Back to La Paz and off to Buenos Aires (Dec 19-20th)

James and I arrived back in La Paz at 6am, having survived the bumpy ride, and checked into the hotel where he had stayed the nights before and after his jungle trek. The staff let us in early, so we were able to take a nap, have breakfast, and turn in some laundry for washing before heading back out into the city-- of which we had an excellent view in our room.


We spent the better part of the day in the markets looking for some clothes and a small set of Iphone speakers for James, and a sweater for me. As unbelievable as it is, I never found the right sweater, in all my travels through Peru and Bolivia; all the softest ones had alpacas emblazoned all over them, and I just couldn't see wearing them back home. Besides, within my price range, most were ill-fitting. I did, however, find a present that I simply had to buy for my sister Carrie; the minute I had seen the traditional eye-scarringly bright fuschia tablecloths so prevalent in Bolivia, I knew I had to purchase one for my bold-color-loving little sis.


In between our shopping efforts, we had a delicious set lunch at the same cafe Julia and I had tried the week prior, and it did not disappoint. Later we stopped into a tiny, makeshift cafe for a cup of tea and a game of Scrabble, in which James summarily handed me my ass. I cannot chide myself to horribly for my massive defeat, however, as I hadn't played in years and didn't know most of the rules but more importantly because James is essentially a Scrabble savant. Seriously, dude has never lost a game. Half the time, when we've had downtime and an internet connection, he's on his Iphone Scrabble app, participating in twelve or so games online. So I see it that I was learning from the best. ;)

We returned to the hotel to organize our things and take care of some odds and ends on the computer. That night, we ordered curry, cracked open a bottle of wine, and made more plans for Buenos Aires. I also had the coldest shower since Colca Canyon, which I did not enjoy.

The next day started early as well, with two flights, the first from La Paz to Santa Cruz and the second on to Buenos Aires. Flying out of La Paz, we enjoyed a postcard-perfect view of ______ Potosi, which looms so famously over the city and in the title card of Paramount Pictures.


The journey from the Buenos Aires airport to Hostel Estoril, our accommodation in the center of the city, took almost as long as the flight itself, due to the worst rush hour gridlock I have ever seen (although apparently such traffic is typical in BA). When we did finally arrive, Hostel Estoril proved worth the wait. Certainly one of my favorites of the trip, with accommodating staff, a fantastic roof deck, and the sunniest room I've had.


That night we made some plans for the week and walked around a bit but went to bed early since I was exhausted and James had been fasting all day in an attempt to starve away his stomach troubles.

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Location:Avenida de Mayo, Buenos Aires, Argentina