August 11, 2007 - Saga Sudamericana

Well, I've been back in Cochabamba since Wednesday, after some amazing interviews, experiences, and a wrestling match between my stomach and a hamburger (thankfully, my stomach won). This coming week is the celebration of the Virgin of Urkupiña, one of Cochabamba's biggest festivals all year. So I'll have a lot to report a week from now. In the meantime, my talented mother drafted up a very well-written account of my parents' trip to visit me which I'd like to share with you below. Enjoy!

South America Saga - July 2007

Marshalling our limited Spanish, ATM cards and courage to be "ugly Americans" abroad, Bill and I flew to South America to visit our daughter and tour planner, Lily. Contrary to recommendations by seasoned travelers, our vacation started with the highest altitudes, trekked the peaks and valleys of Bolivia and Peru then slowly descended the Andes Mountains. We arrived in South America on Saturday, 07/07/07 in La Paz, Bolivia, the highest city we visited (3660m). Bill's brother (and anesthesiologist) Bob recommended some altitude medicine for us. However, we were still periodically dizzy & queasy so Lily allowed us (and told us!) to take it slow at first.

Her plane arrived after ours so she had a friend meet us & usher us around, so gracious for our first night and relative clue-lessness. Lily found us a lovely hotel. All of our accommodations seemed to be built around courtyards with bedding & décor made from local crafts, very comfortable and pleasing to the eye. We benefited from the "American-style" hearty breakfasts, which often took us through to mid-afternoon meals. We were surprised that, despite temperatures that sometimes dropped below freezing at night, most hotels and homes had no heat.

Sunday, we took a bus to Lake Titicaca (elevation 3820m) of Aymara & Inca fame, nestled between Bolivia and Peru. The bus traveled from the populated, high altitude valley city of La Paz up to Al Alto, rimmed with amazing views of La Paz and the Andes. La Paz is a bowl-shaped valley chock full of adobe and brick "pueblo" houses. It has some beautiful churches and open air markets, as well as the government and business buildings of a capital city. Sidewalk vendors and shop stalls abound, although there are a few larger stores housed in buildings. Everybody seems to be selling something.

We crossed the altiplano, a sparsely populated area of indigenous people who farm and graze llamas, sheep, cows and pigs. We stayed in Copacabana (not the same one as the song, which is in Brazil). We wandered around to see, buy and eat the local specialties including hand-made textiles, indigenous popcorn of enormous size and trout. The sun sets quickly, so we found a restaurant warmed with a clay oven for a bowl of soup before returning to our hotel. While there, amazingly, it started to snow and the electricity went out, sure evidence of the weather and season. That also meant no hot water.

The weather in the Andes region of Bolivia & Peru is winter in July. I do not know the exact temperatures as we did not obsess on the Weather Channel, (nor did we really watch much TV, a Real Vacation). My best guess is that it went down into the 20s (F) at night and our daytime highs were 40s-60s in the mountains. Our hotel rooms were not heated, which means we wore "all our warm clothes", a hat and socks to bed, under multiple, heavy, llama or alpaca woven blankets. Daytime attire was definitely layered. The Bolivian and Peruvian women wear their beautifully decorated, pleated skirts, woven shawls and bowler hats, adding layers of shawls as the temperature dips.

On Monday, 07/09/07, we had arranged to take a boat to the Isla del Sol, but the gusty winds, white caps and breakers on the town beaches kept all boats from launching. Like true tourists, we proceeded to shop, as the beautiful handcrafts were very low cost in this remote location. We also wanted to beef up our clothing wardrobes for warmth. It was invaluable to have my daughter with us for the whole trip, as her friendliness, knowledge of living conditions and multi-lingual (Spanish, Quetchua & English) abilities allowed us to communicate and bargain each step of the way, usually to our benefit.

We returned to La Paz by bus later in the day. The Bolivian roads are something of a "last frontier". They seem to fit in as much traffic as there is. With a few trucks and cars, everything goes smoothly. With many big tour coaches, medium-sized public buses, vans, station wagons and the little boxes on wheels that constitute the private vehicles, there is a jumble of positioning for place and direction. In La Paz, everybody seems to get where they are going and, despite the aggressiveness, I saw no accidents or even unfriendly gestures.

Although we returned to Bolivia later in our trip, we flew next to Peru, first Lima and then on to Cuzco. Situated in the Andes, Cuzco and Macchu Picchu were the centers of the Inca Empire and are full of museums and shops that celebrate this distinction. There is also a strong Catholic influence in the colonial architecture, which was often built on top of the Inca foundations. Although the colonial additions have often suffered the ravages of time and nature (earthquakes), the massive, mortar-less Incan stones have endured. Incan cosmology centered on the sun god, Inti, for which we also developed a healthy respect, as the sunny days were true warmth for our shivering bodies.

