Into the clouds
Trip Start
Mar 09, 2007
1
144
169
Trip End
??? ??, 2008
Sorata,
Bolivia
Thursday, January 31, 2008
The drive was beautiful. The town is really chill and it reminds me a lot of Corocio, another chill town north of La Paz. I spent two days pretty much hanging out, exploring the streets, taking pictures, and hiking the surrounding area. Unfortunately it being the rainy season and we being in the mountains, we were either in the clouds or just below them. The clouds didn't open once while I was there, so I never got any views of the mountains which was kind of a bummer. There are some small and large hiking trips that can be done from here, but since the weather wasn't good (rainy season can really blow at times) and my limited time, I didn't undertake any of them. I will have to save those for another trip.
On a funny note, I went to a restaurant for dinner one night and asked what they had. I didn't quite understand what it was, but it was some kind of meat fried in some kind of tortilla dough. Sounded good. I took two bites and realized it was this type of unknown cut of meat that I have seen in some of the butcher shops. Its white, thin and sheet like. I think it was cow stomach, but I'm not sure, I still haven't found out (I keep forgetting to ask). Needless to say I left it and at the rest of the stuff on the plate.
On the topic of not being able to understand Bolivians, its a widespread problem. And not just for me. Several Argentinians and other Spanish speakers have told me the same thing. The problem is that Bolivians don't enunciate. They talk without moving their lips and talk through their teeth. It's really frustrating because you have to ask them several times what they said and usually then you still don't understand. Of course they all understand each other. I think this all comes from the nature of their indigenous language, Quechua. Its a language that is not enunciated, its more mumbled.
