Between yesterday and today, my life here seems to be molding, which is wonderful. While Mike worked out visa things yesterday morning, I stayed behind to turn this:
into this:
.
Needless to say it took me an hour or two. Otherwise, we adventured during the day by going to the supermarket to get some things and I made it a point to take more pictures of the area, so people back home would feel a little more familiar with my current surroundings. Truthfully, I really am trying to ease their minds, but I know almost for a fact that no matter what I do, it may not be enough until I simply am where they are; which is sad, but I have to move on and live here because, with each passing day, I fall more in love with La Paz.
I love the people. They smile when I butcher their language and make an effort to ensure I understand, so with our partial sign language and my fragmented Spanish, we make do. Today I fell more in love with the city because I had to be independent in the city, without Mike, which was incredible. I was able to get around from point a to point b with relative ease and had a few side-adventures, but I'll get there in a minute. For now, I'll sum up Friday the 13th.
After eating some traditional Bolivian food and fruit smoothies for lunch:
Mike took a nap while I chatted with friends and family and attempted to upload pictures. Unfortunately, he was in need of more rest that evening, so we stayed in, taking a break to briefly go full moon-hunting. It was a productive day and I was glad for the time we spent walking around the city because I am beginning to be able to get around with more confidence.
Now, TODAY is El Gran Poder, which is an annual festival in Bolivia. It is a day where the cholitas (the indigenous women of the Aymara culture) dress in their finest clothes and gold and have a glittering parade with many full bands and the spectators make merry all day long. Streets are closed so vendors may sell goods along the roads in the main area of town and the shops that are open closed around 3pm so everyone may participate in the festivities.
When I awoke this morning, I was unsure of how today would go because it was my first day without Mike as a personal escort. So, as I was reading about God's promise to Noah after the flood and eating breakfast, our roommate and another Gravity mountain bike guide, Kieran, came out and asked what I was doing today and if I wanted to go to the Gran Poder with him and one of his mates (Kieran is from New Zealand). Of course, it was on my to-do list, so he got ready for the day and off we went to, first, run some errands we had to get done.
To make many stories short (but feel free to ask me about them later), Kieran and I got my errands done first (the gentleman), but he was unable to get his done because most of the stores he needed to access were closed, so we spent about an hour at the parade (paid 20 Bs for fourth-seat--back row-- from the parade; the parade was blocked off to viewers who didn't pay by sheets and tarps):
I tried my first bit of street food--I was cautious about it and have had no ill side effects yet; we met up with Andy (another Gravity guide) who happened to be wearing an adult-sized onesie, fashioned to the likeness of a devil--hood with horns, tail and everything; we visited Danielle (Dani) at work, who works for Gravity and has had a rough week (sick and family member in the hospital), but is as kind and helpful as anyone I've ever met; and then we walked through the crowds to eventually go to Oliver's, an English tavern, where I had an adult hot chocolate and an engaging conversation with Kieren, Andy, a woman and man (not together) from England, a woman from Australia, and a woman from Sweden--all around my age! It was pretty awesome and the conversation was still progressing when I left to begin the walk back to the apartment. The women from Australia and Sweden went on a walk with me at first and when we parted, I left for the apartment--and made it successfully without getting turned around.
Later I may meet up with the group again, but I figure I'll see how Mike feels after he finishes his shift--I'd rather not walk back to them on my own. I could take a cab, but that would be a whole other, potentially expensive, adventure. Who knows, though? The night is still young. For now, buenas noches, amigos! I hope all is well with you.
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