The Golden City of Cusco

The symbol of the Inca Empire.

Even the Peruvians love this city!

Looking out onto Santa Catalina.

By now, the long over-night bus trips are just part and parcel of travelling in South America. I have only caught one plane, from El Calafate to Buenos Aires to save me 3 days on a bus (for the same price), and have done nearly from top to bottom (in the other order) of this continent on buses. There are various grades and sizes of buses, some with 2 decks and some without toilets (or some with toilets that state "liquid only"), cama and semi-cama (basically business class and cattle class), and now I have discovered that in Colombia the long distance buses have WiFi on board and USB chargers for your phone and devices. The bus from Copacabana to Cusco was an overnight trip, and nothing special to be honest. The guy that got left behind managed to catch up to his bus (a $5 phone call from our bus driver to his), and I got my stamp into the country after the mess-up after getting into Bolivia, and so all was right in the world. I arrived in Cusco at 5am, and although I usually walk to my hostel, a chance to stretch my feet and save some cash, I figured that this time of day is not the best time to be wandering around searching for a bed (not I didn't book one this time, as the internet in Copacabana was very limited!), and the centre was about 7kms away. 6 Soles ($3) later (I'm glad I changed it at the border) and I was in the Plaza de Armas.

The fountain in the Plaza de Armas.

The Santa Catalina Convent on the Plaza.

The gold 'face' of the Incas - now on street signs.

I stepped/fell out of the taxi in the main square of the city, my legs not quite working normally after the long trip and my bags are just damn heavy too. It was early, the sun was just getting up, and I was blown away by Cusco. With a population of just under 500,000 people and sitting at a pretty 3,400m, it has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1983 and visited by more than 2 million people a year. This city was the capital of the Inca Empire between the 13th and 16th Centuries, this ending when the Spaniards arrived in 1533 and conquered the city and took it's leader, Emperor Atahualpa, as a captive and eventually executed him. The whole account of how the Spanish conquered many parts of South America are long and sometimes doubtful in my opinion, as they were written by the people who did the conquering (unlike Caesar's accounts in Gaul and Britain that are said to be very accurate and honest), but some tales and stories are interesting and probably mostly true - the Spanish did come for gold and silver, and the Incan Empire was granted to Francisco Pizzaro in the name of the Spaniards. When the Incan leader was captured, he offered to buy his freedom by offering 2 rooms full of treasure - 1 full of gold and the other with silver, up to the reach of his arms. The 'gold' room measured 22 feet by 17 feet and 9 feet tall (6.7m x 5.1m x 2.7m) and the other one slightly smaller, but the gold alone was worth more than $15M. Long story short - he was executed, originally to be burnt at the stake but later changed to garotting if he got baptised (which he did to Juan de Atahualpa). A very sad story, one of greed and betrayal, signifying the end of the Inca Empire and the start of Latin America.

Women in tradition Peruvian clothes in a festival to start the new school year.

The beautiful clothes (and women) of Peru.

Free chocolate samples!

The city itself is beautiful, and you can see why the Conquistidores were impressed. The city was called Qusqu or Qosqo in Quechua (the language of the Incas and now a French clothing brand), but couldn't be pronounced by the lispy invaders, and made Cusco. Although the city is no longer filled with gold (which was not used as currency or seen as important by the Incas), the square is huge and the building that hug it's sides are really something. Stone buildings and clay-tiled roofs, colourful balconies, small streets that wind up the surrounding hills - it all adds to a magical city. Nowadays, the city retained 30% of the original stonework and buildings and 70% is what the Spanish built - most of this is the base of buildings built my the Incas, the iconic, huge stones that fit together perfectly, and then the white-washed structures above that which the Spanish built. If it weren't for the bloody and horrible history of how this city became so beautiful, it would be perfect! Sitting the plaza, or walking slowly around snapping pictures, I like to dream of what it would have looked like the day before Pizzaro and his men arrived - towering stone temples and block-paved streets, colourful marketplaces and people walking in the streets wearing their traditional clothing and speaking Quechua still. We'll never know and must accept the past, learn from it, and enjoy it as things are and keep them for history. The historical centre is what everyone sees and visits, but the modern, urban sprawl is the real city - streets climbing to hills, small buses chugging round corners billowing smoke on everyone that is in it's path, and the noise of people all living, working and trying to enjoy themselves along with half a million others. Although you get harassed for massages, tours, sunglasses and just about everything else, the people hawking these things are polite and don't really hassle you.

