10) Comer con las manos por un mes
En muchas partes de la India, la gente utiliza las manos para comer en lugar de utensilios de cocina. Como la mayoría de los indios también usan las manos para limpiarse el trasero después de ir al baño, se puede ver que el concepto de higiene prácticamente no existe en el país. Las vacas deambulan por las calles, defecando tanto por todos lados que nadie se molesta en asear por ellas. Además, el suelo en cualquier sitio funciona como bote de basura. Por la completa ausencia de higiene, todos los viajeros se enferman, tarde o temprano. Si sobreviven por algunos meses, se vuelven bien acostumbrados a la falta de aseo. En este sentido, decidí a sumergirme totalmente en la cultura local, y empecé a comer con mis manos por un mes entero. Me sorprendió de lo complicado que era: En realidad, no es un acto bárbaro que es tan simple como parece, sino que es un arte que involucra destrezas avanzadas. Me divertí mucho durante este mes a medida que aprendí cómo mezclar a mano el arroz y curry con la mayor eficiencia :)
9) ¡Bloqueo!
En todas las partes del mundo, los gobiernos hacen cosas que a la gente no le gustan. Algunas personas deciden aceptarlas como parte de la vida cotidiana, mientras otras optan por protestar. De las que escogen manifestar sus disgustos, hay personas que lo hace pacíficamente, y hay otras que lo hace de maneras más violentas. Entre todas las manifestaciones que he visto en los 13 países que conozco, lo más extremo debe ser los ¨bloqueos¨ de Bolivia, el cuál consiste en cubrir los más importantes vías de transporte de una región con rocas, ladrillos, y montones de arena para impedir que nadie los cruza. El objetivo es entorpecer tanto las rutinas cotidianas de los ciudadanos ordinarios que el gobierno se encuentra obligado a satisfacer sus demandas.
Todo el mundo tiene quejas, pero a algunos bolivianos les parece perfectamente justo hacer dificultar las vidas a los que no tienen nada que ver con la dicha queja. No es raro que alguien muera por la falta de atención médica o por los conflictos que se estrellan entre aquellos que quieren atravesar las carreteras y aquellos que organizan el bloqueo. Dichos conflictos a menudo involucran armas cómo la dinamita.
Esta práctica fue perfeccionado por al actual presidente boliviano Evo Morales, cuando hace unos años bloqueó las pocas autopistas que existen en el país por meses, casi destruyendo la poca industria que tiene Bolivia. A pesar de que la constitución boliviana explícitamente prohíba el bloqueo de vías públicos de transporte, la policía nunca hace nada aparte de llegar al sitio de bloque and permanecer allá, charlando y riéndose desocupadamente.
8) I´m on a boat!
En todo caso, llegamos a este paraíso durante una temporada de pocos turistas, así que ¡conseguimos alojamiento con una buenísima vista por sólo 2 dólares por persona! Sin duda, el Lago Titicaca es un destino de visita obligada para los mochileros que disfrutan de aventuras baratas de libertad :)
English Version
10) Eating with my hands for an entire month
In many parts of India, people use their hands instead of dining utensils to eat. Seeing as how most Indians also utilize their hands rather than toilet paper to clean up after themselves in the bathroom, it's obvious that the concept of hygiene doesn't really exist over there. Cows roam the streets of every city, town, and village, taking a dump so frequently that nobody even bothers to clean up after them anymore. Also, the ground functions as your garbage can no matter where you are.
Due to the complete lack of hygiene in the country, all tourists eventually get sick sooner or later. If they manage to survive for a couple months, they eventually become used to the filth and don't get bothered by it as much. That was basically how I felt when one day I said to myself, "If my stomach is so filled with nasty bugs already, why not go all the way and immerse myself fully en the local culture?" So, I started to eat with my hands like the people around me, and I was surprised to find out how complicated it was. In reality, it's not a barbaric act that's as simple as it looks; it's actually a profound art that involves advanced skills.
I really had fun during that month as I learned how to hand-mix my rice and curry with maximum efficiency :)
9) Blockade!
Everywhere in the world, politicians do stuff that aren't always so favorably received by the people. Some choose to simply accept this as of fact of everyday life, while others prefer to manifest their dissatisfactions. Amongst those who opt to protest, there are those who do so peacefully, and there are others who resort to violent methods. Now, out of all the protests that I've seen in the 13 countries that I've traveled to, nothing beats the Bolivian "blockades" in terms of extremity. Basically, these blockades involve covering major roads with rocks, bricks, and huge piles of sand, preventing anyone from driving across. The objective is to obstruct the everyday routines of ordinary citizens so much that the government is forced to give in to their pleas.
Everyone has their grievances, but apparently some Bolivians think that it's perfectly fine to hinder the lives of those who have nothing to do with their complaints. This isn't even something that rarely occurs—you see news reports of villages suffering from the lack of food and people dying from the lack of medical attention because of roadblocks all the time! Something else that also usually happens is that a certain group of people get fed up with the inaction of the police and decide to break the blockade on their own, resulting in violent confrontations that result in more deaths. By the way, did I mention that these conflicts often involve the use of guns and dynamite?
It's worth noting that this practice of roadblocks was perfected by the current Bolivian President Evo Morales. One time, he gathered up enough blind followers to block the few national highways that exist in the country for a couple months, and he almost destroyed the few export industries that exist in the country. Although the Bolivian Constitution clearly prohibits these "blockades," the police never does anything about it—that is, apart from arriving at the crime scene only to stand by and watch, chitchatting and laughing away at their own incompetence.
8) I'm on a Boat!
I wasn't just on a boat; I was on a boat on its way across the highest lake in the world: Lake Titicaca! This lake was so big that its crystal-clear waters in the faraway horizons appeared to blend into the sky itself. It's said that the Incans believed that this place harbored mysterious powers, which is why they built several areas of worship that still remain to this day on certain islands. Apparently, the relevancy of this belief still survives to this day, as some Latin American yogis continue to meet here year after year during the Aymara New Year, which takes place on the day of winter solstice.
Anyway, we arrived in this paradise during the low tourist season, and we managed to find a hostel with an incredible view for only $2 a person per night! Without a doubt, Lake Titicaca is a must-visit attraction for backpackers who enjoy traveling cheap and free :)
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