One of the little border towns on the Peruvian side featured a lovely 18th century stone church which was decked out inside with white streamers and flowers, looking for all the world like a wedding ceremony was about to take place. Instead, it was decorated this way to comemorate the upcoming planting season. Life affirming and wonderful, it was a way to celebrate existance, much like a wedding is.
We drove on around the lake until the border arrived. For the first time in my life, I walked across a border between two countries on foot. The crossing was smooth and efficient, thanks to our guides, Pablo and Tula: after all the formalities, we said goodbye to Tula and thanked her for her guidance and insights.
Boliva is impressive and backward: poor roads, little infrastructure, mostly indigenous and dirt poor. Until we came to our wonderful Hotel Rosario in the town of Copacabana: all rooms in this hotel over look the lake and are well decorated and well appointed. It is much like a hotel on the Greek islands, beautiful and luxurious. A long walk through narrow winding streets led by our local Aymara guide, Juan Carlos, took us to a stunning white and tile church the Aymara were forbidden to enter up to 1950! It was previously reserved for the white Spanish-speaking elite: the Aymara gathered in the outdoor patio around the church to worship. We shook our heads at this injustice, only corrected so recently. Juan Carlos was philosophical about it: he intimated that, yes, it was unjust that Aymara couldn't enter the church, but they enjoyed beautiful services in the brilliant open air and sunshine. Talk about being positive and optimistic, but, this is the way of aboriginal people all over the world when faced by such prejudice: make the best of the situation, but continue to fight with patience and dignity until the injustice is removed.
Change is coming to Bolivia, we were told. But it will be slow and sure in coming.
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