03/05/2011
Arrived in Sucre after a twelve hour bus journey.
It was very comfortable - the seat reclined an impressively large amount and I slept almost the whole time! I also had loads of dreams which is a sign that I've slept well.
Upon arrival I quickly found a reasonably priced hotel with a hot shower and cable TV - this means I can watch Two and a Half Men tonight which makes me excited. I may be in Bolivia but that show is worth seeing.
My first impressions of Sucre were good. Although La Paz houses the Congress and everything else important, Sucre is still officially the capital city of Bolivia and it is clear that the Government wants to preserve its beaut - there is a ban on neon signs and all buildings must be whitewashed once a year. The efforts made have certainly worked - it is a bright and energetic city with the feeling of a small town.
That said, it is very busy and the narrow pavements mean that people were constantly bumping into me which got a little tiresome.
I spent a bit of time just walking around and looking at the beautiful old buildings and churches that are in very impressive condition, and really add a lot of beauty. The main plaza is also really cool with loads of massive trees making a shady and relaxing place to sit.
I am aware this is sounding slightly like a holiday programme but it really is a nice city.
You get the idea.
I went for lunch at a little cafe and had a nice chicken salad. I was going to stay for a pastry but was full so that idea went out the window. I went to the plaza expecting to find the usual sight of street vendors selling fresh juices and cakes but found nothing of the sort. That disappointed me a little bit.
I then went to send a letter to England and it only cost me the equivalent of 80p - this suggests to me that the service may not be 100% reliable but it's done now so fingers crossed.
I tried to find a bar to watch Barcelona V Real Madrid, the second leg but could not find a single place with a TV showing the match.
This was poor in my opinion, and I went back to my hostel to watch it.
I had a Skype appointment at 4pm so went to an internet cafe which I had scouted earlier as it had headphones and webcams. However upon arrival, the woman said that none of them work. What an absolute joke, the internet cafes in Bolivia have been a real let down and having them there just strikes me as the most pointless thing for an internet cafe. I don't understand why they bother falsely advertising and drawing people in when they know that all they're going to do is turn away a disappointed potential customer.
Makes no sense.
I decided to go back to the same place I went for lunch (Abi's Cafe) for dinner, as one of my philosophies is that you don't change a winning formula. To this end, I had exactly the same salad and drink as earlier and it was every bit as good.
I then went to collect my laundry and it wasn't ready at the time they had specified - I will return tomorrow and it will hopefully be ready before I leave to get my bus.
I retreated to my hostel perfectly in time for Two And A Half Men.
Excellent.
JG
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