When we rolled into Sucre we were planning to stay just a few days but ended up staying a week. It was a very nice city with a spectacular mirador, a great museum of indigenous weaving, two wonderful chaotic markets full of delicious food, payphones in models of dinosaurs, and beautiful old buildings, most of them white.
But the real reason we stayed in Sucre was the people we met. We set up camp at a hostel recommend to us by our Polish friend Kris called the Wasi Masi, a Quechua phrase that means "house of friends," a fitting name. It is the best hostel we have been to. It was run by Roxana who lives there with her son Antonio and their puppy Balú. They were wonderful hosts, and by the time we left, friends.
The hostel also had a Spanish tutor with whom I worked for five days, two hours each day, named Isaac. He was not only a great teacher and helped me work on the imperfect and preterit tenses, but he was really interesting to talk to. We talked about everything from 9/11 and Eduardo Galeano to the Transformers and Daffy Duck. Like Hilary and I, he loves to travel. We hope he will come visit us in the States.
We spent a lot of time with Jonathan and Vanessa, a couple from Belgium, whom we first met in Potosí. Son muy divertido y interesante. Here are some pictures from a night out at the Biblio Cafe. Good times.
We also had fun getting to know the other guests: Haike from Germany, Joe and Nina from the Netherlands, Jonathan from England, Naomi from Australia, and Pip and Missy from England. Barbara our old friend from the salt flats was also there. We also got to meet some friends of Roxana´s: Maggie and Carlos, Edgar, and Anna. Finally, living off the courtyard of our hostel was Don Dumas, Alejandro Dumas, lover of beer and writer/singer of tango. Todos son muy simpaticos. On Sunday Roxana took a group of us out to the country to picnic by a beautiful river. Our microbus broke down and we got to ride Bolivian-style in a passing
camioneta, a truck that takes passengers. We ate and swam and walked up to a ridge with a tremendous view of the city to watch some dancers. Barbara joined in.
On the night before our departure we had a big parrilla (BBQ) with lots of food, singing and dancing, the whole bit. I even debuted my Spanish-language rock song, "Entonces, Fiambres" which translates as "Therefore, Coldcuts." There is video, but I don´t think I can handle it being published on the World Wide Web. My voice is just too bad. Without help singing from Barbara and Maggie, and from Carlos and Edgar on guitar, I wouldn´t have done it at all. Unfortunately my pictures of the evening are a bit weak. I love my camera but it has a terrible flash. Here is a photo of Maggie with Carlos, el parrilla jefe.
We had a wonderful time in Sucre. The people were so nice to us. I envy Barbara, Jonathan, and Vanessa, who are staying at least another week. Even the people in the shops where friendly. We spent almost an hour talking to Manuel at his bookstore.
If you are like us then you can´t get enough of Balú. Here are a few more:
But the real reason we stayed in Sucre was the people we met. We set up camp at a hostel recommend to us by our Polish friend Kris called the Wasi Masi, a Quechua phrase that means "house of friends," a fitting name. It is the best hostel we have been to. It was run by Roxana who lives there with her son Antonio and their puppy Balú. They were wonderful hosts, and by the time we left, friends. 
The hostel also had a Spanish tutor with whom I worked for five days, two hours each day, named Isaac. He was not only a great teacher and helped me work on the imperfect and preterit tenses, but he was really interesting to talk to. We talked about everything from 9/11 and Eduardo Galeano to the Transformers and Daffy Duck. Like Hilary and I, he loves to travel. We hope he will come visit us in the States. 
We spent a lot of time with Jonathan and Vanessa, a couple from Belgium, whom we first met in Potosí. Son muy divertido y interesante. Here are some pictures from a night out at the Biblio Cafe. Good times. 
We also had fun getting to know the other guests: Haike from Germany, Joe and Nina from the Netherlands, Jonathan from England, Naomi from Australia, and Pip and Missy from England. Barbara our old friend from the salt flats was also there. We also got to meet some friends of Roxana´s: Maggie and Carlos, Edgar, and Anna. Finally, living off the courtyard of our hostel was Don Dumas, Alejandro Dumas, lover of beer and writer/singer of tango. Todos son muy simpaticos. On Sunday Roxana took a group of us out to the country to picnic by a beautiful river. Our microbus broke down and we got to ride Bolivian-style in a passing camioneta, a truck that takes passengers. We ate and swam and walked up to a ridge with a tremendous view of the city to watch some dancers. Barbara joined in. 
On the night before our departure we had a big parrilla (BBQ) with lots of food, singing and dancing, the whole bit. I even debuted my Spanish-language rock song, "Entonces, Fiambres" which translates as "Therefore, Coldcuts." There is video, but I don´t think I can handle it being published on the World Wide Web. My voice is just too bad. Without help singing from Barbara and Maggie, and from Carlos and Edgar on guitar, I wouldn´t have done it at all. Unfortunately my pictures of the evening are a bit weak. I love my camera but it has a terrible flash. Here is a photo of Maggie with Carlos, el parrilla jefe. 
We had a wonderful time in Sucre. The people were so nice to us. I envy Barbara, Jonathan, and Vanessa, who are staying at least another week. Even the people in the shops where friendly. We spent almost an hour talking to Manuel at his bookstore. 
If you are like us then you can´t get enough of Balú. Here are a few more: 
1 comment:
You take such amazing photos!
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