Bolivia es... Chicha

...and with shiny, red eyes, completely drunk but smiling the old man finished the sentence... Chicha, Bolivia es chicha.

It was a little door, like the door of another cheap lunch place (almuerzo familiar as they're called here). We we were looking for a place to have a coffee so that would be just fine. After opening the door, a distant sound of crowd and a waiter on suit started telling that the place was not what we expected. Another waiter came carrying three or four bottles filled with a yellow drink I had never seen until then. The waiter showed us the way and we entered. After two seconds the place beacme and open patio, sunny and full of local old people. And on the tables only that yellow drink. The atmosphere was so good (didn t find better word) that coffe idea disappeared fast from our heads... We had just found THE place.
One idiota- What is that? (pointing the bottles to the waiter)
Waiter -Chicha
Another idiota -Aha..
(after seconds of doubt)Idiota again -Well... bring us... two bottles
So it started. Bit weird taste but after two glasses we were already playing dice like everyone else there. After a couple more:
Waiter - So, 2 bottles more?
Hector- Yes, 2 bottles
We didn t miss the bus that we were supposed to take -and which was something close to hell, as someone will describe soon). But we took it quite happily... In the meantime we had been the main attraction, by age (we were around 35 years younger than the average) and by colour (darker than earlier but still paler than locals).We were invited, greeted amd pleased by almost everyone there. At the moment of leaving I felt like I knew everyone there. Right before that a man came, he had a bike and a superb drunkness:
Stefano- So.. what is Bolivia.. in one word?
Friendly man- Bolivia... Chicha... Bolivia es chicha.
So we left from that place in Oruro still wondering if it had been real... Well, the day after I realised it was....

Sergio, desde Uyuni

PS: Chicha is an alcoholic drink typical in Bolivia, made from corn, not very strong but strong enough