Today didn’t
go exactly as planned. We boarded
the bus for Copacabana, Bolivia only to find out that Americans have to pay $135
to enter Bolivia. It seems the
president’s new best friend, Hugo Chavez, of Venezuela convinced him to dump on
Americans. (Everyone else gets in
free for 30 days.) If this was
done to piss off Americans it worked.
We hopped
off the bus, Gus and made a new plan, Stan. We gathered our luggage and transferred to the bus to Cuzco.
Paul and
Wendy from Scotland and the Netherlands were good companions for the 6½ hour
trip. They have lived all over the
world and have some interesting travel stories. The scenery was great and we made many comparisons to New
Zealand and Colorado. We also did
some “high-speed birding,” adding three new species.
We are
staying at Hostal Marani in the very old and charming San Blas district of
Cuzco. The streets are narrow and
hilly and we are sure to get lost as we stagger uphill in the rarified air at
11,000 feet. Our room is a little
pricey but large with vaulted ceilings, thick walls and heavy warm
blankets. We have plentiful hot
water and a buffet breakfast.
