This day, I managed to get up feeling warm. My first priority was food. Not eating for 24 hours again was NOT on my short list. I walked about 1/2 a block, about 4 stores over, uphill, and was out of breath again. I ate lunch (by this time it was about noon) in this place with traditional Bolivian tapestries hanging all over the walls. The hues were neutral and very soothing. In one corner of the restaurant, there was a tree which had grown to cover the entire ceiling of said corner, giving "cover" to about 6 tables. I ordered trout with spaghetti. I was only able to eat the trout. Loss of appetite is one of the symptoms of altitude sickness.
Afterwards, I went for a walk on the beach. The lake is big. From the town I as in to another that was not quite across the lake, took 3 hours by bus. And this was not even lengthwise. The sun was out and even with the amount of tourists in the aresa, the white sndy beach was only sparsely filled. The stroll, in 2 sweaters, a wool hat and woolen gloves, was re-energizing. I think only because it was about 50 feet lower in elevation. There was a row of tents along the beach that sold a variety of seafood, which means: grilled trout, steamed trout, lemon trout, garlic trout- you get the idea. Every one, as you walk by, had a little lady who would try to get you to eat in their particular stall. Then there were the ladies sitting in various areas along the beach and street with their various wares. As I walked by, they tried to convice me that I needed another pair of wooley gloves. These ladies are in the same costume as the chubby ladies described previously in bright blue, red, pink, yellow, turquoise skirts and some sort of hat. The wind picked up and I got cold so I returned to the main strip to find a cafe to read about my next destination.
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