The streets of Cusco's Historical Old Town.

Photos for money - unless you're quick!

Two women in traditional outfits.

Like most South American cities, the Municipal or Main Market is a great place to start. Firstly, there you can find all the local handicrafts (yes I bought a few things), as well as fruit and veg, and of course cheap eats! My first day in the city I headed straight for the market for lunch, and I just love the feeling of these places. Like Sucre, there is a vibe here - the ladies making fresh fruit juice wave their menus at you and call out, each trying to out-do their neighbour in friendly (or not so friendly) competition. It's the same with the soup ladies here, and I decided to go with a "sopa de pollo," filled with real chicken on the bone, noodles and veg, and a bargain too - 5 Sole ($2). It really filled me up and tasted great too, and I came back day after day, but choosing a different food stand each day to spread the love. Walking the streets, saying a polite 'no gracias' to all the offers, you find some really interesting things when you get off the main road. I found the local markets, a block away from the more touristy one, and here it is the real deal - whole pigs on benches ready to be cut up and bought, goats heads and feet and a variety of other things that I wasn't quite sure of. The smell here is also not for the feint-hearted, but you can eat here with the locals if you can take it. Nobody here really looked at me like I didn't belong - they thought it was amusing that I was here and not on a tour somewhere, but everyone was very polite and just accepted me. I also found a shop that sold Guinea Pigs - this and only this. They are layed out on little trays, all naked but whole - I was told later by a local tour guide (and now friend) that they are popular to eat in Peru, and some restaurants run out after lunch.

Just some of the interesting things found in the markets.

Hello Llama!

The extend of the Inca Trail.

My new Peruvian tour guide (and friend!) Paul took me for an afternoon around the countryside just outside the city, an area called Ureos. I got to see a real traditional town, where the women wear different clothes and hats, and don't ask everyone for money. Just outside of the town we watched a funeral service at a church - not something you usually do, but the priest was singing in Quechua and I couldn't just walk away. We continued on to see some ruins - a huge gateway that the Incas built, mainly to collect tax from people walking along what is now known as the Inca Trail. People think that it is just a 5 day walk on the way to Machu Picchu, but this road rain from Southern Colombia right down to Santiago de Chile - part of a huge road network the Incas built. The gate and wall was also used to control people moving around the Empire, which was strictly controlled - the people didn't really have much power. On the other hand, homosexuality was not illegal or frowned upon at all, and gay people were usually sent into the medical profession; women were treated as equals in society, virginity was not the 'be all and end all' of holiness and being faithful to your partner was far more important, and you could leave them as long as you did so with notice and reason. Money was non-existent, and gold was not seen as a sign of wealth, and people worked to give back to the State, adding labour to big projects and getting things done together - all these reasons were why the Spaniards hard such a hard time dealing with the local people as it went against everything they believed - one reason why they tried to convert them as quickly as possible. I'm sorry but everything comes back to the Spaniards here in Peru - on the brightside though, the people, although very Catholic, kept their language and customs and beliefs (such as Pachamama) to the present day.

Cuye - Guinea Pigs - ready to be sold. The name "cuye" comes from the sound they make as you try and catch them!

Mary and her Little Lamb.

Mmmmm chocolate and coffee!

