We spent a few days in Cochabamba to break up our journey over to Santa Cruz in the South east of the country. Not much to write home about there, it's growing in wealth and felt like a city in transition and of stark contrasts with plently of folk enjoying the good life in restaurants, bars and ice cream parlours but lots of people living on the street. There were lots of families of mum and kids begging or selling a few sweets or singing or playing a guitar for a few Bolivianos. There only possessions appeared to be in the clothes on their backs, a few blankets and a metal container for water, washing etc.
We took a cama night bus and a long ride to Santa Cruz at the end of last week. It was a slow ride at times and in very heavy rain, but we reached Santa Cruz safe and just about soundly. Santa Cruz feels very different to the rest of Bolivia so far. First of all it is very warm, 25-30, with lots of tropical fauna about. Secondly it is a lot more prosperous than the rest of Bolivia.
We haven't been doing too much here other than relaxing in the sunshine and the manycafes and trying to brush up on a bit of Spanish. I endeavoured to find a private teacher for a few hours lessons this week but failed.
The main squares in Cochambamba and Santa Cruz have both set up their Christmas decorations, a tv screen was even set up here to show religious themed cartoons to children and earlier this week Santa came to visit.
I'll leave you with a picture of Simon, the pet toucan at our hostel. He likes to nibble feet, flip flops and anything plastic!
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