Peru is done & Lance Armstrong is back in the saddle!

Greetings from La Paz, Bolivia.
Well after a good six weeks in Peru I finally left for Bolivia. Managed on the way down south to stop off at Nazca to do a flight over the famous Nazca lines which was good as I managed to get the seat next to the pilot. Good all round view but he would not let me have a go at flying, but hey you gotta ask. My last stop in Peru was Puno, close to the Bolivian border and on the massive lake Titikaka. Puno, as cities go was not the best, but I did find one descent bar even if it was so cold at night the beer did not flow so well. The reason I was there though was for a tour on the lake and it did not disappoint. Took a tour to two islands the first one was made entirely of reeds even the local boats were made out of reeds. In fact they even ate the sodding things. After getting used to the fact I would not fall through into the lake I enjoyed my time there and managed to get some good shots. The next island was a standard solid ground affair but still lovely views from the walk we did to the main square. In the main square there was a bonus of the locals doing a dance in traditional dress. A good day had by all ended by a nice sunset on the way to Puno…
its tough at the top.

My first stop in Bolivia was again on lake Titikaka in Copacabana (not Barry Manilow country) Unknown to me it was a National Holiday, Christ it was bedlam! More people than you could poke a stick at and the town had turned into one giant market. Eventually got a good room actually but right opposite was some spare ground where they had a stage set up for a local live band. I thought it wont go on long its cold at night they will be done for midnight latest. Four sodding thirty they are still bang at it, so loud its sounds like they are in my room with me. I would not mind but the band was dreadful, whoever told them they could sing wants lynching. After that brilliant nights sleep (not) I was up early for another session on Titikaka. Spent the day on Sun Island where I got transport to the north of the island then walked for four hours to the south. The views were lush of the other islands and the deep blue of Lake Titikaka and in parts the snow capped mountains in the back ground. The towns and cities were average around Titikaka but the lake scenery was well impressive.

My next stop after the lake was La Paz which I like, its more modern in the centre than I thought it would be but it still has an edge to it in places. Spent a few days in La Paz then I did a mountain bike tour from La Paz to Coroico in the lowlands. Yes, I was back on a bike and dangerous – never mind the actual road. You start up at around 4.300 metres then motor downhill for fifty kilometres or more to Coroico. At first the road is tarmac so no worries I’m leaning into the corners like my mate Barry Sheen! Then later on you hit the old gravel road and it gets a little serious as you see the road ahead hugging the mountain sides with sheer drops. If you slipped off the edge it would be an E.T moment - one flying bike! I had a glance a couple of times over the edge as I was motoring down Christ it was unnerving. I was in my element off roading, flying down the mountain roads at one point I did not notice my group had stopped and went flying past, my guide had to radio ahead to anther group to tell them stop me. Mind you I was thinking Christ where is everyone I am flying on this bike and I ain’t caught them up, you get that? I loved the whole day as you even stopped for photos on route - my kind of tour. Eventually got to Coroico where I was the only one staying there, the rest came back to La Paz. What a good decision I made the hotel I stayed was lush with swimming pool, sauna, bar and the room I got - let the good times roll! I had a balcony with an amazing view over all the mountains. I could sit there with my camera and a beer and take photos of the mountains, it don’t get any better than that, not for folks like us.
With being low altitude, the weather was well hot, great to wear flip flops and do a little sun worshiping by the pool, oh yes again with a nice cool beer in hand.
Well I’m back in La Paz ready for the next stop... The Amazon.
For now - laters... the bear.