02 | April | 2014 | A Conscience Journey

Daily Archives: April 2, 2014

Do Not Pass This Up! Amantani Island Pt.1

Posted on April 2, 2014 by valarieivester

We made a quick over night stop in Puno, Perú because we had planned on staying with a family on Isla de Amantani for a night. To get there we had to board a small boat and travel 3 hours off the coast of Perú.

When we arrived we were both nervous because other than knowing we were going to stay with a local family and learn about their way of life, we really didn’t know what to expect. We hopped off the boat to meet our family for the next 2 days.

As we exit, we can see that the women are there to greet us and also find out who they will be hosting. We didn’t know it then but we were going to be assigned to Virginia, she’s 3rd from the right;)

Once we knew we were going to be staying with her we walked back to her home. On the way she showed us their church…

This was the road that led to her home.
Fuente de la Eterna Juventud = Fountain of Eternal Youth
I know which road I’m walking down as many times as I can!!!

We arrived to the home that Virginia shares with her parents Augustina and Daniel, along with her brother Alex. Don’t be fooled by the structure, this building is nothing more than a mud/clay house with windows.

She then shows us to our room. This is the view right outside our door…..overlooking Lake Titicaca. Simply amazing;)

The inside of our room is simple but so comfortable;)
Virginia says for us to get comfortable and that she has made us almuerzo. For two weary travelers, a home cooked meal sounds amazing and we are extremely grateful!

She shows us around so we know where we will be staying.

The outdoor baño doesn’t flush but its soooo clean which is more than I can say for half the hostels we have stayed in up to this point;) The bucket next to the toilet is filled with water so you can rinse out the toilet after you use it…..IT’S ABOUT TO GET REAL!! 🙂

She then invites us to sit in her kitchen/dining area. Decorated with beautiful colored tableclothes, I’m a happy guest;)

She serves up the most delicious bowl of Sopa de Quinoa. This dish is a staple for her family and all the Andean people who live on Amantani Island. They grow their own quinoa in the backyard!!

We thought it was enough with the sopa but then she serves us a plate of home grown potatoes, an egg, and a side salad of tomatoes and cucumbers. We are more than full but we indulge and thank Virginia for her work in the kitchen.

AND IT JUST KEEPS COMIN!!!
She ends the meal with a steaming cup of tea and provides us coca leaves and fresh spearmint grown in her garden. (Belly soooo full) I sit back and enjoy the tea.
PS. you haven’t lived if you haven’t had fresh herbs in your tea…MAKE IT HAPPEN;)

As we were sipping our tea…we got guests!!

The familias chickens must have smelled the delicious cooking and wanted in for a taste! Even with my offer to help clean the dishes she wouldn’t hear of it and orders us rest;)

After lunch we had some time to relax before a hike up to Pachatata, one of the islands places of worship. We are already so high up, but Pachatata is going to be even higher and the cold is going to set in.
Augustina (Virginia’s mama) knits hats for a living and offers me one….It was one of the coolest things I have ever bought.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Amantani Island, grateful, homestay, Perú, Puno, south America, travel | 9 Comments

Vamos a La Paz, Bolivia!!!

Posted on April 2, 2014 by valarieivester

Fresh off the plane and standing outside the airport as we have done several times now, the first 5 minutes of every city has felt the same, anxiety so high its hard to breathe, the absurd feeling of being completely naked allthough I have everything I own strapped to my back, and the look Jorgie and I give each other right before we step out of the safety of an airport and out into the open hoping all the planning we have done in books and on the Internet was going to match what was in front of us….this first 5 minutes we feel the most vulnerable and lean on each other incredibly. It’s funny how quickly we have learned and adjusted who is better at what. As quickly as those first 5 minutes start….they fade. Each city has brought us incredible blessings and La Paz was no different. At first glance, La Paz is slightly scary. Gone are the big high rises of Buenos Aires, the afternoon window shoppers of Mendoza. They are replaced with a much poorer looking city with a people that are dressed in garb I wouldn’t of imaged. But of all the cities so far…La Paz, Bolivia would be the place I would recommend people to as a whole;) Let me show you why…..

The people of La Paz are ones that have held on to long practiced traditions and haven’t conformed too much. This single thing alone makes a visit here feel like your in another world completely.

La Paz is roughly 11,975 feet above sea level. That means a very light headed, nauseous, “I can’t breathe”, Val. 😉
At this elevation, the air is so thin that it is recommended to take it easy the first couple days until you adjust to it. They have a “local ” cure for altitude sickness, COCA TEA! This simple, yet effective, tea is plainly: very hot water, the coca leaves in their natural state, and sweetner if desired. These little leaves are banned in the US because these are the leaves that, along with a bunch of other chemicals, make up cocaine.
NOOOOW…. it’s extremely important to understand that these leaves are a daily staple to the Andean people and they take great offense to anyone believing that they are using a drug. They are very quick to fully explain that in their natural state they aid in altitude sickness, upset stomach, are loaded with antioxidants, and help with digestion. It is completely true that the coca leaves alone are nothing more than a leaf. You can see women and men all over the city sipping their coca teas or simply putting the raw leaves in the side of their mouth (much like tobacco dip) and chewing and ingesting the juices. We tried both of course! The tea was amazing!!! The raw leaves tastes exactly like that….like I was chewing on grass! 😉 We preferred the tea!

Don’t be alarmed if a young man with a mask walks up to you…you will see gentlemen like this guy all over the city. They are shoe shiners and cover their face because they are embarrassed that tgey aren’t in school and want no one to know their identity.

I was photo bombed by a local!!!

In La Paz do not miss the local markets that sell handcrafted goodies made by the locals here. While everything is very reasonably priced, bargaining is okay. The Witches Market are stalls upon stalls with colorful alpaca sweaters, purses, hats, gloves, and the famous toboggan (sp?). We couldn’t get enough of all the colors!

I did say this was a WITCHES MARKET😉
Here they have potions, pills, and even alpaca fetuses that will cure anything that might ale you from infertility, neck aches, back aches, impotence, and we even found a cologne makes it seem if worn your gonna have to beat the women off you with a stick!!
Jorgie eyed it for a moment….but what this place doesn’t sell is a quick nudge and a questionable look from a woman. That cures most things;) Move along buster;)

I’m not sure if this is how the outfit was supposed to come together….but he was just too happy about his hat purchase to pass this moment up without capturing it;)
Winter hat, summer tank top, basketball shorts, and flip flops?!?!
#Adorable but he still is a hot mess here;)

Like all of the cities so far…they have no shortage of beautiful churches.

Plaza Murillo has its flagship church right in he center of the plaza and it is gorgeous.

We caught some schoolboys in the plaza in an intense game of fútbol!

As we made our way to Calle Jaén the roads changed to cobblestone abd the buildings more colorful.

Calle Jaén

Keep strolling and you will run into the place were all the big decisions are made.

This plaza was COVERED with birds waiting to be fed, as the kids played with them.

CLEARLY. ..We are kids;)
(I couldn’t open my asian eyes!)

This took some time cause with all my interactions with animals, I’m TERRIFIED at first.

But soon the birds just perched on my head and we were able to get along juuuuuust fine! 😉

We called it a day and indulged in a café. Here the coffee is made with pure coffee bean extract so you have to add water to it, super strong stuff, but a fantastic way for us to end our time in La Paz!