The city is just too chock-full of history and culture to do in a week even, not enough time to look at and explore all the little doorways that lead to courtyards that sell coffee and chocolate and other tasty (but expensive) things. My favourite store was the Cafe Y Chocolate store just off the Plaza de Armas. The chocolate was too expensive to buy and justify it, but they gave out free trials of every flavour, which was wide and varied. The woman was very nice and had no problem with me eating all the offerings and commenting on how this one was incredible and better than the last... but by the third day she wasn't as pleasant and so I felt terribly guilty and never showed my face in the store again. This didn't stop me from walking past and sniffing.

'Pollo' is very popular here, but fresh is best!

Goat's everything for sale at the markets.

My half of the guinea pig for lunch!

With my partner in crime in Cusco (and chocolate shops with free samples) Laurel, we went to eat Cuye at one of the top restaurants - by 'top' I mean the top of the city with a wonderful view. From the window you get to see the whole city and mountains that tuck it all in neatly, and it doesn't seem so noisy or busy from up here. Our Guinea Pig was served on a plate with potatoes and spaghetti and laid on a bed of herbs (which are actually marijuana, but the variety used for cooking and not getting high), and although it was tasty, I don't think I could eat a whole one, as the meal is quite filling and the flavour rich and possible an acquired one. Laurel and I shared one, cut right down the middle, so we both got a front leg, back leg and half a head to chew on too. The feet, and the little claws, are just like a crunchy chicken wing, and I devoured mine and Laurel's. Inside the head, or more specificity the ear, you can find a bone that resembles a little fox - it is used in a drinking game here in Peru where you place it in a shot of alcohol, if you can down the shot and the bone, then it's good luck. Usually it takes a while, people get drunk and soon the 'fox' is forgotten. I didn't think it was fair, but Laurel downed the bone first go, but had a slight upset stomach afterwards, so fair is fair in the end I guess.

The view of the city from San Cristobal Church.

A church doorway.

A straight and well-paved road in Cusco.

After 5 days in Cusco, I was already in love. I could stay here, live here, teach and take photos. I really wanted to - some cities do that to you. But, I had come to the city, not to live and stay, but to enjoy it while I could. Part of that enjoyment would be Machu Picchu - a place that some people find hard to pronounce or spell, but a place that is on most people's Bucket List. I spent a bit of time walking around trying to find a good deal - this time of year wasn't easy as some places don't offer the van option due to it being the rainy season. I looked at the train, but at $100US, it would cost more than the whole MP trip! We didn't have the time for a full 5 day hike there either, and again it was quite costly. I found a good deal, 2 nights accomodation, transport, 1 lunch and 1 dinner as well as the entry to Machu Picchu and Hujayapicchu for 440 Sole, or $173 Australian. My travel buddy Laurel that I just keep running into would do it together before heading off on our separate ways for a bit. But that will have to wait for another entry.

Cusco sitting in the Sacred Valley.

Copa-Copacabana!

Lake Titicaca - the highest lake in the World.

Bolivia was a turning point in my South American trip. Up until now, I had only visited Chile and Argentina, and had mostly been hiking and staying out of the cities. Arriving in Bolivia after these two (wonderful) countries blew my mind - I was finally in "The Real South America!" People spoke differently, looked different and wore traditional clothes and played traditional music. I really felt I was getting my cultural injection from this country, and I was loving every minute of it. I didn't feel in danger at any point, didn't get sick, wasn't complaining about the cost of anything (after Argentina and Chile, everything is cheap!) and I was still running into fellow travellers along the way, some new and some from a week ago or even a country ago. All good things must come to an end though, and I was approaching my final destination in Bolivia - Copacabana. My last night in La Paz needed to be a little special, as I was saying goodbye to a good friend, and with travelling you are never sure when you'll see a person again. We went out for dinner and some drinks only to find that it was the election weekend, and no alcohol could be served for 3 days. Yes, you heard right. We did find a cool Mexican restaurant which served 'Coca Cola' in tall glasses and tasted strangely like crushed, fermented grapes. The empty Coke bottle was left on the table, and the previous hour wandering the streets looking for a restaurant and everyone drinking coke now made sense. There is always a way!

That just makes me nervous...

Not much to do for a bargeman these days...

