Alpacas at Last!

OK, so they weren't high in the Andes. Nor were they roaming the hills being shepherded by native Bolivian alpaca herdsmen. Rather, it was a very pleasant farm, about an hour outside DC, run by a lovely couple. The Alpaca Full Moon Farm welcomes visitors and is an adorable place to visit. I owe Justin a huge thank you for arranging the entire trip and to the rest of the crew as well for being such good sports and going along with this crazy idea. It was a gorgeous afternoon in October. Sunny and warm. Just right for getting out of the city.

The alpacas themselves were everything I imagined they would be and more. So friendly and approachable. And so soft. I think they were only about halfway through their growing season (they are sheared in April) and they were already mighty poofy. You can pet them and pat them on their moppy heads. Though they are more likely to come close to you if you have food in your hands.

They are gentle and have no upper teeth (so they can't bite you) and will eat right out of your hand. Apparently they only spit at one another and I think it's safe to say that we all came out clean.

   

After we cleaned out their gift shop we went down the road to a winery and enjoyed the scenery. A few bottles of wine, an extensive cheese platter and a few olives didn't hurt either. All in all, it was an absolutely fabulous day.

To be honest though, I've been a little reluctant to write this post. Probably because it brings this blog full circle about 2 years sooner than I intended. As I mentioned before, it's not in the cards for Bob and me to return to Bolivia. As luck would have it, that's not all bad. There are many things about Bolivia that make it an undesirable destination at this point in time. But, we had spent so much time preparing to go there that it feels very odd not to return.

That being said, since I last wrote, Bob returned to the States, we got a new assignment and we have already moved on. We're now living in Belgrade, Serbia. I'm starting up a new blog and trying to get my head around Eastern Europe.

Hope you'll join me there soon: serburbanliving.blogspot.com

Ms. Jessie Goes to Washington

The day has finally come for me to bid farewell to my lovely hotel room in Miami. I'm heading back up to Washington today. I'm not sure how long I'll be there but, given the pace at which things have moved so far, I have a feeling there will be plenty of time to visit with friends and family before our onward assignment is nailed down. It'll be nice to be in familiar territory and out of this heat. 

Hope to see you all soon!

The Writing on the Wall

Perhaps you've been reading Bob's blog and already know but here's the scoop: I will not be returning to Bolivia. I suppose we should have guessed this sooner but the doctors are not comfortable sending me back to a high altitude post. And so we bring to a close our very short tour of La Paz. I believe I lasted just over 3 weeks at post. Of course, I've done about 8 weeks here in Miami already but I'm not sure we get any credit for that.

Bob and I both have our regrets about not being able to complete our time in Bolivia. We've been preparing for this since before we were married. Heck, I never even saw an alpaca! At the same time, this isn't such a bad time to be leaving La Paz. The search for a new overseas posting is already underway and we may have additional news to release within days.

While Miami doesn't have alpacas, it does have wild parrots. The other day I was a little too slow with my camera and didn't catch the parrot on my window sill. How many times do you get a second chance like this?

After this guy took off he joined about 10 of his friends to cruise around the nearby parking lots. I had no idea parrots travelled in flocks.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch...

As we continue to sort out my fate here in Miami, it appears as though the situation in Bolivia has deteriorated rapidly. Several short days following Bob's return to La Paz, president Evo Morales demanded that ambassador Goldberg return to the U.S. A few days after that, martial law was declared in the Eastern region of the country. This trouble has been a long time in the making but it is surprising how quickly it has boiled over. And now, our happy little posting in a remote South American country complete with a little adventure in the mountains is not looking quite the same as it once did.

It seems to me that the trouble has remained in the east and that there is no danger in La Paz. While Bob had restored life to at least two of my herb plants in the living room, he is not sure he's going to stay there long enough to reap the rewards.

Happily, Another Near Miss

First Fay, now Ike. Never before have I had the opportunity, or need, to learn so much about hurricanes. Interesting stuff. Especially when they stay off-shore. Even though I've never experienced one overhead, I'm pretty certain that the farther away they stay, the better off I am.

I'm sure Miami is lots of fun in February. I remember that spending Spring Break in the Keys was most certainly a good time. But the gray sky and strong wet winds brought in from the "dirty side" of Ike just aren't doing it for me this time. If nothing else, my hair has seen much better days.