Like La Paz, Cuzco (3326m elevation) is a valley set in the towering terrain of the Andes Mountains. We never imagined how extensively this chain of mountains covers the continent. From the air, the mountains form a textured topography of peaks and valleys. From land, they soar overhead, often decorated with terraced fields.

In Cuzco, we attended a cultural program of song and dance with regional ethnic dress and musical instruments. There were several museums and churches to witness the blending of the native and Spanish influences. The museums referred to the pre-ceramic period, in contrast to our term "prehistory". Our guided tour of the Inca temple at Koricancha infected us with the reverence for nature that infused the Inca religion. The Sun God, "Inti" and Earth "Pachamama" are still revered today by an indigenous people who have fused their native beliefs with Roman Catholic practices.

After touring Cuzco, we spent three days touring the Sacred Valley along which one can travel the Inca Trail. One day was on horseback; one day we toured Moray and Maras and the third day was spent in the Inca ruins of Pisac, Urubamba and Ollantaytambo. We went horseback riding in the region of Saqsaywaman and visited the Inca ruins at Moray, which was an "agricultural laboratory". Four amphitheater-like craters in the mountains were terraced in 1-3 meter intervals, resulting in one degree Centigrade increments in temperature for each step from top to bottom. Each terrace was planted with different agricultural crops (wheat, corn, lima beans, and potatoes) to test the best growing conditions.

We also visited a salinera or salt "mine". A geothermal aquifer spouted a constant flow of salt water from deep inside one of the Andes Mountains. It spilled into a sloping plateau divided into about 200 sections where the salt water was exposed to the heat of the sun. The salinera continues to be communally owned by a nearby town, so that each family can harvest their "field" of salt as it reaches its crystalline form.

Peaceful coexistence among the indigenous groups was promoted by geographic separation of the mountainous terrain, until, starting in the 1300s, the Inca and other groups fought for control. The Incan Empire extended from Colombia in the north to Chile in the south. All subjects of the empire paid taxes by obligatory labor, which helps to explain the extensive religious centers, organized cities and roads of the Incans. The empire lasted for less than a century before its defeat by germs introduced by Europeans, internal conflicts fed by resentments of conquered groups and, ultimately, the Spanish conquistadors led by Pizarro.

The Spanish New World exploration goals of "gold, glory and God" were prevalent in the museum exhibits we visited. The Cuzco School of painting flourished starting in the 1600s, with strong Catholic influences in subject matter and techniques. Portraiture was meant to teach the lives of biblical and saintly personages embellished with the rewards and punishments promised and threatened by the Church of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. It featured interpretations of the Bible Scriptures and saints in the New World setting. Surely, the canvasses were a teaching tool for the indigenous converts to Christianity.

Although the gold in South America was extracted mainly from the Incas, the discovery of silver at Potosi in south central Bolivia today, uncovered an enormous source of continuing wealth for Spain. For over 200 years, the Cerro Rico was mined by an estimated eight million indigenous workers and African slaves under inhuman conditions to fill the coffers of the Spanish monarchy.

The Spanish controlled Peru and Bolivia politically as a colony, the mixed blood mestizos were local functionaries, and the indigenous peoples formed the exploited, laboring bottom of the social ladder. These are social divisions that resonate within the democracies of South America even today; between those in and out of power; between the haves and have nots.

Peru witnessed some political turmoil while we were there, initiated by a teacher strike. The government wants to institute a requirement for teachers to pass a test or be fired. The situation blossomed into a general strike and mass demonstrations against the government policies and an unpopular president. Despite our sympathies, we hoped there would be no glitches in our plans to visit Macchu Picchu. As the transportation workers and other groups joined the teachers, we had to alter our travel plans to avoid roadblocks and other potential conflicts.

We took a train and bus for the leg of our trip to Machu Picchu. The river valley leading to Machu Picchu dropped in altitude and increased in temperature, humidity and vegetation. We visited several Inca ruins and Spanish colonial churches in the Sacred Valley en route. We stayed in Aguas Calientes while visiting the recently dubbed "wonder of the world" and soaked in the hot springs for which the town is named. We took the early morning bus to spend the day at the Inca holy site.

Most of the Inca ruins dominate the Sacred Valley by being built on promontories. People could look up to these political and religious centers as their rulers looked down upon and controlled their empire. Because Machu Picchu was hidden from Spanish eyes and untouched until its "discovery" by Yale professor, Hiram Bingham in 1911, it did not suffer the destruction or "conversion" to Catholic uses by the Spanish conquistadors. We explored the breathtaking site, its astronomical stone sundial and compass, and climbed to the top of Waynapicchu, the sentinel peak that overshadows this most famous Incan treasure.

We next visited Lima, Peru before our return to Bolivia. We had a few hours before our flight, so we dined in Miraflores overlooking the Pacific Ocean. We were amazed that the Andes Mountains plummet into the sea on the west coast of South America, with just a thin strip of desert on which to build cities and ports. The Andes Mountains are the vast, defining geographic feature of western South America, and its valleys are home to its indigenous (mostly Quechua & Aymara) populations.

