I was back in La Paz for a few more days after the jungle. I flew back (in a tiny 20 seater turbo prop, one seat each side) on the same day the Pope paid a flying visit to La Paz. His route when past my hostel so I went and lined up with the crowds to get a glimpse of his holiness in the evening when he was due to drive past.
I got a glimpse. Only a glimpse though as he shot past at a good speed. Blink and you would have missed him.
I also went on an interesting day trip to Tiwanaku, the spiritual home of the Bolivian people. The Tiwanaku empire was pre-Inca and successful for around 1000 years before "environmental" factors (didn't get to the bottom of that one) signaled their demise. A lot of the Tiwanaku beliefs however formed the foundations for the Inca culture. El Cóndor ruling the sky, the Puma the ground level and the serpent the underground. And of course Pachamama: mother earth.
Tiwanaku was once a great city but there isn't a great deal to be seen of it now and only a small area has been excavated to date. The real stars though are the monoliths. Now mainly housed in the museum the size, detail and presence of these mighty statues was really impressive (no photos allowed though unfortunately).
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| the sun gate |
The site and the tour were fascinating, it was a long day however (3 hour drive each way) and the big tour group was mainly compiled of groups of French (Bolivia is overrun by the French at the moment it seems) speaking French. My French was long ago replaced by Spanish.
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