Brazil, Bolivia, and cold

We decided to go to Brazil. We left Puerto in the morning on the Brazil-Peru Interocean highway which they have thousands of people and hundreds of heavy machinery working on. By the road most of the Jungle was cut down, with plenty of huge logs leaving. People need wood.

We got to the border of the three countries. We decided to go to Brazileia, but could not get a taxi or bus out until the evening. We went to the three adjoining towns, which, though they are right next to each other, the towns are very different.

In Brazil it was more or less modern with lots of tall Joao (Alison's note: an Brazilian exchange student who stayed with my family) looking people who spoke Portuguese. Peru was like Peru, and Bolivia was very poor with Peruvian looking people (short dark Indians).

From Brazileia we walked over the river through the border post to Cobija Bolivia where we stayed the night. The borders are extremely loose. The next morning we went back to the border to get visas. Guess what hit me? The fifty three requirements for Americans only. These include a thirty dollar visa, a hundred dollar border fee, written letter of invitation and recommendation, proof of a return plane flight, and what hit me hard, a certificate of having taken my yellow fever vaccination which I could have but did not do in Ecuador.

Instead of three days in the unexplored Bolivian rainforest on the worst roads we had to backtrack. We arrived on an overpacked sixteen hour night bus this morning where we gave up a seat for a woman and toddler to spend the night in the overpacked aisle.


We arrived in Juliaca near Lake Titicaca and arrived right before church. The building was nice, but the people were few. I understood most of what was said, though during a lesson, and the teacher said these gringos are here, though they can not understand anything because of faith.

There are five thousand members in this small city, of which six hundred are active. We took a nap. It is very cold right now. The windows on the bus became covered with ice. We jumped out of the Amazon suana into the winter air. Brrrr. We plan on seeing the lake, Chile, Colca Canyon and David. Our trip is coming to a close. The ward invited us to an activity which is why we are still in this crazy little city with a hotel that charges for showers for locals who come in.

Shawn