Profile
Blog
Photos
Videos
This morning we got to taste my lastnights efforts at the Bolivian drink - Mocochichi; it turned out really well but did have to add a few more tablespoons of sugar. I decided to head back to the city centre and ask about a few more tours and see if I could buy a camera. As it is Saturday the city was chaotic with traffic jams and people running left and right. First stop was the tour company where I priced up the 3 Day 6000m climb, the girl running the desk was really nice and I ended up talking to her for over an hour about my trip and how I could go about getting some cheap thermal equipment like a fleece, long johns, gloves, socks etc. There are many hiking stores here in La Paz but all the equipment is very expensive and I new the locals were not paying hundreds of dollars for there clothes. Armed with the directions for the local clothes market I headed off and with the help of many locals was able to find the street markets. What a site the street markets were; streets upon streets of every imaginable food, clothe, animal and tool and ontop of that traffic racing by either side of you. It actually got very overwhelming and I had to watch my back a lot as there was not one other foreigner and I was standing out like a soar thumb, it's nice though loads of people come up and talk to me and welcome me to Bolivia. I found some good cheap thermal gear which is going to be a lifesaver here but unfortunately the camera store was closed. The weather here in the day is perfect; sun all day and a nice warm temperature, however by night the temp drops below zero and I start to freeze. I found a few new snack things to try which included a peanut brittle bar a little chubby Bolivian kid sold me and a mix of puffed pasta, trigo, quinoa, rice with various sugar and chocolate coatings. There were so many new things to buy and try but I held back as I am still getting over my crook stomach. Walking back to where I needed to catch the minivan from I ran into this crazy crazy Bolivian guy pushing around a cart with snakes, crocodiles and poisoness fish with it snake blood and an array of animal venoms. I asked the snake guy for a photo and he wanted $5 but after I told him I was Australian he told me $10, I had a bit of a joke around with him and told him about my trip and he let me take some photos even posing for a few without charging me (another experience that shows the true nature of these people). After sitting and having my lunch in the main square I had to bus straight back to my hosts as we were due at the baby shower at 3pm to help with some more cooking. We decided to do the cooking at Nyrzha's house because she has a huge kitchen and all the tools. First up we started on the flan and got that in the oven and then moved onto the terramasoo. My first time making or even trying terramasoo the famous Italian dessert; a sweet dessert made of . At around 5pm we headed over to Nyrzha's Mothers house where the Baby Shower was being held and wow what a sight: the most intricate array of decorations and food I have ever witnessed. Each cupcake handcrafted with little birdy designs, icing covered fruits, chocolates, cakes, savouries, dips and the list goes on; it is traditional to throw very elaborate parties here and even those with little money spend everything on their parties. I am hoping I am not going to be the only guy here but it is a baby shower so I guess most men will be doing their best to run and hide from such a gathering. So for the next two hours I drooled over the delicious looking food waiting desperately for everyone to arrive so we could eat - I was starving. In Bolivian culture it's common courtesy to greet with a kiss every woman you encounter at a gathering which in this party was about 40 women. I havnt shaved in weeks and I was quite embarrassed as they poor ladies were all getting a touch from my scrubby beard. Whilst waiting they brought out a very typical breakfast snack from Bolivia called Saltenas: much like a pasty or a pie but filled with some form of meat, vegetables, spices and egg - although these are quite tasty I don't go too much on the thick pastry surrounding the good bits. Eventually everyone came along with the other Couchsurfer Pei and we were able to eat. Where to begin - I tried tiramisu and flan both for the first time and wow I have been missing out. Everything on the table had been home made by someone and you could taste the love that had been out into the cooking. Unfortunately there was very little in the way of savory dishes: a tuna and mayo mix to spread on the bread and these incredibly delicious chicken filled Mexican Borrito type things with both cheese and spicy dipping sauces - I devoured about 3 of these before my stomach told me no more. they also had these delicious strawberries coated in various icings that were so fresh and tasty. It was quite funny seeing all the ladies and their incredible sweet toothes at work - devouring chocolate cake after sweet desert after more sweets - going back for thirds and fourths. After about an hour the food was gone and there was a ton of it so good news; it was all delicious and everyone was star icing and now content. Oh and not one drop of alcohol was drank just lots of sodas, orange juices and teas (there mad about soda here). Later on two of Nyrzha's brothers came and her father so I finally had some male company. They did the present presentation which involved unwrapping the various gifts and reading out the good wish cards. By about 9:30pm we were all tired so we did the rounds kissing everyone goodbye, collected our little chocolate gifts and then made our way back to Nyrzha's place. I was in somewhat of a food coma and spent the next 3 hours nursing a swollen belly - do I regret eating all that delicious food? Never I would do it again in a heart beat and how rude it would have been not to partake in a Bolivian tradition with my new friends.
- comments