Coroico. Que rico!

We had 6 nights before our flight out of La Paz. Not long enough to merit the cost and time to go to Rurrenabaque in Bolivia's jungle, so we opted to see the Yungas, basing ourselves in Coroico for 3 nights.  Buses left from the Villa Fatima neighborhood and the bus cost $15B per person ($2.15-ish) and 4+ hours of winding, climbing, then partially dropping roads into jungle highlands.

It seemed hard to get any resrvation at even a hostel. The arses at Hostal Sol y Luna had this stupid system of requiring you to go to their La Paz office and pay in cash before granting you a reservation.  I asked if we could just walk-in when we arivd at Coroico, and they said the staff won't know if there is availability!  What if you were traveling from elsewhere in Bolivia and no from La Paz. Retards.


I ended up emailing El Cafetal who didn't take resos either, but at least he said there was space and to rock up when we arrived.$8 per person a night. We got a private room (#7) with a very old, funky and dark danky bathroom, whose shower trickled down hot water heated up by an electric widow-maker. Yeash!  The room was right on the verandah with stunning views of the Yungas mountains and valley, so what lacked in crisp cleanliness, was made up with the view and out of the way location of this hostal, located right next to the hospital.

Room #7 El Cafetal, Coroico

View from our door, Coroico

Weeks could easily be spent in Coroico, and being here for the patron saint festivities of Virgen de la Candelaria was an added plus, as we were treated to street dances and processions and partying by the villagers.  We hung out the Tienda on the plaza where the owners (los Gorditos) would banter with us as we sipped on beers and munched peanuts outside their store watching the world go by.

Looking forward to the German restauant I had read about, I learned from the Gorditos that he had died the week before: a stalwart mainstay of the village for decades sicne arriving from Germany (don;t mention the war!) Gutted, I turned to the gudiebook for plan B and there wasn't much to inspire-lame "Italian' pizza places dotted the square and all else seemed to have bland options, made harder still being with a vegetarian.  I overheard a young Italian guy talk to the Gorditos about their new place off the Plaza that had opened two night before. He was excited and pumped to have the locals try it out and took a pizza order from them.  Piqued, and hungry, we wended one block off the Plaza and had one of the best home made pasta meals ever. Excellent, and not least, the kids were full of vim, vigour and excitement to have you enjoy enjoy their home made pastas and sauces.

We were thrilled, vowing to eat there the next night, only to learn that because it was the holidays, they were heading to La Paz to pick up provisions and would be closed the Tuesday & Wednesday nights. Gutted again and left to muster meals with the places that were open-a choice of two virtually identical Italian' places 4 doors apart on the Plaza on either side of the Tienda. Lame pasta with runny sauce that compelled Mostafa to please 'thank them for the soup". I resorted to eating greasy fried chicken from a kiosk off the Plaza that were set up for the festivities and street dancing. Poor Mostafa had beer for dinner.

Los Gorditos of the tienda on the Plaza

The other German coffee shop was also closed (but we did get one breakfast of lovely morning pastries and coffee there!) so we strolled out of town about 15 minutes to Villa Bonita on Tuesday morning. Gorgeous gardens where they served breakfast, and I learned they also had rooms in the little houses dotting the property.  Learning of the vacancy in one of the cabanas, we stayed there the 3rd and last night.  It was nice too as it was on the opposite side of the outskirts of the village, so nice to get a flavor of that side of the mountains. $65B a night with an outside bathroom (down the spiral stair) including a Swiss influenced breakfast of meusli, eggs, organic home made bread, fresh juice and coffee. Wonderful place.

Villa Bonita, swiss bolivian owned gem in Coroico