Bob returned to Bolivia last weekend. He's very happy to be back in La Paz. Hopefully I can join him soon.

Making the Most of It

Last week I met a new doctor. The exam went well. I felt good. He thought I was responding to treatment well. Everyone was happy. Then, as he began describing a recovery plan that appeared to require a permanent change of address to this tropical locale he must have noticed a distinct change in mood cross my face. I launched into the whole "I'm supposed to be in Bolivia" story and everything started to get a bit more complicated ... luckily, he was willing to work with me on a plan B.

To make a long story short, in exchange for what I thought was an excessive amount of blood, the doctor is going to rerun all my tests and let me know just what plan B is in two weeks. Yep, two more weeks.

To help pass the time, and just to be good parental units, mom and dad came to visit last weekend. It was nice to have them around. And nice to have access to a car. We actually got to do some sightseeing. Other than the local Chili's and the Cheesecake Factory across the street, Bob and I really don't get out much.

One overtly warm afternoon we visited the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Gardens. I wouldn't say that our group was made up of extreme plant enthusiasts but we did enjoy the scenery. The free tram was a godsend (as was the free admission offered to crazy people who visit on ridiculously hot Sundays in the summer). The frozen lemonade wasn't bad either. There were some really pretty spots and, if I actually knew what I was doing with my camera, I think I could come away with some things worth hanging up. But in all seriousness, this place is best visited not in August.

The next day we visited Vizcaya, a house and formal gardens built by James Deering in 1916. The house has the appearance of an Italian estate and really is quite something. The humidity and sea air are too much for the artifacts inside the home so, unfortunately, they have had to install central air conditioning throughout the entire house. Although this alters the historical integrity of the tour, it made for a much more pleasant afternoon. 

The house really is quite something but even more impressive may be the boat landing and grounds. Especially when you consider that they get completely flooded as each tropical storm or hurricane passes by.  The house is owned by Miami-Dade county now and I have a feeling they do not devote quite the resources to upkeep as Mr. Deering did in his day and still the grounds are quite the sight.

On the other hand, maybe they are just waiting for hurricane season to end...

Now with 50% Less!

Last week my mother-in-law and I were speculating about what "ideal" test results for this week's MRI would be. We had decided that a complete disappearance of the clot would be suspect. A lack of improvement would simply be disheartening. Getting halfway there would be just about right. I worked very hard to prepare for this test and nailed it.

I'm ready to move on to phase 2 and move out of the hospital. I'll be taking up residence in a Miami hotel for the next few weeks. As a bonus, it's starting to look like I might get to see the start of the college football season!

We still have to sort out some details regarding the (hopeful) return to Bolivia but I wanted to share the good news.

You can check out any time you like

but you can never leave.

Going on day 8 in el hospital, my patience is beginning to wear thin. So are the site options for drawing blood from my arms. I had thought I was getting out. Yesterday. So by today I was all worked up. The neurologist had made a sensible case.  The clot is "stable" and "not worsening" and I am "not presenting any symptoms." I agreed that I should go home. "Home" being a relative term. A brief text message discussion with the hematologist, conveyed through an envoy from his office, containing some fairly frank statements to the contrary arrived a few hours later and took the wind out of my sails. It also landed my butt back in the hospital bed. It was hard to argue with what he had to say. We are now looking at a reassessment on Friday. Oy.

Once I do break out of this joint we are looking at three weeks of outpatient therapy at a yet undisclosed location. Miami is looking like the prime candidate though. At this rate, our stuff will beat us to La Paz. Hopefully we don't just have to have them put it right back on the boat to come back here!

I actually feel just fine. Well, I'd like to shower more regularly, go outside, at least down the hall, and rip this IV out of my arm. But otherwise, I'm doing great. I even have to admit, the hospital food is not that bad. One night, we got cake with frosting and sprinkles on it. (It's the little things, ok?) For some reason beer is never one of the menu options.

It's Not a Tumor

...but it is a big old clot in my brain. We did some really cool 3-D imaging on the veins in my head yesterday that made the problem amazingly apparent. I was immediately re-hospitalized. The good news is that this is highly treatable and I am being very well taken care of. Even better, this appears to have absolutely nothing to do with having been in Bolivia. Best of all, Bob will get a free t-shirt if he participates in the blood drive downstairs.

