Enjoying Bolivia 215broken. Marcus protests. “We must take one step up in order
to go two steps down,” I say, distorting a phrase by Mao.
The directions are easy; out of Sorata turn left at the fi rst
fork in the road. At the second fork, make a right for the high
road or a left for the river path. If you have any doubts, just
say the word gruta (cave) at any of the settlements along the
way, and they will point you to the right road.
When you have reached a peak in the road and Sorata
has disappeared, you are at the halfway point. Scattered
hamlets across the gorge are reachable only by footpaths.
A fi ne drizzle refreshes without drenching. The river roars
from below to express its supreme authority.
Here, the road winds downhill. When you fi nally spot San
Pedro below, you are about three-quarters there. San Pedro
is a square of pastel painted buildings surrounding a green
football fi eld.
Once at San Pedro, the cave is still 10 minutes ahead. Since
only three or four people visit the cave on weekdays, and not
more than a dozen or so at weekends, there is no permanent
attendant, nor are there signs that locate the home of the
bats. In San Pedro, a girl sells fi zzy drinks from a tiny shop
by the roadside. Let her know you are going to the cave. Let
anyone else know, too. By word of mouth, the lady who
caretakes the cave will fi nd you before you fi nd her.
When you reach a white hut with a wooden bench, you
are there. The caretaker will
arrive behind you by bicycle.
You climb a hill to the cave.
You pass a whitewashed adobe
structure with urinals, then a
roofl ess adobe hut with a one-
cylinder motor for turning on the
electricity in the cave.
The guide, if you can find
her, will handcrank an electric
generator for about US$ 1 each,
and you will enter the dimly lit cave.
Aside from a lake about 150 m (492 ft) inside the cave, the
attraction is the chance to share the same space with bats.
The three of us sat down on
boulders and admired the
perfect panorama. The view of
Illimani from La Paz is ruggedly
awesome but Illampu shyly
peering down over Sorata is
sensual beauty. Marcus had
relished the challenge. He let us
know he was tired, but without
complaint. He was distracted by
the frog croaks.