We went to Cochabamba, Bolivia (2558 elevation) located southeast of La Paz in the valley region, at a slightly lower altitude. It spreads over a wide flat plain fringed with hills. It is called the city of "eternal springtime", justified by its temperate climate. Winter is the dry season in Bolivia; they do not see rain until November. Although the night temperatures dipped into the low 40s (F), afternoons warmed into the 60s and 70s. The city has many parks tucked among its bustling streets, graced with palm trees, flowers and fountains.

Lily, our daughter, has been working off and on for the past three years with a non-governmental organization (NGO) called the Democracy Center. They recently finished a book about the political situation during the last 10 years in Bolivia. It is a country whose political control alternated almost yearly between democratically elected leaders and military coups until the 1980s. The current president is Evo Morales, the first indigenous person to hold that office. The next project the Democracy Center is working on involves surveying human rights organizations in South American countries for ways to improve relations between Latin America and the United States. The resulting policy recommendations will be used to inform the 2008 US presidential candidates.

Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in South America, with a wide gap between rich and poor and a small middle class. About 10 years ago, there was a water crisis caused by the attempted privatization of water in Cochabamba, shifting control to an international company, which raised prices steeply for this essential commodity. The policy served to politicize the indigenous population and to encourage strikes and mass demonstrations to voice political opinions publicly. There were mass demonstrations in Bolivia while we were there. Issues include exerting more control over natural resources like natural gas. Morales also wants to empower the indigenous farmers of the countryside by legalizing the coca plant for export for non-harmful usages, including the soothing mate de coca tea we drank everywhere for altitude sickness. Talk of moving the government center from La Paz to Sucre brought out millions of protesters during our visit.

The streets of Cochabamba bustle with stalls, open-air markets and sidewalk vendors selling everything from fresh-squeezed orange juice and international phone calls to pirated DVDs. Although the tourist literature warned of theft dangers, we had no problems and found the shopkeepers to be friendly and flexible enough to satisfy Bill's negotiation skills. Artisan handicrafts and taxis alike had somewhat bendable pricing if we ventured to bargain. We took a double-decker bus tour to get our bearings. The streets are narrow but one-way, dotted with parks and plazas ringed by roundabouts to redirect the colorful buses, taxi trufis (group taxis) and other cars on the roads. The tour previewed the neighborhoods and museums we were to visit in the days ahead.

Cochabamba is known for its scrumptious food in restaurants, open-air markets and street stalls. Breakfasts of fresh bread are followed by mid-morning salteñas (stewed meats & vegetables in pastry). We often had dinner menus at midday, which included soup or starter, entree and dessert for a fixed price. Trout, beef and chicken on the menu were supplemented by rabbit and llama. Rice, potatoes and rolls were served with everything. Familiar fruits in beverages and desserts were joined by the more exotic papaya, maracuya, tumbo and moconchinchi (dried peach drink).

Bolivia, like Peru, was controlled by the Incas, but not until the 1400s. Other pre-Columbian groups left remains of civilized lives and burial rituals. Sadly, many of these artifacts were destroyed by the invading Spanish from the 16th century onward. The Spanish left a legacy of colonial architecture that echoes the red tile roofs, stucco walls and wrought iron balconies of the mother country. This was true in the outlying districts we visited as well. Most Bolivians, however, lived in pueblo-style homes, sometimes centered on courtyards, often encircled by walls. Many homes, especially in the countryside, are made from mud and straw bricks. Roofs might be corrugated iron, straw or tile.

During our travels, we saw typical and extraordinary views of Bolivia. We visited the town of Cliza with its Sunday festival of food and music, including flamenco-style Chacarera dancers. We had dinner at Eden, an amusement park next to a hydroelectric dam, with paddle boats and zipwire. We drove through Punata, the birthplace of many Bolivians who emigrate to northern Virginia. New construction sites are evident there, fueled by the remittances of relatives in the USA.

Lily introduced us to her co-workers and friends, which gave us a personal connection to life in Cochabamba. The tradition of dinner at mid-day was shared with a gracious family with whom Lily lived as an exchange student. We joined an early morning Tai Chi session followed by breakfast with the director of international study programs in Bolivia. We also attended a "Q'owa" ceremony honoring Pacchamama to express our wishes for health and safe travels.

The two weeks in South America were a true immersion experience for us, not so much in Spanish language than in the cultures of historic and current Bolivia and Peru. The Andes Mountains tower in our memories sprinkled with the luminous array of valley homes alight at night, warmed by the sun in daylight. Artistry in textiles, wood and ceramics has endured time and historical adversity, as has the power of nature. The iconic Incas and vibrant voices of current political debate guarantee these countries a place of respect and recognition on the world stage. Our travels tossed out any stereotypes of ethnocentricity to be supplanted by admiration.