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BOLIVIA Our Spanish Course in Bolivia click below :
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Bolivia lies in the southern hemisphere; winter runs from May to October and summer from November to April. The most important climatic factor to remember is that it's generally wet in the summer and dry in the winter. While the highlands and altiplano can be cold in the winter and wet in the summer, the only serious barrier to travel will be the odd road washout. In the tropical lowlands, however, summer can be miserable with mud, steamy heat, bugs and relentless downpours. Travel is difficult, and services may be stifled by mud and flooding. Also consider that the high tourist season falls in the winter (late June to early September), due not only to climatic factors, but also to the timing of European and North American summer holidays and the fact that it's also Bolivia's major fiesta season. This means that both overseas visitors and lots of South Americans are traveling during this period.
Spanish but most Indians speak either Quechua or Aymará; composite dialects of Spanish-Aymará and Spanish-Quechua are also widely spoken
Bolivian fiestas are invariably of religious or political origin, normally commemorating a Christian or Indian saint or god, or a political event such as a battle or revolution. The festivities typically include lots of folk music, dancing processions, food, alcohol, ritual and generally unrestrained behavior. Major fiestas include Fiesta de la Virgen de Candelaria, a week-long festival in the virgin's honor, best seen in Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca (early February); Carnival is a nationwide event but is best seen in Oruro (the week before Lent); Phujllay is held in Tarabuco to commemorate the Battle of Lumbati (early March); the animated Festividad de Nuestro Señor Jesús del Gran Poder is held in La Paz to celebrate the power of Jesus Christ (May-June); and Independence Day is a riotous nationwide party (6 August). |
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People congregate around the splendid Iglesia de San Francisco (construction began in 1549) with its arresting blend of mestizo and Spanish styles. Behind the church is the Witches' Market where you can buy a bizarre assortment of goods including amulets, potions, delicately crafted silver jewelery, sweets and dried llama fetuses. La Paz also has a number of museums, including the Museo Costumbrista Juan de Vargas, which contains some superb dioramas of the city, and the Museo de Metales Preciosos Pre-Columbinos, which houses three impressively presented salons of pre-Conquest silver, gold and copper works. Standing guard over all this is Illimani (6460m/21,188ft), some 60km (37mi) to the east, which is arguably Bolovia's most famous peak. Most of the budget accommodation and cheap eateries can be found in the area between Calle Manco Capac and the Prado. For entertainment, there are folk-music shows, bars (generally with incoherent patrons), several good discos and numerous cinemas. Because of the often chilly temperatures, warm clothing is essential throughout the year. Around La Paz is the aptly named Valle de la Luna, which is an eroded hillside maze of miniature canyons and pinnacles 11km (7mi) east of the city; the spectacular Zongo Valley, 50km (31mi) north of the city, which has ice caves, turquoise lakes and the peak of Huayna Potosí; and the historical ceremonial center of Tiahuanaco, 70km (43mi) west of the city, which is Bolivia's most important archaeological site. Currency Boliviano |
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Bolivia Informations BOLIVIA PICTURES............CLICK HERE Most of the popular treks begin near La Paz, traverse the Cordillera Real on ancient Inca routes, and end in the Yungas. The three-day La Cumbre to Coroico Trek, northeast of La Paz, is the premier hike in Bolivia. Other popular treks include the two-day Taquesi Trek, also known as the Inca Trail, which crosses a low pass in the Cordillera Real between Ventilla and Chulumani; the little-known Yunga Cruz Trek, between the village of Chuñavi and Chulumani, which passes over a shoulder of the mighty Illimani; and the six-day El Camino de Oro, or Gold Trail, which heads from Sorata to the Río Tipuani goldfields. The less strenuous walk to the Zongo Valley Ice Caves near La Paz is a spectacular alternative for those suffering cramps or needing to adjust gently to the high altitude. The Cordillera Real also offers great climbing opportunities, including Illimani, 6088m (19,970ft) Huayna Potosí, 5648m (18,525ft) Condoriri and the 6427m (21,080ft) Ancohuma. You can ski at the world's highest developed ski run atop a glacier on the slopes of Chacaltaya, near La Paz, or at nearby but less-developed areas on Condoriri and Mururata. When you've exhausted the mountains, jungle treks in the Amazonian Basin can be arranged in Rurrenabaque, El Porvenir (in the Reserva Biosférica del Beni), Perseverancia (in the Preseverancia and Reserva de Vida Salvaje Ríos Blanco y Negro) and in the remote but pristine Parque Nacional Noel Kempff Mercado in the northernmost reaches of Santa Cruz Department. River boats plying the Río Mamoré from Trinidad go into the heart of Bolivia's greatest wilderness area, enabling travelers to experience the mystique and solitude for which the Amazon is renowned.
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