There are a couple candidates floating around as to the cause but we're not certain yet. We'll probably be in Miami for at least 4 or 5 more days. Then we'll have to work with the hematologist to see what kind of a plan we can work on for returning to Bolivia. So far, so good. 

Welcome to Miami

Yep, Miami. 

That is in Florida. 

In the U.S. 

We are as surprised as you are.

At the very least we expected to experience a medevac for something related to altitude. But no, I like to bring a little twist to things. Last Monday, after suffering the most horrendous migraine of my entire life, I closed the deal with a full blown seizure. Bob  did all the right things to get all the right people in all the right places. Within very little time I was admitted to the finest hospital in La Paz. And, in absolute honesty, I must say that it was a very nice hospital indeed. I felt very well cared for both by Bolivian and American staff. Very soon upon my arrival I was whisked into the CT scan to check for signs of cerebral edema. All was clear. So I was dosed up with valium and set up to rest for a few nights in a sweet craft-o-matic bed. My dear husband had to do with a crappy pull-out couch but, hey, I was the one with the IV in my arm.

Over the next few days I navigated a couple EEGs and an MRI along with a neurologist's exam in Spanish -- these are things not covered in my Spanish classes but it's amazing how you can get along when you have to.

In the end, it turns out that the being admitted to a hospital in a country like Bolivia requires that you return home for a thorough check and re-clearance before you can return. In the three short weeks we were there, Bob and I had grown quite attached to Bolivia so we're really hoping for good news from the doctors here in Miami (for a few reasons really) but, in the best case, we hope to return to La Paz.

So, for the time being, we're chilling in Miami (considering the medications I'm on, I really mean chillin), either taking tests at Miami Baptists or wandering around the local malls like we've never seen retail before while we wait for good news.  

Llama Hunt Aborted

Relax, we were hunting with cameras. 

My singular goal since arriving in La Paz has been to see some llamas and alpacas. The closest I've come is a few sweaters and a herd that was being moved through the city - probably headed to a local restaurant. Yum. 

Our two-car caravan headed out on the rocky and windy road up to where the llamas graze during the day. Just as there is a tree line above which trees do not grow, there is a llama line below which the llamas do not wander. So, up and up we went on what I considered more of a hiking trail than a road. After about 30 minutes of bumping along we realized that we had lost the second car in our troop. Turning back we found that our friends had suffered a massive tire blowout. 

After successfully changing the tire it was a little too late to get to the llamas before dark and it certainly didn't seem like a good idea to continue driving on the spare. So, down, down, down we headed. 

And, since I can't share any llama pictures, I'd like to share another unique Bolivian feature. A form of "community justice" is  common practice in various communities. Below is a warning to would-be bandits and thieves that crime simply won't be tolerated by the locals.

Valle de La Luna

Last weekend was gorgeous. We spent Sunday afternoon sitting at an outdoor grill under giant tiki shelters eating grilled meats, yucca, and plantain. With a nice breeze and some live music to boot, it was pretty much perfect. After a few hours of socializing, we headed to what may be the most well-maintained natural tourist site in La Paz, the Valle de La Luna. Essentially, it's a rock formation consisting of thousands of stalagmites and a very narrow path winding through them...above them really. The ground is gravelly and dry. One misstep and you'll need some strong friends, a long rope, and a good deal of luck to get out. It was quite something to see though. A few locals make a killing (let's say 15 cents per visitor) climbing to ridiculous heights and playing traditional music from precarious heights. You know the music - you hear it outside the metro stations from time to time.

The rock formations really are something and the park has done a good job carving out paths through the spiky terrain. To be fair, there were at least 2 or 3 sections with guardrails and usually you can hug the rock wall on at least one side as you wander through. My favorite part were the directional arrows keeping you on the path -- as though you had a choice in direction.

Towards the end of the trail you hit an outlook that gives you a glimpse of (one of) the valleys in La Paz. I think we live somewhere pretty close in there, but that's just a guess. 

El Interminable

So, they do pizza here. 

We were invited to a friends' house for pizza on Saturday night. A group had already gathered and they put the order in before we were included in the mix. So, on our way over, we picked up a pizza to bring with us. As we stood in the pizza shop, waiting for our pie to come out of the oven, we marveled at the variety of sizes you can have. There are about 9 to choose from. Most impressive of all is the "interminable" size. The Interminable is larger than "super grande." The Interminable is also larger than "jumbo." Not being gluttons, and trying to do our part for America's image down here, we ordered a very reasonable "large."