Can a land-locked country have a Navy?

The bus from La Paz to Copacabana (with that song in my head) was overly long or hard, but it did get interesting at one point. The town is out on a peninsula, and to get there and staying within Bolivia, you have to cross the south part of the lake. I didn't realise this and I'd assumed that there would be a bridge spanning the 200 odd metres of water - there aren't many bridge on this continent! Maybe they prefer to keep small business owners in their jobs by having boats that carry people 2 minutes across a shallow and short barrier of water. The bus driver stopped and I although I realised what was happening, I asked him if I needed to stay on the bus. He shooed me off and pointed somewhere away from the bus. Very helpful indeed. I found out on my own that we needed to buy a ticket then get on the boat and meet the bus on the other side. The boat we were on looked far more stable than that of the bus, but we both made it over and were reunited on the other bank. The drive down into Copacabana was lovely - the rolling green hills on one side and the lake on the other. You could almost believe you were driving through the Highlands of Scotland, passing Loch Ness and on your way to a whiskey distillery, then the driver swerves to overtake a truck on a blind, up-hill corner. Daydreaming out the window and back to reality.

The town of Copacabana on Lake Titicaca.

Hello Llama!

A cool house on the lake.

The town itself sits on Lake Titicaca - one of South America's biggest and The World's highest lake. It is over 8,000km2 in area, and sits at 3,812m, and borders Bolivia and Peru. Bolivia really does do everything with altitude. I think it is the best name for a lake, combining the slang for 'boob' and 'poo' in the name, but that's just me being 5 years old - the real reason for the name is due to the shape, like a puma hunting a rabbit (apparently), and the name is actually "Titi Khar'ka" and means "Rock of the Puma." Copacabana is a strange town, and as I walked around it became stranger. The whole town seemed to be focused on tourism, but there were no hostels or taxis. Boat trips were being peddled here, along with seafood from restaurants along the shore. I asked around for a room, and managed to find one for 40 Bolivianos ($8 AUD) with a private bathroom - mind you there was no toilet paper supplied (completely normal here), the WiFi was only on between 7 and 8pm and the shower was stone cold and even gave me a small electric shock occasionally - it was my room though! Copocabana doesn't have a histoical centre like Sucre, nor does it have the stunning mountain views of La Paz, but it does have the lake, and the best way to see this is to climb the Cerro Calvario. Combine the steep inclide, the uneven steps and the altitude, and you get a huffing and puffing, sweaty and tiring afternoon walk - but what a view! The blue of the lake and the bright colours of the boats at the docls make an almost postcard-perfect view, and you can't hear the noise of people either, just the gentle freeze and the occasional bird.

The beautiful church in Copacabana.

The church in Copacabana.

No public transport on election day.

I got into town on a Saturday in the afternoon and only had time for this walk before dark. The next day, Sunday, was the national elections for the country, so there would be no trips to Isla del Sol - which is the main reason for coming here. I took a walk along the lake shore, and it was very, very quiet. I saw some of the locals making the trek to the election booth, either walking or on a bike, as there was no public transport at all. I didn't walk too far as I didn't think I could make it back, but enjoyed it nonetheless. Floating "villages" on the lake, cows munching away on farms by the roadside and the green mountains to my right -it was pretty much just me, the dirt road and the surrounding nature, and I loved it. Back in town and I met up with a friend who I'd met in Sucre and we went out for a meal (and some WiFi!) as we were both heading to the island tomorrow - she would stay 2 days, and I was basically running along it's length to get the boat back in time for my bus to Peru. For some reason, anywhere in town you look you can see hippy travellers. You know the type: no shoes, long hair in dreadlocks and part of their heads shaved at the side, and the general look of not having washed for some time. The place was full of them - sitting on the side of the main road, backpacks left on the ground, guitars and flutes close at hand. You can't eat out here without at least one group coming and playing a Bob Marley song for their dinner. It must be the time as well, being Februaury, most South Americans are on holidays - the Chileans go to San Pedro and the Argentines come here. Bad timing I guess - in March they would all be putting on their shoes and going back to Uni.

