Lago TITTTTTICCCACA

Monica & I started busing down south from Cusco, to eventually meet up with our Tassy Friends in La Paz. We stopped off in Puno so we could check out Lago Titicaca. Lake Titicaca is the biggest lake in South America.  

We spent a two days cruising around all the different Islands & one night in the biggest Island where we wore authentic clothing & went to the "discoteca." The dancing reminded me of old 1800 style dancing. Mon & I did not have our party hats on that night & it was more than a notion to get our house mom to leave the discoteca. 

(The next few entries will be a little out of order... I am normally way to OCD for that but the internet in Bolivia was less than a bogie & I really wanted to add the ice picking adventure while the brutality of it all was still fresh.)

This is kinda how I envision a viking ship....

Some of the Islands we visited were man made. They create them out of these seaweed bundles that typically last about 30 years.

Not only was the Island man made but most of the plants were edible. Now that is my kind of Island. 

Monica & I looking frightened because of the rain. In reality we got so lucky & just barely missed the HAIL STORM...

Come on in, but be careful because you will....

Smash your head. Seriously I felt like Tommy Boy.

Our house mom was the best cook. How she did it with these resources is beyond me... But the more I travel the more resourceful I am becoming.

Getting primped for the discoteca!

Our family!

DAY 2:

The people on this Island all wear hats to signify their dating, marital, & job status.

Monica & I gave our best "looks" with our hats. Now you will just have to figure out what we are saying or go visit lake Titicaca & they will tell you.

Inca Kola is like liquid bubble gum. 

After our amazing picnic Monica & I got a wild hair & went for a quick dip. It was definitely the MOST FREEEEEZING WATER EXPERICE EVER. I am sure everyone got a kick out of watching us squirm & attempt to climb/ straddle the dock to get out of the water!

The Coin Flip of Death

Monica & I flipped a coin on weather to go to Colombia or Bolivia. Bolivia won. We were ecstatic to meet up with our Tassy friends. We thought we had good coin flipping skills. Ice picking was going to prove us wrong....

So crossing the Bolivia border was more than a notion. They saw girls that they could haggle with. I think it totaled crossing the bridge from Peru to Bolivia 5 times. (the last one being the funniest to make photocopies.) After an all day affair we made it to La Paz, Bolivia & our Tassy friends were there waiting for us. We had a great dinner & talked about our options. We decided to sleep on it. Then the next day after getting our information about several treks we flipped another coin. The coin flip of death! Ice picking it was.... 

Day 1

Monica, The Tassies, & Max (another brave soul we picked up biking the death road!) 

The first day was great. We did a little ice picking that was pretty similar to rock climbing. We had dinner, drank, & played cards.

Day 2:

We were supposed to climb to the top of this mountain. Huayna Potosi. It is a total of 6,188M (which is about 19,600FT.) Mt. Everest is a little over 8,000M (or 26,200FT.) 

It keep going & going & going....

Not even yoga will help with what is to come. Now you know that is bad.

We still think it is fun & games. We have no idea what we are in store for....

Snug as a bug in a rug

Day 3:

We woke up at 12AM. (I never really went to sleep & could feel fever creeping in. Yeah that makes for excellent climbing conditions right?) We got up, ate (which I could hardly do because I felt so bad) and began to put on our gear. When we left it was pitch black, & snowing pretty hard on us. We were roped together in sets of 3 & 2 with our two guides leading us. I could hardly see anything. I was out of breath from the beginning. After we would take a break, two steps later I would be panting all over again. We climbed, and climbed, and climbed. 

We made it to about 19,000FT. Before I started this adventure I remember thinking I better make it to the top or I will be upset, nope, I could care less I was in so much pain. (OH-YEAH Mt. Everest is not longer on my list of things to do with my life!)

Here was the white flag of sorts we created when we decided we were not going to reach the top. That way all the people coming down could enjoy our special new friend! 

The biggest smile ever because we get to turn around & go down the hill!!!!

Done & done!

Max & Monica: THE CHAMPIONS!!!! Seriously I have more respect for Monica than ever before. I have no idea how they finished, but I am so proud of them. There were times on that mountain where I would have relieved anything, including my first year teaching - Now that is bad! 

Yeah- I fell into something similar to that. I was so tired I barely cared (we were at least on our way down & roped together so I know their weight would hold me, if not at least I would not be in pain anymore...)

I am glad that I had this adventure. I was actually kinda pulling for the ice picking adventure because I knew in all reality I would probably never get an opportunity like it again.... I am from Texas. Will I ever do anything like that again? Not in this lifetime.

All of the people that did not survive Huayna Potosi..... R.I.P.

I want a LLAMA!!

Here are some fun shots around Peru. I have never seen so many llamas or sheep in my life. After Machu Picchu we enjoyed seeing all the many ruins all around Peru. (There was an Incan "highway" of sorts that went in all directions. Cusco was actually known as the belly button for the Incas.)

We went to the Markets, saw the Incan museum, found a great artisan market area in Cusco called San Blas, had an adventure on horse (not the riding but more the finding our way back after the tour.)

A sheep crossing at the markets. The red flag in the left hand corner is a sign for Incan corn beer. 

Here Jake, Monica, & I are in all are horseback walking glory. At least we didget to see some cool Incan ruins. After we were guaranteed a drop off they literally left us on top of a mountain on the side of the road. We had packed a picnic lunch which was delicious & then proceeded to hike for a couple hours down. (The whole point was to do something relaxing because we were still pretty wiped from Machu Picchu. We had a great laugh about it though!)

This man seriously defined tradesman. I needed a battery for my travel alarm clock so we could play the "What time is it dancing game." Not only was he able to get my obscure battery that I needed but he also pulled out all these great gadgets that were highly entertaining. 

I have never seen so many shoe shining stations. I have even been approached with my sandals on many times.