La Paz was not the ideal place for me to be recovering from my third stomach bug. This bug was not as mean ast the 1st, more predictable than the 2nd, but by far the most stubborn. After 2 full days of HBO movies and chicken soup, Brian and I decided to bag the Choro Trek and just head straight to the end destination: Coroico.
I was talking with this woman who owns a store that I can`t afford to shop in, but like to hang out in, asked me the other day if we were planning to go to the jungle. No, I said, we don`t have enough time - but this woman went on and on about the amazing sensations: the smells, the sounds, the temperatures. And when she said it was only 3 hours away, I knew I had to go to this place. And let me tell you, it was everything she said and more.
May and June are the months when the coffee, the coca and the citrus trees are all in season. You could walk down the street, go for mini hikes, relax by the river, and all the while munch on ripe mandarins that we just plucked from the tree while butterflies of all shapes and colors whirl around you. The weather is humid, but not too humid (my skin has finally recovered from the Altiplano). In the mornings a fog covers the whole town. Sometimes it is right in your face, making it feel like the middle of winter; sometimes it is in the valleys below and swirls up the mountains and over the houses; sometimes it`s right above you and you think that the sun will never come out, but it always did. The birds create the orquestra in the morning and the bugs take it over at night. Truly, this place was a slice of paradise.
Our hotel was the actual "hippie heaven" however. Mandarin trees on the grounds, hammocks, our own cabin: every morning, Brian and I would open up our double doors and watch the hummingbirds wizz through the trees. The birds got us up at 7, breakfast (an all natural, from their own garden, delicious vegetarian breakfast) was at 8:30. And after 8:30. the birds would die down and Enya would do the singing for the day. The owners of the hostel also led meditation sessions and yoga. Beautiful.
We spent our last day (yesterday) by the river with our good friends we met in Huaraz, Max and Shaina. We swam in swiming holes and hiked up stream between small canyons and through vines. Then we laid out on the hot rocks to dry off as the sun went behind the hills.
You may all think that I`m exaggerating, but this place was a dream. Maybe I should work on just one more stomach bug... No. Back up to high altitude we go. And this time with our own donkey! And donkey driver of course. We`ll keep you posted!
Thanks for all of the great comments!!
Kimberly
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Kimberly: Good to have you back on your feet. I'm thinking you are "nearly perpetual-touristas". I presume your spot of heaven was on the East side of the Andes on a river eventually flowing into the Amazon. Your Mom and I missed that type of trip far up the river. We were at the mouth of the Amazon and went upstream a modest distance only. You have made me vow to return. I feel that I didn't even see Bolivia. Brian: the usual great photos. I especially like the evening shot with the moon and the mountain. See you both soon. We are picking up the boat tomorrow, so get those ski legs ready. A. Grove
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