risky business

I think since I live in Bolivia, I generally take more risks. Like when food falls on the floor, extending the 5-second rule. Or taking aerobics classes hardly knowing any Spanish. Or biking the Death Road. I'm definitely not a daredevil, but what my friends and I did a couple weekends ago would be classified as pretty risky. First, we ate at a Chinese restaurant called "Love City." Bear in mind, Bolivians speak Spanish. However, the restaurant with the sketchy name served very tasty Chinese cuisine. So all the while I'm wondering why it's called "Love City." And then, as we're leaving, I see it: Love City in all its splendor. Ice caves, a disco ball, multicolored lights and lots of mirrors to watch yourself dance. I wish I had photographed the inside of this "discoteca." It was a hoot. Keep in mind, the food was really good. So we all ate a fair amount.

Next destination: Galaxy Park, an amusement park chock-full of sketchy, old, other-countries'-reject rides. There were a couple times I literally thought I was going to die. Like on the squeaky ride with a rusty metal car that didn't seem to be closed all the way.

Or the ferris wheel when the guy running the ride stopped it to tell us to press the metal bar. Too bad Sarah and I don't know enough Spanish to understand what "Push the metal bar and...flip upside down" means. I almost wet my pants. The guy died laughing. Among others, we also rode the dreaded "Kamikaze" (the one that flips you and holds you upside down). I had never been on one of these in the States, so my bright idea was to get in a 30-year-old one that just recently got shoulder straps put in. I guess I figured if a Bolivian I know survived without shoulder straps on a sketchy ride that goes upside down, I'd be okay.

And I was. I had a blast. Minus a little, well a lot, of nausea I felt there at the end, I'd do it again. My friends without tummy aches braved the food and got a stick of chocolate-covered marshmallows. Love City and Galaxy Park, however, were not so loving toward me.

If you're reading this, sorry, Mom. What you don't know until afterward won't hurt you. :)