..we took Bessie

Our friends Randy and Jill Sutton had an old Winnebago motor home in the late 80s and 90's,  it was butt ugly back them,  square, green shag carpet, right out of the 70's  they affectionately called it Bessie.  They took Bessie on family trips and the many baseball tournaments they traveled to.  We are in a dinner club with Suttons and Jill would tell us where they had been and that they took Bessie.  After a year or so Janet Webster who grew up in Sutton's ward said, " I can't believe how nice you are to take Bessie Wilcox on all of your trips."  We have laughed at this for years. Bessie never married and never traveled anywhere and although she's deceased, Jill and Randy gave us a picture so that we could "take Bessie".  She behaved most of the time, except one incident visiting Lynn Cracyk in the hospital. She traveled light and never complained.

 

BESSIE VISITING THE COCHABMAMBA TEMPLE

 

 

Bessie visits President Nelson Rivero, the Branch President of Bella Vista.

Bessie shares some Archer Recipies with Bella Vista Relief Society sisters

Bessie checking out llama fetus at Witchs market in La Paz
 

 Lynn Crayk when he was in the hospital.  Just as in the old Eagle song " Lyin Eyes", she left him with a smile.


Bessie was involved in a protest in La Paz,
visited a lot of parks,  but she lost her pictures if we find them we will post them.

The Most Dangerous Road in the world "El Camino del Muerte

We spent three days in La Paz, last week,  seeing some people Jack knew years ago and enjoying the big city life.  The Temple missionaries had taken the  "Death Road" ride last spring and we've wanted to do it.  It was amazing.  First time Jack was in Bolivia, they had up to 300 deaths per year on the road.  The road starts in the Yungus Jungle about 2000 feet elevation and climbs to over 15,000 feet,  There is a lot of fog, rain and even snow  most of the road is single lane,  The smaller vehicle would have to back up to find a place to pull off.

The first 10 miles of the road is part of the new road, wide and paved beautiful scenery at 15,000 feet.

 

 

 

 

 

To bless Pacho Mama 100% alcohol is poured on the road your bike and your lips

All drivers drive on the left side,  Since Bolivian cars are like US and steering wheels are on the left, they found there are less accidents if the drivers can see their edge

 

 

 

 

 

 

This dog like most Bolivian dogs thinks he owns the road

 

very few guardrails on the road

we were twice the age of the rest of the bikers all  European except for a lone Okie

 

nearly knocked us off

 

One fart away from death


 

crosses mark the endless accident sites

Several waterfalls fall over the road or on the road

At the bottom after having lunch we visited a animal rescue refuge where monkeys and other animals tat have been illeagaly sold are reintroduced into the wild

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Last look at Illiani  leaving La Paz

 

 

Illiampu from El Atlo airport 

 

 

Culture or Boy George goes to Carneval

 

Boy George meets Diablo Abuelo (Devil Grandpa)

 



Bolivia Loves its Culture, Carnival in Oruro was the first and still 2nd biggest next to Rio de Janero. The Bolivians have a celebration every other week.  Each year the stakes have a dance competition between wards.  Our little Branch Bella Vista has a hard time competing against the larger wards so we offered our help.  With our poor coordination, we knew it was a train wreck before we even started.  We talked our good friends the Crayks into helping us out.  Then four days before the big event Lynn was hospitalized, so it was just the three Gringos with the branch.

Lorna's hair grew from 1 inch to cholita style within an hour



The hair was sewn in



Diana normally has the weedwacker do' like Lorna

Our Cholitas

Jack and Felix, a ward member in Lynn's costume costumes weighed 50 pounds no visibility

 

Branch President Riveros in front

Is Lorna not in sync?

Jack and Elder Stuardo

Jack, Elder Stuardo and President Riveros

 

This is the manger scene at the temple. We thought looked more like a Tiki Bar. Lorna and Diana are serving up some Bolivian umbrella drinks.

They'll have a life after the mission selling juice on the corner