A Year In Bolivia: Days 44-50

On Tuesday during music class, I somehow ended up having to play a few of the songs I knew by memory for my entire class. They all loved it though and clapped for me but it was kind of embarrassing to play because I don't like all the attention focused on me. The rest of my day was normal but I didn't go to classes in the afternoon because I was getting everything ready to leave for Trinidad. At 7:30, Miguel and I left for the bus station where we met his girlfriend, FaBiola, and at 8 we headed out on our bus. It was a tour bus so it was pretty nice. We made a stop around 10 so everyone could have supper and there were 7 dogs surrounding our table! We arrived in Trinidad around 4:30am and then took a taxi to meet Abuelita and Tía Angelica at the hostel to get some more sleep.

Wednesday we woke up at 7:30 and headed down to La Plaza and mercado for breakfast and shopping until out flight. I started my day off real healthy with a fresh fruit salad! (: I will never get tired of those! In the airport, I met some more of my family from La Paz who were traveling to my he wedding on the same plane as us. On the plane, FaBiola helped me learn a little more about the 9 departments of Bolivia: Pando, Tarija, Chuquisaca (where Sucre is located), Cochabamba, Beni (where Trinidad is located), Oruro, La Paz, Potosí, and Santa Cruz. When we landed in Trinidad, more family was waiting to meet us and they drove us to the hotel we were staying in that my cousin (the groom) owns. After lunch, Miguel, FaBiola, and I walked around Trinidad for awhile until we were all ready to leave for Laguna Isireri. A few things I noticed about Trinidad: 1) They don't eat potatoes at every meal, instead it's rice and yuca. 2) There are motorcycles EVERYWHERE! A car really stands out amidst all the motorcycles. Even the taxis (unless you call a movíl) are motorcycles. 3) There's not as many stray dogs until you get closer to the edge of town. 4) I only saw one of the more indigenous people my whole trip. 5) There aren't many tourists so you get a lot more attention from the guys even getting to winks and air blown kisses. 6) It is EXTREMELY hot and it's only the beginning of spring here! - The lagoon was absolutely beautiful and Roberto (Abuelita's brother) Miguel, FaBiola, and I played with Roberto's two Rottweilers that he had brought from La Paz. The water only went up to my mid thighs and apparently no matter how far out into the lagoon, it's the same level. I didn't have a swimsuit on and the bottom was slippery so we didn't try going out extremely far. They all kept saying an alligator was coming to get me but that didn't bother me. Now if they would've said worms that would be a different story! After the lagoon, we all went to get coconut milk an it was super cold and refreshing. For supper, we had leftovers from lunch along with bread with nata (similar to butter) and then we sat down and talked until people starting getting tired.

On Thursday I had breakfast with a distant great Aunt from La Paz and her friend, Rosaria, and afterwards Rosaria and I took a little walk. We stopped at the church in La Plaza and we got into a big discussion about God. I've noticed that each place I go to has a central plaza with lots of trees and plants, benches, and statues representing that area's independence. Back at the hotel, we headed up to our rooms to rest and a little while later, I went with FaBiola and Miguel to walk around. We got coconut milk and we were going to go try Pirannah but the restaurant was closed so we bought some sugar cane juice instead but it was a little too sweet. For lunch, us three, Abuelita, Tía A, and Rosaria went to a fish place (fish is a really popular dish here) and I had Milaneza. IT WAS AMAZING! I almost want to say it's better than the fresh salmon I've had in Alaska! It was a huge portion of food for a small price so I shared some and took some home for later. Then we went to El Mercado Campesino where we bought swimsuits so we could swim in the pool at the other hotel that my other cousin (brother of the groom) owns. After we had swam for awhile we went back to take showers and relax in our hotel until Miguel and FaBiola were ready to go get supper. We had some soensos (not sure how to spell it), which is yuca with cheese, and fresh strawberry juice! We were going to try alligator but we didn't know where a good place to try it was. When we were walking to get ice cream, Pablo (the groom), his fiancée, Mercedes, and their 8 month old son, Rafael picked us up on their way for supper so we had ice cream at the hamburger place they ate at. Afterwards, we drove around for 2 hours and they showed us around Trinidad before easing back to the hotel.

After breakfast on Friday, everyone worked to clean glasses and tables to get ready for the wedding on Saturday as when we were done we went to the little zoo/park that there was. Some of the animals like the deer weren't in cages and would just come up to you. The snakes were HUGE but they were in cages. We were supposed to be back at the hotel for lunch by 12 but we didn't end up leaving until 1:30. We went to a place by the river and had fish again. Almost everyone in my family who was coming to the wedding was there so we set up tables to fit about 40 or more people! I don't even know my relation to half of them! After lunch, we went to the river and fit onto a wooden river boat for an hour and a half ride up the river a ways and back. Back at the hotel I was covered in so much dirt that I had a new tan line. I took a nice long shower and relaxed until our big group was ready to go have supper at a nice restaurant. We ordered Pacumuto (a kind of steak) that came with cheese rice, fried yuca, and salad. During our supper, a guy came in to play the guitar and we got him to come to our table and play the songs we requested. He's a great singer! Then we stuck around the restaurant talking for awhile.

Saturday morning, mamá arrived and some of us went out for empanadas and chocolate beniano (similar to hot chocolate) for breakfast. Then FaBiola and I spent some time together and we got our nails done for the wedding. Afterwards, we met mamá and Miguel in la plaza and while mamá went to take a little tour of Trinidad, Miguel, FaBiola and I went to the pool until lunch. For lunch, we went up to the top floor of our hotel to Pablo's apartment and had the same meal as last night. Then FaBiola and I went to get our hair done for the wedding and we were there for a long time! The service wasn't the best. At 8, we went down to the room of the hotel where the wedding was taking place. The ceremony was mixed in with the party. There was a lot of similar things that there are in the US but also some differences. A small group of dancers dancing the Tobas came in for awhile, along with the bouquet and garnet, the single girls pull strings out of the wedding cake and two are connected to rings. The girls who pull out the rings will be the next ones married. I pulled out one of the rings. Also, for part of the party the girls wore masks and the boys hats. I really like the dances here unlike in the US because it's actually dancing and not just jumping to electronic music. I stayed down at the party until 3 and I had a blast! The only thing I didn't like was the heat. EVERYONE was dripping sweat and if someone wasn't then they must've had some secret behind it. I danced with so many people though and after awhile, you just got used to all the sweating. A little gross, I know, but there wasn't really anything you could do about it.

On Sunday, we went to buy some fish before having salteñas at the other hotel we weren't staying at. Then mamá, Abuelita, and Tía M headed to the airport and the rest of us went in the pool all afternoon. After the pool, Miguel, FaBiola, my aunt, uncle, cousin and I went to eat and I had the best Fettuchini Alfredo I've ever eaten! Then we went back to the hotel to relax until it was time to take FaBiola to the bus station (she had to be back earlier for her text at her college). Then the rest of us left at 10pm and I was on the second level of the bus by the window, with lots of room for my legs, big, comfy seats, a clean bus, a warm blanket, good roads, and my music. I slept like a baby for the 10 hour bus ride!

After arriving to Santa Cruz on Monday, we bought our bus tickets for the trip to Sucre and then went for breakfast. Then we went to my Abuelo's house and all of us fell asleep until it was time to leave. We had a 14 hour bus ride on a bus that was the opposite of the previous one plus we were on winding, bumpy, dirt, unpaved mountain roads for most of the trip. When we arrived this morning (Tuesday), my tons of mosquito bites from Trinidad itched like crazy and my feet were swollen to twice their normal size! It's nice to be home resting right now!