The New Year Just Isn´t The Same As In The States

In Bolivia they have a ton of new year celebrations. On Friday the Aymarans, a native tribe, celebrated their new year, which coincided with the winter solstice. The celebration took place in a set of ancient ruins called Tiuanaco... just out side of La Paz. Since we can never pass up a fiesta in Bolivia, all the volunteers and I jumped on a bus Friday afternoon to get to the event. We arrived in La Paz first, stored all of our luggage (which luckily I have impressed every one with how little I have... thanks Dad and Shannon!) and jumped on a PACKED bus to Tiuanaco. While sitting on the floor near the door, hoping it would not fly open, we waited in anticipation for our arrival. After 1.5 hours, at 10:00pm, we were dropped off since the traffic was so rediculous that we couldn´t go any farther. We walked into the main square of the town where, from a giant stage, Bolivian bands of all genres were playing music. We got some food from a street stand and joined the locals who were setting off fireworks, enjoying beverages, huddling around fires to stay warm, dancing, and making friends. At around 4:00am the crowds started to move into the ancient ruin site... this posed a bit of a frustration for us since we couldn´t find the entrance. But eventually we made it and huddled together with everyone in anticipation for the sun rise. It was sooooo cold. I was wearing three shirts, a sweater, a jacket, my hat, gloves, fleece socks, and still cuddled up in my fleece blinket (thanks mom!). Just before the first rays on sun shone through the ancient sun gate, a helicoptor arrived... it is said that there are only two helicoptors in Bolivia, one for Evo Morales and one for the police who need airlifting in to control protestors.... let me tell you that there were no police needed at this event. It was EVO... the president of Bolivia!!! He landed and joined locals in a ceremony and held up his hands with all of us and the sun rose over the horizon. It was pretty magical, but I was also VERY tired from being up all night.
At 8:30am we all packed back into a mini bus and headed to our warm hostel in La Paz. It was such a relief to have pancakes and a hot shower unpon arrival (this is the Brewery Hostel that we love in La Paz!). We napped for the rest of the morning and then got up for some sight seeing.
Alexa, who has spent so much time in La Paz that she is basically a local, took our friedn Justin and I on a "tour" of the city. We saw a beautiful cathedral and there was a wedding happening outside (with bagpipe players). Then we went to the quarky Coca History museum... Justin (a medical school student) and I spent about 20 minutes checking out the studies done on nutrient absorbsion, hormones, endurance, and fatigue when someone has chewed coca leaves and when they had not..... very cool results!! Our bodies are so amazing!
Then we went on a tour of Iglesia San Francisco... we got to see the crypt and hike up to the roof and bell tower. It also had a huge collection of art and a bodega where they made wine and spirits. There was a garden surrounded my the rooms for the monks and some awesome new areas that boasted incredible architecture.
We had a lovely, early night in bed (after our free homebrew and some Japanese food) and got ready for our bike ride the next day!