up. So---after a cup of tea (yes---just tea!!!)--time to go to our little room---we were all pretty tired after the car trip!!!

After a good nights sleep we awoke to activity in the street below---people were arriving and setting up their stalls for the festival---dressed in their colourful traditional clothes. The women with their "best" skirts and shirts and white felt hats decorated with pom-pom type bands or ribbon-like tassles. The men with brightly coloured vests and jackets and the typical patterned and colourful knitted hats. Yep---the photos started!!!

After breaky, we went to see the street markets...selling all the colourful poleras (skirts), vests, jackets, ponchos, scarves, hats, belts...colour, colour, colour!!! The traditional clothes from this region are particularly intricate and colourful. Yep...more photos!!! Plus...not to mention the stalls selling Andean instruments..."try before you buy"...so Linda did!!!

At mid-day the street parade started---from dance groups dressed in their colourful costumes, to the "real makoy"---musicians/dancers from the local villages roaming the streets. Some of these villagers play a type of zampoña (wooden flute) that only have 4 notes each of varying lengths---they play their particular note at the "right" time in the music. This particular group roamed through the streets all weekend--each time returning to their camp to drink chicha!!! Not sure if the serious "trance-like" look on their faces was because they were engrossed in their music---or drunk from too much chicha!!!

There was music and dancing in the streets all weekend---groups walking around playing, or people just wandering around strumming on a charango. Linda and I had a great time being paparazzi---so much colour and Andean culture!!!

That night was concert heaven---on a stage set up next to the plaza, Andean music until time for bed!!! Plus---the other groups still just roaming the streets---music, dancing, colour and culture everywhere!!! We couldn´t stop dancing!!! It was interesting to watch all the locals---they were entranced by the music, but didn´t dance at all---they are actually quite reserved (unlike us!!!). There was some fantastic groups full of energy and vibrance. But---enough was enough when a group of 8 girls dressed in white pants and yellow spangled singlet tops came on and played techno-Andean music---loudly and not very well at that!!! For us---time for bed!!!

The next morning Jesus and I decided to go for a bit of a walk in the National Park---in search of fossils!! We had heard that there was lots of them in this park. You were supposed to pay a park entrance fee and go with a guide--but as noone was there controlling anything---off we went---Jesus as "tour-guide"!!! The surrounding countryside was beautiful---lots of colours and geological formations, and a pretty river canyon with stones of all colours. We didn´t find any fossils---but we did stumble across more dinosaur foot-prints. There was actually quite a lot of them, not in such a great states of preservation as the first ones we saw--but still!!! Who needs a tour guide!!! Jesus seems to have this natural good sense of direction!!!

Plus---just wandering it was lovely to see the locals in their colourful clothes heading towards the festival or back to their villages---really pretty set against the backdrop of the countryside.

Back in town, the town was again full of colour and atmosphere. Today was the festival of the "Taki Tinku"---a traditonal and typical music from this region, the North of Potossi. The performers were dressed in the most amazingly colourful clothes and ranged from groups direct from the little villages, to more accomplished musicians. The first group were the "real deal"---they looked like they had come straight from their local village and had never really played in public. They came on stage, looked like they had stage fright, played, and then almost mid-song stopped and just kind of ran off!!! It was fantastic to see this "real" culture--thats what we came here for.

In the evening we danced our hearts away to some great music. What was lovely was that whilst the groups were playing on stage--others were wandering the streets playing and dancing---including villagers playing their traditional music, and the zampoña group arriving in their varying trance-like states!!!

I invited a young girl to dance with us---she was so cute and kind of befriended us. She said that she was there with her sister, and that they had come because they had heard that they were going to be giving away pencils and note-books. They had been throwing pencils in to the crowd---WOW--the little things that make these kids happy!!! I felt sorry for our little friend---as this was the only reason she had come and was waiting--it was quite late by this stage. So---I took her to the little shop opposite our hostel and stocked her and her sister up with a notebook, a lead pencil, a red pencil, a sharpener and a rubber each---for $4!!! Off she went to her house--very happy!!!

At the end of the evening they presented all the Taki Tinku performers with gifts---shovels and picks and rice and cola for their communities.

Jesus was "inspired" to come to this park because of the fossils---so the next morning we

decided to hire a guide to take us to an area called "7 Vueltas---7 Turns" where there was lots of them. So, we left Linda to her own devices in town---in charge of paparazying and chatting up the locals (sorry Linda---had to say that---hee hee!!!)---and off we went.