Riding side-saddle on the way to the elections.

Small craft on the lake.

Welcome to Sun Island.

The day of the boat trip to Isla del Sol (Sun Island) didn't start out too sunny, and I thought that maybe it should be caled Isla del Lluvia (Rain Island). Nevertheless, I got on the boat packed with tourists with backpacks and jackets on. The boat heated up quite quickly, with the breath of the people and the rain on the windows, it wasn't a pleasant ride - the boat also was not in a hurry, chugging along at a snail's pace and due to this was also bobbing around in the slight swell. This was too much for one girl who had to lean out the window while her friend held her hair out of the way. I thought this was going to cause a chain reaction amongst the other passengers, but luckily we were all saved this and the boat arrived with no more yellow yawns out the port holes. The weather cleared up as I started the 8km walk down the spine of the island, which I was ever so grateful for - nobody likes a 3 hour walk in the rain. There are no paved roads here, no motor traffic and only a small population of 800 locals who mainly fish to support themselves, and of course sell over-priced food, drinks and souvenirs to the gringos. There are also over 80 Inca ruins on the island, including the Temple of the Sun, and it is believed the Sun God was born here, and so it is a very spiritual place for the people. The walk wasn't easy, as it was a lot of up and down, and the altitude there was making it tougher - I felt fine, just short of breath sometimes. There are a few small villages on the island, and I probably should have stayed a night to relax, but I was set on getting to Peru so I rushed a little and made it for the final boat back to town.

A floating village on Lake Titicaca.

Sleepy town.

The ruins of the Sun Temple on Isla de Sol.

Although Copacabana isn't a hub of night-life, a mecca for food or adventure, it is peaceful and relaxing and very beautiful - it's also full of Eucalyptus trees, making it smell like home. I got a 7pm bus heading for Cusco, but I was dreading the border somewhat. Crossing into Bolivia from Chile I had used my residency card to leave Chile, confusing the Bolivian officials even though it was explained to them. I tried explaining the situation to the Peruvian officials and they were equally confused - a manager come in and told his employee "just give the guy 30 days and stamp his possport." Sometimes crossing the border later at night is good! Somtimes it's not, as one poor traveller, who didn't speak a word of Spanish, got left at the border by his bus. He jumped on our bus and eventually caught up to his one. Another stamp in the little book and another overnight bus trip chalked up too. I didn't sleep much, partly due to the excitement of a new country and a city that I had heard so much about, and also due to the lack of air-con on the bus that made me sweat all night. Bus trip over/survived, it was time to hit the city of Cusco, and of course Machu Picchu!

A traditional wicker boat on Lake Titicaca.

The Highest Capital in The World

The houses of La Paz have outgrown the valley.

Crazy stairs - Pre-Cable Car.

Basilica de San Francisco.

The overnight bus from from Sucre to La Paz went without incident - exactly what you want on an overnight bus. The only problem I've had on these buses, apart from the crappy nights sleep, is the temperature. It is near on impossible to get it right - you freeze one night as you're wearing shorts, and your jacket can only cover your top or bottom, neither allowing you to sleep. Next bus, you know you're going to do it right this time, and wear your hiking boots, long pants and your jacket, only to wake up in the middle of the night sweating out of your eyeballs along with the rest of the full bus. No air-con and no windows. Isn't travel so romantic? This trip was somewhere in the middle, but I didn't get much sleep due to the beeping horn and crazy, blind-corner overtaking of the driver all night. The view from the window as I woke up was something though - coming down from the mountains and seeing the city of La Paz down in the valley.

La Paz - the Administrative Capital of Bolivia.

Rats with wings!!

A baby left sleeping in a store... and safe.

