Tren al Cotorro

 My favorite.

 On the train to El Cotorro....

Raul at 7 years old.

El nido de Belén

The neighborhood market.

Morning 181

 

¡Azúcar!

 Sugary treat from Bolivia... emphasis on sugary.

 Note "Beijing Cleaning Factory".

Café Habana, where shots of espresso are made in bulk for just a few pesos each. Plenty of sugar required!

Planetario de la Habana: a really interactive and educational, albeit small, museum. The surprisingly modern space was opened in 2009, encouraged by famed Havana historian Eusebio Leal. And like most attractions in the city, the cost varies: 10 pesos for Cubans and 10CUC (24x the price) for foreigners. Considering the salary difference, the disparity is more than understandable.

The sun.

Pristine restaurants of Old Havana: mostly for tourists.

Concierto at the Casa Mexico Museum.

Americans?!

School's out! I still can't get enough of those uniforms.

This is the face of a girl so in love that she couldn't tell she had a parasite (downside of traveling).

I realize there will be several of photos of Raul to come. Sorry, but he's my favorite model!

Ecuadorian woman artists presenting at the Oswaldo Guayasamín Museum.

Fiesta at Daysi's house (she's the one in the middle). The walls are covered by her musings. The one that struck me the most was: "Un pajaro con colores definidos muestra el camino, yo no tengo alas para volar", translated as, "The bird with defined colors shows its path, I don't have wings to fly".

Morning 180

Does that mobile look familiar?

Over the mountains and through the clouds...

The Bolivian sky bids me goodbye, reminding me of its bright splendor.

Hey Lima, it's you again! Transfer.

After hiking in Sorata, I am more impressed by these glacial lakes and their color.

Looks like the Caribbean...

Back to Cuba.

The view from Raul's late grandmother's apartment in the Old Havana neighborhood of Belén.

Someone's happy to see me!

Zicelis, friend and loyal taxi driver.

Method to the Madness

Sometimes La Paz feels like an endless outdoor market. The seemingly chaotic set up is actually quite organized: there's a hardware sector, a garment district, a toy section (with a specific section for the trompo, a common wooden spinning top) and so much more.

Ah, the gemstones. It's not uncommon to see people selling them in touristic sectors of these South American cities.

A specialist in gemstones attached to braids.

"Your delicious pork rinds".

Leticia y la llama.

Bruno, a Belgian-born, Bolivian citizen who has spent decades working organic farms in the Madidi National Park, and with whom Leticia would work.

**Update: See this video of Bruno and his "sueño verde".