Cambio Boliviano

We woke up on Sunday at around 8. We ate breakfast at 8:30. we had tea and bread, that's all. We all got on our scarves and jackets and walking shoes and went adventuring around the city. We cam across the main square where there was some big event going on. We walked past many many men and women dressed in typical Navy, Marines, Cadets, and other army uniforms. They all looked so spiffy and well behaved. We also saw some tanks. Sandra told us that they were celebrating three years of the currents government and econimic system in Bolivia. There were women dressed in the typical indigenous clothes with flutes and a band. We wated around and watched all the people. It was really beautiful. After leaving the plaza we went to a couple museums where we saw artifacts from many years ago and learned about indigenous culture and the history of Bolivia. We went into a giant vault and got to see real gold from thousands of years ago. It was cool even thought everyone was short of breath and our legs hurt from climbing up and down steep streets. The streets in La Paz remind me of those in San Francisco, but made of cobblestone and less organized. So after getting lunch at a Pizza place, we got on a bus that was already packed pretty full before 15 exchange students squished themselves on, and rode a little less that an hour up into the hills away from the main part of the city and we reached Valle De La Luna. A long long time ago, sand formed into weird shapes and then turned into rocks. And that's what we went to see. We almost didn't get to go in because it was raining and if you look at the pictures it doesn't look very safe if the trail got wet because people could slip and they would probably die, if not be very badly injured. We went anyway, the people let us go and  just said to be careful. So we walked the Valley of the Moon. It was incredible. The rock formations were so cool and beautiful.

After walking a while to catch a bus, then taking even longer to get back to the city, everyone was tired. We were given 2 hours to do shopping around our hotel. Everyone bought sweaters and mittens and bracelets and all sorts of touristy, Bolivian looking things. And everyone was grossed out by the llama fetus's being sold on the street. After a while I started feeling light headed and sick. We walked back earlier than needed so i would have time to rest. We went to dinner across the street form the hotel and everyone ordered sandwishes and soup. I got chicken soup and tea because I wasn't feeling well. After I ate i left early to go back to my room and lay down. Once everyone else got back the went to play a card game that we had so much fun with on our last trip to Concepcion together, but I could barely move. The headache that was tiny before soon began pounding inside my head. I fell a sleep soon, and for that short period of time I wasn't in pain, but as soon as I woke up I couldn't bare it. I felt like a soda can that had been shaken up and ready to burst. I didn't notice I was making any noise until Shyah asked if I was okay then I told her she should call Sandra. Sandra had told me earlier if I felt bad in an hour, that she would take me to a hospital. So Shyah called her then walked me down to meet her and we took a taxi to a 24 hour emergency free clinic where they checked me out and then gave me oxygen. I felt a lot better after breathing pure oxygen for over a 1/2 hours, and on the way back Sandra picked up some medication at the Pharmacy. I felt great until I changed unto my pj's and went back to bed, it seems it was only a temporary solution. This morning I woke up with even more pain and a terrible headache. Since the plan for today and tonight was to travel to Lake Ttitticaca and the Isle Del Sol, I didn't go because it would have been even harder on my body. Everyone left their suitcases h in the hotel and only took one days worth of clothes. While they visit the highest navigable lake in the world and see the beautiful Isle Del Sol, I am stuck in bed catching up on some blogging. I feel better now, it's around 6 in the evening and I took some medication. Tomorrow I hope I will wake up refreshed and ready to go to Sucre!