Larry Memmott's Blog

  Some people don’t get very excited about the Chullpas (or Chullpares, as they are also called).  Personally, I think they are cool.  These tombs, built during the period between the end of the Tihuanaco empire and the Spanish conquest (including during Inca times) by the Aymara people, still stand all across the Altiplano.  Although […]

This is probably my favorite place close to La Paz.  It’s the most inaccessible set of lakes up the Khallapa River Valley, is the most challenging hike, and the payback is also the highest.  Laguna Jachcha Khasiri is quite large and a spectacular blue color.  The small lake another mile beyond is unnamed on the […]

There are other ways to make a trip to the Sajama National Park into an interesting, and much longer, loop trip.  Probably the best is via the Ciudad de Piedra, which is to the north west of the park.  However, even if you take a different route, you should make time to drive the old […]

To my mind, there are two places you can stay in the Parque Nacional Sajama.  The best is your own tent.  A close second best is the Albergue Tomarapi.  The difference between the two is not as great as you might initially think. Albergue Tomarapi The Albergue is a lovely little guesthouse, with small rooms […]

Queñua Tree I’m sure it is very satisfying to reach the peak of a mountain after a long and arduous climb.  To me, though, it seems like the few minutes of satisfaction would be poor compensation for the long, arduous, climb.  For that reason, my “peaking” has been limited to some pretty easy and low […]

Nuestra Señora de la Natividad, in Sajama (See Getting to Sajama National Park, part 1 of this series, for the route to the park and sites along the way.) The Bell Tower of Nuestra Señora de la Natividad, with Tata Sajama in the background The sight to see in Sajama town is the chapel.  The […]

Many of my favorite memories of my first time in Bolivia, 25 years ago, involve days spent hiking, fishing, and floating around on the lakes (lagunas) in the Andes above La Paz.  When I returned to Bolivia, two of the questions in the back of my mind were, “Will they still be there?” and “Will […]

A week ago Friday, Tatyana and I were privileged to be part of a new project the Embassy is financing.  Under the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation, the Embassy will help to restore five colonial-era chapels in the Curahuara de Carangas region of Oruro Department.  Two years ago the embassy financed the restoration of six […]

We enjoyed a glorious day on the Altiplano on Sunday.  Our plan was to drive a loop south of La Paz, visiting several colonial-era churches, a mining town, and some Inca and Pre-Inca ruins as well as Comanche and the famed Queen of the Andes.  In fact, we had such a good time in Comanche […]

Though I’ll call this a day trip, you can actually visit this field of wildflowers on your lunch hour.  I’m not certain that it is actually in Bishkek proper, but if not, it is just outside.  Really, it is just an example of many beautiful places you can find by exploring the near foothills. This […]