La Paz, it's full name being "La Nuestra Señora de La Paz" (Our Lady of Peace), is Bolivia's 3rd most populated city with 2.4 million, and is also the highest capital city in the World at 3,660m. I have always been confused about which city is the capital, as Sucre is the "Official Capital" and centre of justice, but La Paz is the "Administritive Capital." Coming down from the neighbourhood of El Alto, you can see the 'bowl' that the city sits in, and also how it has outgrown that and climbed all over the surrounding mountains. There is also a snow-covered mountain with 3 peaks called Illimani, which looks like a huge guardian over the city. So far I was impressed by Bolivia, and La Paz wasn't letting me down either. I didn't have very high expectations to be honest, but sometimes that is a good thing. Low expectations for hostels is also something you should take with you wherever you go - you will be impressed with the good ones and meet the bad with a casual shrug of the shoulders and think 'I expected nothing less.' The latter was my case for me first place in La Paz, but worse that my low expectations.

La Paz street art.

Street Art in La Paz.

The hostel I had booked before arriving was the LOKI Hostel, known as a party hostel. Built in an old hotel, my "dorm room" was a small hotel room jam-packed with bunk bed full of sleeping drunks. The rest of the space was filled with discarded plastic cups and half-empty bottles of booze. The toilet in the bathroom had dried vomit on the rim and an unpleasant smell coming from somewhere else. I sat down on my bed and starting to think about what I'd done, when one of the guys in the room decided to lie in my bed and just look at me. I told him it was my bed and ask him to move, and he shuffled off to his own bed, eyes glazed over and still fully clothed from last night's partying. I checked out after this - the reception didn't really ask any questions, as I'm sure they've had it all. The view from the restaurant/bar on the 13th story had a nice view, but this was not the place I wanted to be, even more so as it was Valentine's Day and there was going to be a 'speed dating' session here, and you know what you get when you mix backpackers with booze and Valentine's Day. I did not want to be sleeping there.

Never take photos of kids in Bolivia.

the "Bombin" or "bowler" hat.

I headed off into the city, heading for breakfast first. I found some 'Salteñas,' or Bolivian empanads, and ate them while making my way to the cathedral. One thing that I found a little different to other South American cities was the lack of a Plaza de Armas. Other cities, even Conce, has this main plaza - a square with gardens and on the edge a church and some sort of Government building. La Paz's Cathedral, the Basilica de San Francisco, is on the main road with buses and cars wizzing past. It makes a great people watching place, and this city is full of interesting people - local women wearing colourful clothes or old fashioned skirts and bowler hats. The Quechua people, the natives of Bolivia and Peru, have been wearing these hats since the 20's, and it is now very traditional and it shows off your social status too. Called a Bombin in Spanish, they were introduced by rail road workers, as they were popular with the working class in Britain and also Cowboys in the US. The story behind the size, as none of them seem to fit properly on these women, is that they were shipped over and were too small for the people here - the hat salesman, being a true salesman, said that this was how there were meant to be. They locals believed him and have been wearing them ever since, the wrong size. They used to be made in Italy and imported, but they are no made locally.

The local public transport.

Love potions!

Shoe shiners.

There is main square in the city, surrounded by the Government buildings, and packed with pigeons. A great place to watch people and take photos of people being mauled by those little grey rats-with-wings. Kids don't seem to mind them, and I even saw one little kid pick one up and carry it off ("Mummy, can I keep it?"). Another thing to be noted about the people here are the shoe-shiners. In Chile you get your boots done for $1, and it's all very legit and out in the open - here they were balaclavas, as I found out, to hide their shame for shining shoes for a living. It is legal, and I often saw police officers or soldiers getting your boots polished, but these people don't want anyone to know who they are, and that they have to stoop so low in society to support their family. A sad story. Another place in the city to see is the square where the famous La Paz prison sits, The San Pedro Prison. Made famous by the book "Marching Powder," written by an Australian author who recounts the time a British man who did some time there, and even offered tours to tourists. The gaol itself is nothing to look at, big imposing walls and a huge steel gate, but inside it is a city onto itself - the inmates rent or buy their accommodation, and if you don't have money you sleep wherever and probably don't last long. The 1,500 prisoners here often live with their wives and kids, but it is famous for the drug deals that go on in there, and they have mobiles and contacts on the outside even. They keep their own 'law' and often kill each other, and nobody seems to know or care, certainly not the local authorities. You can do tours of the prison still today, and I was offered one by a strange man in the plaza, who called himself Magic Mike. I was very polite and refused due to lack of time, bit I took a 'business card' and said if I had the time he was my guy. I still have his number if anyone is in La Paz and wants to risk their life. The tour, even with Magic Mike, is not recommended, although people still do it.

