Leaving La Paaz

Once agin we pack our bags and even though I feel we're leaving to early I hope getting away from the smog of this big city will help my breathing they say you become aclimatised to the high altitude, but we have been high up now for a while and I don't feel any better. There is a taxi outside the hostel and we catch this to the bus terminal at the cemetary. There is a bus waiting that is almost full so we jump on here as they don't leave till they are full. The bus makes its way to El Alto which is where the wrestling was last night. It must be nearly an hour till we leave the city and the road is pretty perilous. We wind our way up and down mountain regions and eventually arrive in a place called San Pedro . Here we all have to get of the bus and whilst we go across the lake on a little boat the bus follows on a floating pontoon . We eat a pasty filled with potato and cheese and add additional mani (peanut) sauce which is really spicy, but rely good. After half an hour the bus arrives on the same side as us and we all board again for the short journey to Copacabana. As we round a bend on the top of the mountains a lorry has overturned and the army ar trying to pull it back from the edge with ropes, good luck with that. We make our way a little more slowly down the mountain and the view of the lake is wonderful. I am so ready for the tranquility of this place. Our hostel is right next to the lake and we have a full panoramic view from our window. I am in heaven after La Paz. . We take a stroll through the town and walk back to the cathedral which is definitely the most beautiful I've seen. The place is very touristy and there are stands all along the road trying to sell me a ticket out of her. I've only just got here and have no plans to leave just yet. We walk back to the waterfront and take a seat on the balcony above the bar. We only planned to stay for a beer but end up eating as the weather is so good and the the view so beautiful. I really feel like I've arrived in paradise. After dinner the plan is to go back to the hostel grab a shower and head back out but we end up just getting the shower and getting into bed. As Mark watches the telly I watch the electric storm brewing over the lake, the lightning is spectacular but there is no thunder. I watch mesmerised and it reminded me of the lightning over lake garda in Italy. I am awoken at 4 in the morning by the storm overhead and the dogs barking wildly, I once agin get up to the window to see it's hailing, I can't believe my eyes and I'm tempted to wake Mark to show him as he won't believe me in the morning, but I let him sleep and get back into bed myself.Read more