After the most uncomfortable, cramped overnight bus we arrived in Cochabamba. Accommodation in Bolivia is cheap and so we decided to splash out and relax for two nights in a hotel rather than a hostel. We took a taxi to our 4-star hotel (at 5:15 – luckily reception was 24hrs) and our room was UNBELIEVABLE. We had two floors of luxury and all for £13 a night!
Unfortunately however, we will soon have to return to hostel life, as this luxury living is not sustainable for backpackers.
We had a quick nap and later feasted on the buffet breakfast which was great (for Bolivian standards). In the afternoon, we went to visit Joanna’s cousin Katie who is doing charity work here in Cochabamba. It was great to see her and I think Joanna really appreciated having a girl to talk to. We went out for dinner and after they planned on going to a local church with the charity group. I have been to the church twice in my life and am not religious at all, so was very hesitant when this was mentioned. They all went, and so instead of risking my life alone in a Bolivian taxi, I decided to come along. It was only 45 minutes and therefore bearable but I will not be returning to the church in the near future. My views seem to clash with that of the church. It was an experience nonetheless and I definitely did not expect to be going to the church in Central Bolivia. We returned to our hotel and slept like kings.
Another buffet breakfast was the perfect start to the day. We returned to our rooms and heard what sounded like gunshots getting closer and closer. We looked out of our window and there was a huge riot going on. The university students were protesting as there is a lack of state funding towards education. It was crazy! For more than an hour the police and students clashed. The ruthless Bolivian police were firing tear gas whilst the students overturned and burned the bins and set up blockades around the block. It was quite scary to watch; even from the safety of our hotel. The riots were later on national news and they looked even crazier than what we had seen. A real Bolivian experience.
Around noon (after the riots had abated) we walked to ‘La Cancha’ which is an area hosting the biggest market in South America – a hotspot for pickpockets. The market was enormous and after 5 minutes we were lost in its labyrinth. There are hundreds and hundreds of stalls that sell absolutely anything. We spent most of our time in the artesian market buying souvenirs and Bolivian memorabilia which were all so cheap.
In the evening, we went to meet Katie and her Brazilian friends for ice skating. The ice rink was not what we were expecting. It was not made of real ice but synthetic ice otherwise known as plastic. I never knew you could ice skate on plastic. It was very different but great fun.
We went out for a nice Mexican dinner after and said goodbye to Katie. We head to La Paz tomorrow; the nation’s capital.
The Travelling Fox 