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(Cordillera Real - Bolivia - July/August 2006)
PEAKS and LAKES
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(Cordillera Real - Bolivia - July/August 2006)
Trek in the Cordillera Real
We first went back to La Paz, then we started for a new trek, for 6 days this time.
We are guided by Eliseo, (a guide is necessary, as the paths are not marked...), and accompanied by two mules (food for 6 days, and camping gear...), and of course two multeers : Inocencio (15 years old) et Ivan (12).
And, much to our surprise, we see that Julia, the guide's sister, is also coming with us : she will cook for all of us. Under normal circumstances, Eliseo would have done the cooking, but he hurt his hand (playing soccer...). Julia will then walk with us, wearing her aymara dresses (but without the hat : too much wind, probably).
On the first day, we drive until the Laguna Quta Thiya, 4 hours from La Paz.
The scenery is typical of what we will see during the whole trek : the Cordillera to the North, with its 5 to 6000 meters snowy peaks, their glaciers feeding splendid lakes.
The Altiplano to the South .
And, far away, Lake Titicaca.
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Around the lake, we meet our first lamas, feeding on scarce grass... |
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We also met alpacas, with a very warm and soft wool |
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They look like big teddy cats... |
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The scenery is superb, but the house is modest... This is where the warden of the lamas lives. Maybe he has also a few sheep, and cattle too ? |
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A pass (around 5000 meters), and a new valley opens up, which looks very much like the one we just left, with its lake (here, the Laguna Alka Quta). and its mountains as a back stage.
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Eliseo, our guide, and his sister Julia, the cook. Eliseo is a mountain guide. He goes to Huayna Potosi once a week. Julia cooks for trekking groups, whenever possible : she loves it. He tells "bromas" (jokes), and she laughs all the time. Nice, is not it ? One morning, an unusual smell during breakfast : Julia was cooking some trouts for lunch. |
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And our two muleros : Ivan (12) and Inocencio (15). "Do you feel cold, at night ?" "No, it's OK ". Actually, the temperature is well below zero, and they only have blankets. Hardened, already. |
And, in the evening, the meal "prepares itself", the tent is set up by the muleros : we may fully enjoy watch the sunset...
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