Jazz Club
We feel the need to do something constructive today so after an Apple Pie breakfast we head out to Madidi Travel to book a Jungle trip. There we meet and have a good chat with Rosa Maria Ruiz, the well spoken founder who helped set up and get recognition for the a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madidi_National_Park"Madidi National Park*/a*. Booking was a long and timely process, mainly due to the useless, nay brainless, fat girl behind the desk who had to make lots of phone calls to answer every little question:
"Can we fly out in the morning?"
(She makes a phone call) Bring... Bring... \
"Yeah, there's a flight in the morning."
"At what time?" \
(She makes a phone call) Bring... Bring... \
"06:50."
"Are there 3 seats available?" \
(She makes a phone call) Bring... Bring... \
"No, it's full."
"Is there another flight?" \
(She makes a phone call) Bring... Bring... \
"Yeah."
"What time is it?" \
(She makes a phone call) Bring... Bring... \
...etc and so on...
And then she couldn't work out how to use the Credit Card swipey machine. After making 5 dud impressions of all our cards we stepped in and showed her how. Grrrr...
Despite the forecast being rain for the next few days, today is a beautiful sunny day (unlike rainy yesterday) so we decide to chance the weather and The Death Road tomorrow. We choose B-Side Adventures for Sean (being a Mountain Biker enthusiast) is really impressed with their Overbuilt Iron Horse bikes - full front & rear suspension with 7" of travel, front and back 8" disk brakes, etc... For some reason booking this and filling in the paper work also took a long time.
The afternoon is spent looking for camping shops. I want to replace my pack towel and Sean's after a pair of zip-off trousers. There are none - just a couple of specialist climbing shops. I also look for a Cambio to change a Traveller's Cheque. It's Saturday, they're all closed.
Around the hostel are around 12 hairdressers / barbers all back to back. Whenever I walk past with my long unkempt shaggy hair and a bushy beard they'd all go crazy and start waving and shouting at me! On the way back I sucome, pick one and get a cut throat shave and a haircut for 20 Bs (£1.20). I asked for an inch to be cut off but get scalped instead! I've not had short back'n'sides for almost a decade! Sean & Monika are amazed at my transformation and reckon I look 5 years younger and my pulling power has increased 10 fold! I'm not convinced but think I may keep the look for Timbo'n'Corrine's Wedding in July anyway.
Sean, Monika and I have dinner at the Sol y Lunar Bar where I was last night. The food was very nice. Then I go out on my todd again to try and find some lively bars - it is Saturday night after all! In particular I'm after an ex-pat place called Mondos. I don't find it but I do find Boom-E-Rang, a bar with a live Bossanova band and lots of couples grooving to it. I drink at the bar watching the talented dance floor divas.
Later I discover Theolinus Jazz Club which initially looked quite full until everyone emigrated to the stage to form a 16 strong band! The first song sounded a little sloppy but the rest (once they'd warmed up) were fantastic! The conductor was a half cast stereotypical jazz enthusiast complete with flat cap! The band enjoyed themselves and it was well worth the 20 Bs cover charge. I note a couple from the Boomerang walk in, the guy takes to the stage and takes over the drums. The next song he has a go on the piano! Clearly a well loved, talented lad. The bar waitress looked as though she worked in an American diner complete with long blonde curly hair. I realised I thought she looked cute when I couldn't speak to her straight!
On the way back, along 20 de October I happen across some seedy, unmarked, pink neon establishments with rough looking bouncers outside. Bed for 03:00.
Posted by Steve Eynon