1,2/8/2013 El Alto to La Paz
D23, T3, Av11, max 54 Tot 17171, 8003
Monotonously nice day
I was up early and headed into town to try to find a sim card that would work in my phone, to no avail.
Though a nice slab of spicy warm pork belly was enjoyed on the street. This meat and the way it is cooked here is my main weakness at the moment.
We had the usually for breakfast that of porridge and raisins.
Leaving the Alojamiento once on the streets it was busy, though much more organised than Sicuani.
It was now pretty much built up commercially all the way to La Paz.
We had arranged to stay at a casa de ciclista. That of Linda and Raul in Irpavi.
Once in La Paz, we stopped to ask directions, of all the guys we were to ask, this guy was in the process of relieving himself on a concrete wall. He concealed everything above ground perfectly, the small creek draining away from his feet blew his cover though.
He directed us onto a freeway that headed south of town, this offered vantage points of the city.
It is cradled within ranges covered in snow.
It was quite amazing seeing this largely brown coloured metropolis in a treeless alpine environment. It was rolled out like a carpet across the foothills within the snow capped ranges.
Someway down the freeway, Deirdre hit what we thought was a stone making a noise. It was infact another rear spoke on her bike letting go.
We pulled over to a spot off the road and assessed the scene.
It was a spoke on the side of the cassette.
I had the gear to remove it but not a cassette jamming tool.
All the effort by both of us to loosen it achieved nothing.
We decided that she should take a cab and i would meet her at La Paz central hospital.
We soon flagged a cab down. It was now not a prposition to stay south of the city with Linda and Raul..
An Argentinean guy and his girl pulled up on bikes for a quick chat.
I rode with them for a while, but soon found gravity separating us. That is the last I saw of them as I moved into one of the lanes and headed into down town La Paz.
Once within the city proper, it is just an endless parade of street stalls and crowded shops.
It’s like a tornado picked up a million or two tonnes of stuff from Chinese factories and dumped it here.
People were super friendly in directing me to La Paz central hospital. Getting there involved some serious uphill riding in amongst all types of road users.
I soon spoteed Deirdre on hte edge of a small park.
It was obviously a favourite for those who couldn’t wait.
The smell of urine was heavy in the air as was its white stain on the concrete walls.
Asking about getting a rabies vaccine in the hospital, the assistant said we had to go the the Assistencia Publica.
Deirdre had to wheel her bike due to a badly buckled rear wheel, I opted for a combination of scooting, riding and walking.
After about an hour we found the clinic, it was located within the business district.
They could give her the vaccine over 5 days, 1 injection each day.
Our next task was to find a hotel.
Believe me we visited heaps.
Finally the Latino on Calle Junin was found. We got a comfortable room with breakfast provided.
This would be our pad for the duration of the treatment.
Once settled in we wandered back to the clinic, Deirdres treatment was underway following her first shot.
We are both relieved this has been sorted.
D23, T3, Av11, max 54 Tot 17171, 8003
Monotonously nice day
I was up early and headed into town to try to find a sim card that would work in my phone, to no avail.
Though a nice slab of spicy warm pork belly was enjoyed on the street. This meat and the way it is cooked here is my main weakness at the moment.
We had the usually for breakfast that of porridge and raisins.
Leaving the Alojamiento once on the streets it was busy, though much more organised than Sicuani.
It was now pretty much built up commercially all the way to La Paz.
We had arranged to stay at a casa de ciclista. That of Linda and Raul in Irpavi.
Once in La Paz, we stopped to ask directions, of all the guys we were to ask, this guy was in the process of relieving himself on a concrete wall. He concealed everything above ground perfectly, the small creek draining away from his feet blew his cover though.
He directed us onto a freeway that headed south of town, this offered vantage points of the city.
It is cradled within ranges covered in snow.
It was quite amazing seeing this largely brown coloured metropolis in a treeless alpine environment. It was rolled out like a carpet across the foothills within the snow capped ranges.
Someway down the freeway, Deirdre hit what we thought was a stone making a noise. It was infact another rear spoke on her bike letting go.
We pulled over to a spot off the road and assessed the scene.
It was a spoke on the side of the cassette.
I had the gear to remove it but not a cassette jamming tool.
All the effort by both of us to loosen it achieved nothing.
We decided that she should take a cab and i would meet her at La Paz central hospital.
We soon flagged a cab down. It was now not a prposition to stay south of the city with Linda and Raul..
An Argentinean guy and his girl pulled up on bikes for a quick chat.
I rode with them for a while, but soon found gravity separating us. That is the last I saw of them as I moved into one of the lanes and headed into down town La Paz.
Once within the city proper, it is just an endless parade of street stalls and crowded shops.
It’s like a tornado picked up a million or two tonnes of stuff from Chinese factories and dumped it here.
People were super friendly in directing me to La Paz central hospital. Getting there involved some serious uphill riding in amongst all types of road users.
I soon spoteed Deirdre on hte edge of a small park.
It was obviously a favourite for those who couldn’t wait.
The smell of urine was heavy in the air as was its white stain on the concrete walls.
Asking about getting a rabies vaccine in the hospital, the assistant said we had to go the the Assistencia Publica.
Deirdre had to wheel her bike due to a badly buckled rear wheel, I opted for a combination of scooting, riding and walking.
After about an hour we found the clinic, it was located within the business district.
They could give her the vaccine over 5 days, 1 injection each day.
Our next task was to find a hotel.
Believe me we visited heaps.
Finally the Latino on Calle Junin was found. We got a comfortable room with breakfast provided.
This would be our pad for the duration of the treatment.
Once settled in we wandered back to the clinic, Deirdres treatment was underway following her first shot.
We are both relieved this has been sorted.
