Monday

Nice and easy.

Walk in the morning with Claudia up one of the eucalyptus lined valleys leading from the Cochabamba ‘bowl’ towards the Cordillera mountains. This region is well regarded as one of the most important in Bolivia for flower production and we skirt many fields in full bloom.

Claudia and her husband have introduced fruit trees into their garden and are experimenting with various vegetables which are unusual here. They are doing well. We come face to face with a huge marrow that is hanging in the air as it grows.

as we climb higher and away from the houses (there is a 2000 metre limit on development), Claudia talks about how precious water is here and how the farmers vie for rights to it. A lot of the trouble is a lack of organisation. We come across an exposed section of a huge water pipe intended to carry the agua from a distant lake, through a mountain and out here to supply the City and district and it’s right here but not a drop has come through. We pick up some fossils and some litter by a pretty waterfall (there is rubbish everywhere we go) and head back down.

There’s another get together in Luisa’s wonderful garden-she has, for instance, made a compost toilet out of old bottles! I leave Sue to it and come inside to get this down.
Tomorrow afternoon, Sue is going off to see the local state school.
And, no doubt, some more teachers.
I may take the time to book a hotel in La Paz; or I may take a stroll through town in search of a Taquina in a nice shady spot, trying not to look too pink.

Hoodie printers

Related posts:

1. What’s next in Bolivia?
2. Bolivia te amamos
3. Bolivia. Last full day… sigh
4. Back to Bolivia
5. Another dollop of Bolivia