Upon arriving at our friends' house, we were greeted with some sheepish grins along with moans when they saw our pizza box. Ordering food on the phone in a foreign language is probably one of the most challenging things out there (that's why we went right to the store). Our buddies had accidentally ordered not just one, but two Interminables! When I say these pizzas are big, I mean, really big. We estimate that the boxes are about 1 meter x 1 meter.

Yes, that is a normal-sized dinner plate sitting in the pizza box. Ordinarily, pizza is delivered on the back of a little scooter. When you order the interminable, the pizza guy has to get a taxi to take it to you. And he might have to put the pizza in the trunk.

Clearly, these slices are much much larger than Bob's head. And, before you say, "Oh, it's just like Pizza Mart in Adams Morgan" let me assure you, it is not. 8 adults and 3 small children made it through just 1 Interminable.  Pizza Mart slices are 'as big as your head', not 'much much bigger than your head'.

In preparation for the spring floods or some sort of winter storm, just order one of these puppies and you'll be good for a week.

Bird's Eye View

We took a drive up to El Alto on Saturday. About 539 switchbacks later, we got to an outlook where we could see the entire city. La Paz is huge. It really is amazingly large. Not to mention the fact that it has molded itself to the ridiculous topography of these mountains. Every valley and every plateau is filled with houses. Neighborhoods creep up the sides of the basin that La Paz sits in. Below you can see the high-rises in the downtown area.

Off in the distance, you can see the largest mountain around, Illimani. I think our neighborhood is somewhere in one of the valleys towards the back of the sprawl. We're outside the downtown area of the city in an area I compare to Georgetown in Washington.

Traffic laws in La Paz are more lax than what we are used to. Last night I saw a public service announcement on tv encouraging drivers to pay attention to red lights. I believe these announcements take the place of traffic tickets. 

So, it was no surprise when we were coming down from El Alto that we got to a switchback with a construction vehicle parked in the curve. Just past the curve there was a car parked on either side of the road, leaving only a narrow path for traffic. Just as we came around the curve, a bus going uphill stalled, stopping the uphill traffic. The one passage way quickly filled with upstream traffic. Within 30 seconds we had reached full traffic jam status. This must happen rather often as everyone calmly rolled down their windows and, using polite hand gestures and verbal instruction, maneuvered their cars within inches of one another, clearing the space and relieving the bottleneck. Just normal Saturday afternoon traffic, I suppose. 

PS: I think this road would be one lane in either direction back home.

The Devil's Molar

We were escorted all around town for quite the tour last weekend. On Sunday we ventured up a very steep, dirt road. Well, it was definitely dirt and I considered it steep and rather twisty.  I wasn't aware that Suburbans are well equipped for handling hair-pin curves.  According to our friends, this is just a normal road. 

oh.    boy.

Note the dirt and gravel features as well as the one-lanedness of the road. We live just over that red ridge that was in my way -- I couldn't be to picky about where we stopped for pictures.

Nevertheless, the road ends at a trail up to "The Devil's Molar". Rumor has it that you can actually hike up it. However, we are still winded after running for the phone so our tour consisted of a short (maybe 500 meter) walk.

There's always next time.

Happy 4th of July!

After a year and a half of talking a big game, we arrived in La Paz on a chilly Thursday morning. All mornings here are chilly but they warm up quickly. We breezed through the airport and were eating panqueques(!) in a cafe in our neighborhood not long afterwards.

Aside from some tingly fingers (thanks to the Diamox) and my need to nap for several hours in the afternoon, I think we're doing quite well for ourselves.  The few minor trials we have encountered are far far outweighed by our successes. 

Example #1: Our plane was an hour late.

On the upside, all of our bags arrived.

Example #2: Our "borrowed" appliances all have round plugs. Our walls require square plugs. How's that gonna work?

On the upside, our palatial apartment is absolutely incredible (more on that later). Besides, the need for adapters forced me to try my Spanish out on the poor, unsuspecting electronics dealer down the street. After quite a bit of broken Spanish, hand gestures, and a calculator, I walked out with a few adapters and, so far, I have not burned down the kitchen.

I wasn't joking when I said the trials were minor.

Happy 4th of July to all. Enjoy some hot dogs, beer, and a maybe a good light show for me.