Not much noteworthy happened the last couple days.

I got a tad too familiar with the toilets of Iquique Airport. I had some soggy cheerios. I had some Llama Ravioli.

But luckily (or rather, thanks to Immodium) I'm back at about 90% which is good enough to head to the JUNGLE!

Santa Cruz is sooo different to La Paz.

It's the country's biggest city and is set in the vast, flat, eastern lowlands home to the majority of Bolivia's agriculture, and it's gas and oil fields. It's the country's most business oriented and wealthiest city, there are notably more people with a European complexion here. The region is so different to La Paz that back in 2008 when the local oil barons (/drug lords) got fed up with the President's socialist policies they even formed an independence movement. Bolivia having the America's fastest growing economy has since shut them up.

Santa Cruz has a couple things that most definitely, raised my eyebrows. First was the sight of a Nazi Swastika branded on a taxi. Uhmm... Second was the sight of many old white folk, the men in white/green stripped shirts, overalls and fadoras, the women in headresses and tight, old-fashioned dresses. It turns out these are the Mennonites. A group of medieval Dutch and Germans who have settled in the plains of Eastern Bolivia, Paraguay and Brazil for centuries, forming their own, isolated, strictly Christian cults. By the looks of it, they were in town to get some toothpaste.

Santa Cruz may be big but really its just scruff and skyscrapers. There is very little to do in the city, being so European means its culturally very dry in comparison to La Paz. Still, it was nice to perouse around, especially the Plaza de 24 de Septiembre and the colonial streets surrounding it.

Santa Cruz is a very busy, thriving, business-like place. The locals even speak like Americans. The city exudes a feeling so utterly alien to the traditional image of Bolivia being a rugged, hostile, Andean nation.

Santa Cruz is warm! At last! I've escaped Bolivia's coldest winter for a few decades (during London's host summer ahh!!) and finally struck warmth! It's a meager 20 degrees or so compared to home, but that's good enough coming from single figures in La Paz!

The city definitely feels richer. The road in from the airport was lined with fancy car dealerships and everything has a more developed feel compared to Sucre, La Paz or Potosi. Still, it's pretty dull so am glad am leaving tomorrow. Off the grid for a bit!

Vamos!