Sunny Santa Cruz

Day 42-47 - Sunny Santa Cruz

Situated in the lowlands Santa Cruz is the cosmopolitian, tropical oasis of the impoverished country of Bolivia. Trade out dusty cold cities, poverty and beanies for a warm sun, cool breeze, jewelry stores on every corner and a pair of thongs. Although landlocked this city has the feel of a glitzy beach metropolis with a third world touch. Beauty pageants are a huge part of the culture here. Everyone in Santa Cruz seems to be competing in their own beauty comp...anything that can be fake is...I have never seen so many plastered noses in one place! The plunging necklines and soaring hemlines are a sharp contrast to the modest attire of the people in the altiplano (high regions such as Cochabamba).


Santa Cruz is a city struggling to prove itself. Painfully striving to be more like Brazil than to betray its origins in Bolivia. The story of Mr Bolivia perfectly portrays Santa Cruzś insecurities. A young man from Nebraska his only claim to Bolivia- his untimely delivery in Santa Cruz 20 years earlier decided to later travel to his birthplace to discover his "homelands" culture and customs. The ever alert beauty pagents spotters recruited this young Nebraskan luring him into the competition as just a bit of fun. Representing Bolivia this white, blue-eyed, blonde-haired boy spoke not a word of spanish. When he proceeded to win the competition the country was outraged. They had been betrayed by Santa Cruz. Selfishly seeking its ideal Santa Cruz had crowned the all-American boy Mr Bolivia. A recent Miss Bolvia further reinforced this ideal when at world competition she relayed to television cameras and spectators " In Bolivia, everyone is tall, blonde, speaks english and watches friends." An unlikely story. Needless to say this comment was not met with pride on behalf of the people of Bolivia. Hence, a little rivalry stands between the indigenous pride of the incan descendants in the altiplano and the people of Santa Cruz ashamed and doing their best to dissociate themselves from their origins.

Santa Cruz is full of high end clothing and home design stores. Its indulgences are a startling contrast to the poverty elsewhere. There is the question of ´dirty money´. Much of the cocaine revenue is said to exchange hands in Santa Cruz.

Despite racial contentions, Santa Cruz has met us blonde-haired whities with open arms. In Santa Cruz in pursuit of a Brazilian visa the locals couldn´t have been more helpful (Yes we had to travel to the other side of the country just to get the ticket to enter another one). Straight off the plane we journeyed all over town for the visa. Looking like turtles with our huge backpacks strapped on we stumbled here and there. Finally with papers handed in for processing we weary travellers found our hotel.

The next day we ventured into the city where we met an Israeli guy who had just arrived in South America and was eager for some travel buddies. We were glad to have his company and made plans to venture to a wildlife park. At the park we encountered many tropical birds- macaws and toucans were the most impressive finds.  There was also a sloth lounging in the bird enclosure. We ventured into the tortoise shelter where you could get up close and personal their collection of greater than 100 tortoises.  We patted them and had to exercise all restraint not to sit on them...they were perfect stool height.

After farewelling Gilad we arrived at our hotel to find we were sharing our accomodation with a famous soccer team. Unbeknownst to us they would be playing across the road at the stadium that night. Sitting watching reruns of Friends (with spanish subtitles of course) and eating pizza we were distracted  by a great roar and the sound of fireworks . This continued for 90minutes when we finally realised we had missed a soccer game. We were quite disappointed.

Although the weather reminded us of home, Santa Cruz had little else to offer. With the success of obtaining visas for Brazil (insert ´sigh of relief´ here) we made a beeline for the airport on to our next destination.