The main square with the pigeons.

What a mess!

The main road in La Paz.

Just up the hill (all of La Paz is a 'hill"), there is the famous Witch's Market. Here you can find all the hand-made things typical from Bolivia and the rest of South America - the same store selling Alpaca socks, gloves and hats, small stone statues of Pachamama and other little trinkets travellers like, such as bracelets. One store however had slightly more interesting things on sale. The guy had the usual run-of-the-mill things, but also a fine variety of love potions and ointments to make you perform in bed. One, my favourite, was called "polvo - lenga de perro," or "dog tongue powder," and I was consumed with curiosity as to what this was and had to ask - "is it made from dog?" "No señor, you rub it on your hand, shake somebody's hand, then they following you around like a dog." Mystery solved. Walking the streets I loved just watching all the modes of transport used here. Old American school buses chugged up and down these hills, their big Chev motors still going strong after 50 years of carrying around chubby little American school kids, now carrying around far too many at a time around the city, up and down it's hilly streets. There are also mini-vans and taxis, all of which had seen better days and again, carrying far more than was ever intended by the Japanese engineer that built them. Riding these are fun - they are so cheap, costing only 1.5 Bolivianos (30c), and also fun, as you can read the signs on the front and ask the driver, but you are never sure where they go!

Women wearing traditional clothes, as well as those 'sacks' that they use for everything, including babies.

The cemetery which is under the cable cars.

A condor at the animal sanctuary.

A good way of seeing the city is the Teleferico, or cable car system. For 3 Bolivianos (60c), you can go right to the top of the city and get The View from the top. Although you don't want to wander far from the station, as these parts of the city aren't the safest for tourists, you can really see the city for what it is, and also see the crazy-steep stairs that people used before the cable cars were built 2014. I also got to see a bit of out the city too, and stayed in a small town 30mins away from the hustle and bustle, thanks to a good friend who was living there for a while. A chance to get out of the city and see the other is is always welcome, and I used this chance to visit the local zoo, which is more like an animal sanctuary. Although I have seen condors in the wild and up quite close, nothing compared to seeing these huge birds in a place like this. Although caged, they had room and were fed well. Some people don't like these places as all animals should be free, but zoos are important today for many reasons, including education, breeding of endangered animals and rehabilitation of sick and injured. There were many animals here, including lions and even llamas, but the condors were the best. Another thing to do near La Paz is the Valle de la Luna, or Moon Valley. Although not super exciting, it is cool to see the rock and sand formations that happen in Bolivia. There were no real explanation, other than signs that read 'this way' and 'exit,' but still the peaceful walk in the sunshine and with a great view of the mountains behind was worth it.

"Mummy, can we keep him?"

There is so much to talk about regarding this city - I don't know why I liked it so much really. The culture? The people? The big difference between Bolivian cities and Chilean and Argentine ones? I can't quite put my finger on it really, but I love Bolivia. Uyuni obviously set a high standard, but Sucre followed up with some great stuff to see and do, and so far I hadn't been disappointed very much at all - the country was cheap, the people friendly, the weather very agreeable (I was so tired of the cold in the south!) and the food hasn't made me sick! I had one last destination in this colourful and interesting country before heading off to the next country on the list - Peru. I would be getting an early morning bus from La Paz and heading on to Copacabana, which sits on Lake Titikaka. Not the Copacabana from the song, which is actually in Brazil, but still the song was bouncing around in my head for days.

The mountains that circle the city of La Paz.