Arrival and Tobacco Ceremony
21.04.2024
After Mom drove us to the airport in Munich today, our journey to Bolivia began.
Munich – Frankfurt – Bogota – La Paz.
Finally arrived in La Paz, we were told directly at the airport that our backpacks were still in Germany.
In itself, that wasn’t a problem because they assured us that our luggage would arrive in La Paz on the next flight.
It would then be brought directly to our hotel.
Now we just had to hope that this was true.
We arrived in La Paz on 22.04.2024 at around 02:00 AM.
22.04.2024
Dad and I stayed at the airport for a few more hours since we hadn’t booked accommodation for the first night (from the 21st to the 22nd).
So we simply spent a few hours at the airport until the sun came up.
For the next two nights, from 22.04 to 24.04, we booked a nice little hotel (Hotel Diamante Azul).
We both immediately felt the altitude difference.
Even though El Alto (4150 meters) is somewhat higher than La Paz (3650 meters), we had to breathe quite heavily even in La Paz to supply our bodies with enough oxygen.
My dad in particular had to struggle with the altitude.
Understandably!
Anyway, after our check-in at Hotel Diamante Azul, we explored the city a bit.
We stumbled upon a cleansing ceremony at the Plaza, where a shaman was holding the ceremony for “Pacha Mama.”
A perfect introduction to Bolivian culture for my dad.
Afterwards, we ordered something delicious to eat at “Café del Mundo.”
I was very surprised at how well I still know my way around Bolivia.
That was amazing, since it had been over five years since I last visited!
We spent the rest of the day quite leisurely so as not to overexert ourselves on the first day.
It was already exhausting enough for my dad.
He also fell asleep very early and quickly.
23.04.2024
This morning we bought a flight ticket to Rurrenabaque directly in the city, which cost us about 1400 Bolivianos for both of us together.
Departure is tomorrow on 24.04.2024 at 08:00 AM.
Of course, we were lucky to get two seats on such short notice.
In the afternoon, we used the time to take the Teleférico to the “Valle de la Luna” and see this little natural wonder.
Since it wasn’t that far from the Teleférico to the “Valle de la Luna,” we took a taxi for 25 Bolivianos, which dropped us off directly at the entrance.
The excursion was beautiful, although it was really exhausting for Dad.
He also enjoyed it very much, but he simply had a hard time with the altitude.
During this excursion, I also learned why the “Valley of the Moon” got its name.
A few years ago, Neil Armstrong – YES, THE NEIL ARMSTRONG!!! – also visited this place and mentioned that it looks almost like the moon there.
And if anyone knows, it’s him, who has been to the moon himself.
That’s how the name “Valle de la Luna” came about.
On the way back on the Teleférico, I had a really great and long conversation in Spanish with a Bolivian.
Completely unexpected and just great!
Back in the city, my dad was at his absolute limit.
Physically and mentally.
So we ate some delicious rice with vegetables in a nice little restaurant that I already knew.
As always there, it was very tasty.
Afterwards, we ended the evening with some fruit and prepared for our upcoming flight to Rurrenabaque.
It was a great day that will stay in our memories for a long time.
This morning we left for the airport at 05:45 AM since our flight was supposed to depart at 08:00 AM.
But because the weather in Rurrenabaque was so bad that the entire airport there was temporarily closed, our flight was delayed by about two hours.
When it was finally time, we still had a very smooth flight and arrived in Rurrenabaque after just under 45 minutes.
We had already booked accommodation for Rurrenabaque in La Paz, so we had a stress-free arrival in Rurrenabaque.
Also a very nice accommodation with a great rooftop terrace!
24 to 26.04.2024
The coming days we spent relaxing and mentally preparing for our upcoming retreat.
We also clarified a few organizational things with our shaman.
We took a few small walks every day and ate small things (always adapted to the diet, of course, and, for the moment at least, always in the same restaurant).
Thus, we also built one or another bond with the locals, which is always something beautiful each time.
And of course, we also spent a lot of time relaxing in the hammocks on the rooftop terrace.
It’s really hard to just walk past the delicious food stalls and restaurants without buying something.
Rurrenabaque and the surrounding area are simply beautiful.
In the middle of the jungle, I simply feel at home.
Even though my actual home is over 10,000 kilometers away.
The Amazon, the lung of our planet, simply attracts me magically.
The energy here, the nature, and the culture captivate me every time.
Tomorrow, on 27.04.2024, we will be picked up by our shaman Niño.
We are both naturally a bit nervous, but we are totally looking forward to the coming days and experiences that they will bring.
Niño is also very much looking forward to seeing me again and meeting my dad.
27.04.2024
This morning at 09:00 AM, we had a very positive and heartwarming reunion with Niño after over five years.
We were both very happy to see each other again after such a long time.
At the same time, I introduced Niño to my dad.
After the brief but heartfelt introduction and reunion, we strapped our backpacks onto the car roof and introduced ourselves to the rest of the crew.
Another participant was also there.
Her name is Sophie, and she comes from Norway.
All together, we then took a taxi to Niño’s “Casa de Pawua” Retreat Center, which is located a little bit behind the small village of Tumupasa.
Once there, Niño introduced us to his two brothers, Chiqui and Arnold, and gave us a little tour through the retreat center before there was a little something for lunch.
Afterwards, we could still use a few hours to explore the area a bit, relax, or gather our thoughts before the tobacco ceremony started at 08:00 PM.
Tobacco Ceremony
When we gathered in the Maloka at 08:00 PM and settled on our mats, the ceremony started quite promptly.
Next to us were a bowl for throwing up, some toilet paper, and a large 2.5-liter water jug for drinking.
We had made ourselves comfortable.
Since I know from my last tobacco ceremony that it’s really important to throw up, I also spoke very intensively with my dad beforehand to prepare him well for everything to come.
You have to throw up to completely banish and expel all the harmful substances that still remain in the body – even after the diet.
Since I didn’t have to throw up during my last tobacco ceremony, I know how bad you feel after the ceremony if you haven’t thrown up or couldn’t.
With this awareness in mind, I then tried very hard not to go through that experience again.
I still remember from back then that I tried to tell myself that I “just” didn’t want to be the first one to throw up.
The result was that I couldn’t or didn’t throw up at all.
This time I completely turned it around.
I told myself that this time I don’t mind at all if I have to throw up first, as long as I can at least throw up.
I didn’t want to go through what I had to go through back then again.
With this background, I went into the tobacco ceremony.
The tobacco ceremony was held by Niño’s two brothers, who did it very professionally and sang and played great songs.
During the ceremony, I drank about 8.5 liters of water in total, threw up 35 times (the last time only a little bit), and kept drinking after each time until Niño’s brothers eventually said that I could stop drinking water.
Even though it sounds like it was quite easy now, I can assure you that it wasn’t.
It was still quite a difficult birth despite everything.
I had to keep reminding my dad to drink more water, to which he always said that he had already drunk so much water.
At some point, it has to be enough.
But my answer was always that he can stop drinking as soon as he throws up.
So he was nice and obedient and kept drinking.
Until at some point it finally happened for him too.
Although Niño’s brothers were obviously also wondering why it took so long for my dad.
What can I say, except that we have a very stable stomach in the family.
Oh yes, I should also mention that this time I was actually the first one to throw up!
Yay!
So I achieved my goal.
After about 2.5 hours, everything was over and the ceremony slowly ended.
It was a hard but very necessary ceremony to be well prepared for the coming days.
That night, everyone who participated in the ceremony had to go to the bathroom every 30 minutes to pee and/or do other business.
Which, of course, brought a rather restless night!
