Bye Bye Bolivia

Writing this right now after a four day jaunt to Santa Cruz, Bolivia, a groovy little town locked between the highlands of La Paz and the jungles of Brazil. Santa Cruz is built in concentric rings, extending outward from the Plaza del 24 Septiembre. The Plaza is filled with people at all hours of the days: old folks playing chess, young couples on the park benches enjoying some PDA, and burned-out backpackers watching people pass by. About a decade ago, sloths used to climb through the trees on the plaza (until nearly all of them got run over on the nearby streets--too slow, apparently).

But this is all beside the point. You may come to Santa Cruz on a leg of your South American backpacking trip, or for your agricultural business trip, or to investigate possible research on Chagas Disease (as I was doing). But what you will find here are the most beautiful women in Bolivia, maybe even in all of South America. Somehow, the Brazilian influence that has crept in here mixed with the indigenous look... and it just leads to gorgeousness.

As wonderful as these women are, and as relaxed as the city of Santa Cruz, it's not quite the right place for me. I'm falling in love HARD with Lima, and I think it's got me under its power.

(Plus I just found a boba place with easily the best boba i've had in a while-- and they do beer with boba in it).

So. Let's see where it goes from here. I'll keep you guys posted!