pico tunari and exposida

Friday a bunch of us went to another organization that some of the Sustainable Bolivia volunteers work at. 

Mano A Mano builds schools, health centers, roads, etc. and fills the schools with desks and chairs, and med centers with supplies.

We wrapped 200 chairs for transport to a countryside school. And 80 desks.

Saturday night there was a random parade of University students and different dances. Each program (like medicine and engineering) had their own costume and traditional Bolivian dance.

Sunday we rented a trufi for 300 Bs for 6 people and headed to climb Pico Tunari, a mountain just outside Cochabamba over 5,000 meters. Look, Llamas in the way!

More llamas (yamas) and alpacas

We didn't quite end up on the trail in the national park cuz the trufi driver was a little confused I guess, but it was still beautiful

 I stopped to cuddle up in some warm rocks, hidden from the wind, trying to catch my breath. Tried to take some timed-shots. The others kept climbing, I didn't think I'd be able to make it. My lungs hurt so bad.

Had to chew some Coca leaves because I was having a hard time breathing. It helps with altitude sickness. It tastes like barn hay, but it actually helped. And I eventually followed the others up the rest of the mountain.

 Glad I did. Beautiful.

So cool. There's random lakes up in the mountains, you go higher, and they still appear!

These pictures don't show it well, but this lake is huge. Like a mile or two, and probably a half mile below us.

 Friends in the distance!

Headed home after a 4 hour hike!

My Powerade bottle after descending from the mountain. Imagine the air pressure at 5,000 meters!

This week we are having a big AIDS exposition called ExpoSIDA at the Feicobol, Feria de la Laguna Alalay. I've been making cupcakes all week. This is the first batch that I sleepily made after my long hike, for Monday.

We hung all these up on Thursday night

Fishing for questions

Day 2 Batch

"It only takes one!"

Rough HIV/AIDS+ numbers in the Bolivian departments (like states)

Mom::: On the way home for lunch on Tuesday, I went a new route and saw this: It's a children's library inside a plane! apparently theres shelves and little tables and chairs. awesome idea!

Also on this new bus route, I was finally able to take pictures of La Cancha, the famed market that's miles wide, but too risky to bring even a cell phone with you there...little stands like this are just lined up for miles and usually each block is a specific thing like this ones tomatoes and peppers, and so are its neighbors

Back at the Expo. we have a nice little spot where people can take photos for 1B

Our Queens

My friend Gabriel and some students. The theme for this year's expo is My First Love (Mi Primer Amor)
 so it was geared toward high school students.....and they come in hundreds! Busy Busy this week, so sorry for the late update!