It wasn´t a long or too difficult hike---following a river and climbing up the mountain a bit---but it was, again, a beautiful hike. We arrived at this area where there was a band of rock in the mountain---full of fossils!!! WOW---Jesus was in 7th heaven!!! We spent about 45 minutes just searching for fossils, but it wasn´t hard as they were everywhere!!!! From whole sea-shells to rocks filled with fossils---big ones, small ones--lots of ones!!!

It was prohibited to take any---but we could collect some to take a photo. I knew that Jesus would try to sneak at last one---and i discovered that i could also sneak a couple down my top!!! Jesus was walking in front of me, and he had one that he liked in his hand---when the guide was´t looking, but i was, he shoved it down his pants!!! Naughty us!!!

When we arrived back in town, Jesus went to the office to pay--and i ran off to the hostel---worried that they might decide to "check" our pockets!!! Back in our room with the 3 of us---Jesus and i started emptying our clothes. Jesus had even shoved one down his shoe which had started to rub his heel--ouch!!! One larger shell that i had nicked---Jesus said "How did you get that?!" He had left it sitting on a rock wanting to take it, but the guide was with him---but when i saw it sitting there i shoved it down my jeans!!!

But---naughtiness aside---we had a fun time. We passed several villagers walking to Tora Tora or back to their villages dressed in their colourful clothes---so pretty set against the countryside. On the way back we heard some music in the hills behind us---there was a villager walking down to the town strumming on his charango---how beautiful!!!

I just had to add this photo!!! As we were arriving back in town we met this local---who didn´t quite make it to where he was going!!! Too much partying!!!

This was also the day of the Tinku Fighting---a tradition where the men fight (full on fighting)--punching and wrestling--until they are hurt or bleeding. It is said that they fight until blood is spilt for the Pacha Mama (Mother Earth)---and whoever wins brings good luck to his community for the year.

But---seriously---I think they have to be drunk on chicha to partake in such an event!!! They "offer" to fight each other!!! It took place in the middle of the street---with the crowd gathered around the couple fighting. At one stage Linda and I were watching and the whole crowd group just moved in a wave down the street following the fighters. It was a bit scary--almost like crowd crush---dangerous, as if you fell over you would just get trampled. Entertainment Sth American style!!!

But, unfortunately our weekend of Andean culture had come to an end---time to head back to Cochabamba. However, for the locals---it is said that the party continues until the money, or the chicha, runs out!!!We spent a couple more days in Cochabamba with Linda and Jose´s family---who kindly treated us to the delicacies of "Cochabambian Cuisine"---YUM!!! Cochabamba is said to be the culinary capital of Bolivia!!!

Plus exploring the city of Cochabamba and the realities of life in Sth America for many people.

But--it was time to move on, time to bid Linda and Jose´s family farewell and continue on our travels. Boo hoo!!! Thanks to them all for a wonderful week!!!

We stopped for a night in a town called Villa Tunari---a town on the outskirts of the jungle region---sounded like a cute place and we thought with nice jungle walks and rivers. But---it wasn´t so cute!!! Nice colourful jungle plants and insects and my favourite leaf-cutter ants--but that was it!!!

So---next day---on to our last port of call in Bolivia---Santa Cruz. Nothing too exciting about Santa Cruz---another big town. The most exciting thing was people-watching in the main plaza---with the "coffee men" wheeling around their trollies selling coffee---and the cute little indigenous kids dressed in traditional clothes, with their tape recorder, dancing and begging for money...in between watching the local playing chess!!! Sad---but cute!!!

The main reason we stopped here was to go on to the border with Brazil, where we were headed. As an Aussie, I needed a visa the enter Brazil--and there was a Brazilian embassy in Santa Cruz. As we arrived on the weekend, we had to wait until monday for the embassy to open. When we arrived there we were told "sorry, the computers are down and we can´t give you a visa---you will have to go back to Cochabamba"---12 hours away mind you!!! No apology, no help, no advice---just No!!! Service Sth American style!!!

I decided to phone the embassy in Cochabamba--and fortunately spoke to someone helpful who informed me that there was a Consulate in the small border town where I could organise my visa!!! So---fingers crossed---that´s what we decided to do. Arriving at the border (after yet another night in bus!!!) we went to the Consulate. As always, they act officious, make you wait and feel nervous---but I got my visa!!! Phew!!

So---adios to Bolivia---and Brazil---here we come!!!
So---until Brazil

Lots of Love
Llamas Bailando xxoo

PS: Just to finish with photos of this cute old man who was having his shoes polished in the plaza inSanta Cruz!!!

PPS: The next blog is called "Faces of Toro Toro". As always i chose too many photos for this blog...so made another blog with more colouful photos from our adventures in this town...hope you enjoy them!!!