Keeping up with the Joneses

Serving in Bolivia

through

SIM

Brandon and Jamie Jones.

January 7, 2008

Christmas, New Year, and back to school

Christmas time is over and what a wonderful Christmas it was. Brandon's family came to visit us here in Bolivia. We had a great time with family and we also got to travel around and see many new things here in Bolivia.

Three weeks of break. If Brandon's family hadn't come, we would have had to make ourselves busy with that much free time. But they came and saved us from idleness. We had a lovely Christmas here in Cochabamba. We took them around to see the sights and eat the food. While we couldn't find anywhere nice to eat Christmas Eve, we improvised at an outside burger cafe for supper. Next time I'll plan on cooking for holidays.

We got lots of great things from family and friends at home. Lots of chocolate chips, candy, and baking things. Well and other things too. We are so blessed to have such caring family and friends back home. We thank all of you who have contributed through your gifts, prayers, and support for us.

Two days after Christmas; Gordon, Marsha, Aaron, Simon, Brandon, and I loaded into a bus to La Paz for some heavy duty sight-seeing. We had a great ride into the city and we stayed at a very nice guest house called the "Casa Alianza" while we were in La Paz.

The next day after getting to La Paz, we took a drive out to Tiwanaku, a archeological site a couple hours outside the city. It was really incredible to see the pyramid, monoliths, and temples actually built by ancient people. After looking around for a bit there, we headed out to Lake Titicaca for a one night stay at Copacabana (not the one in the song). On the way we sampled some local cuisine. Trucha, which is Spanish for trout, is served in various tasty styles right on the lakes edge. I really liked it.

The next morning from Copacabana, we headed out on the lake to the Island of the Moon and the Island of the Sun. Both sites had very interesting Inca ruins, and the view on the lake was great too. After a quick bite on the Island of the Sun, we got back in the boat to Copacabana and then headed back to La Paz. By this point there has been lots of driving and touring, but we were fine thanks to our tour guide Peter and our driver Franklin. We settled in La Paz for the night ready for another adventure the next day.

Well it was an adventure. We traveled to the Yungas jungle, but before getting there we had to climb to an elevation of 15,000 feet. We were up there with the glaciers and llamas. Shortly after reaching that elevation, we proceeded to take the steep, winding road down into the Yungas. Then we veered off of the main road onto "the most dangerous road in the world." There were mile high drops to one side of the car and steep mountain walls on the other. Most of the road is only big enough for one car to pass. If any cars meet on this road, somebody has to back up. There are waterfalls that fall onto the road in some places, and you can tell the road could wash out any minute. I was a little nervous during this part of the trip, but Franklin drove great.

In the jungle, we visited the small city of Coroico, which had a great view of the jungly mountains all around since it was on top of a hill. We got to see some coca plantations there too. Pretty neat stuff. Back to La Paz. We spent the next day taking a city tour and resting.

We tried to leave La Paz on New Year. Bad idea. There were no buses running in the terminal. We waited five hours before we hitched a ride on a self-chartered bus to Cochabamba. That night we tried to eat out in Coch but not much was open. My lessons learned: Cook for yourself on holidays, and never travel by bus on holidays.

The last day Brandon's family was here, we took a trip up to the Cristo and went bowling. Then we said goodbye and now three days later we're in school again.

I have to say that I was a little sad about how quick it seems school is starting again, especially with all the excitement that our family had over the holiday. But I know that God will continue to use me in ways that I can't even imagine. Maybe even in ways far more amazing than thousands of years old ruins, cities built on hills and in steep valleys, and buses that drive on roads with mile long drops to the sides. My God is amazing!