Santa Cruz: Welcome to the "Jungle"

Once before, I had a one-night stay in Santa Cruz, and to be honest, it was awful--a very weird, creepy, not so clean hotel; a very shady area around the hotel; and extreme humidity--a horrible combination. Although the heat and humidity were terrifying, my recent excursion to the land of the Cambas (People from Santa Cruz are referred to as Cambas) was, surprisingly, relaxing and fun. I guess I was in the wrong part of the city previously.

 Before we headed east to the city that screams autonomy (Many Cambas/Crucenos want to break apart from the rest of Bolivia to create a new country or join Brazil because of their "more European/North American blood"), a friend said that from what she had heard about Santa Cruz, it was full of good-looking people and cocaine floating in the air. I, on the other hand, thought it was a creepy and very dirty city. However, as it turns out, neither of us were correct.

 My friend, Brianna, and I arrived by bus after a 10 hour ride from Cochabamba. I was very tired (I had worked an overnight shift at the girls' home the night before), sweaty, and to be honest, smelly. I was ready for a shower and some good food. I said goodbye to Brianna, who made life brighter for a few weeks--it was very sad to see her go. After seeing her walk through security, I headed to the city center, and place I realized I had never visited, which is probably why I had these incorrect perceptions of a pleasant city.

 After finding a reasonable, clean hotel, I showered and napped for a bit. After, I headed to one of my favorite places in Bolivia--Alexander Coffee. (Sadly, Alexander Coffee does not exist in Cochabamba.) The rest of the afternoon included stops for cold drinks while exploring the city. I was surprised to find that Santa Cruz, contrary to my previous thoughts, is a friendly, easily walkable, fairly clean, fairly safe, pretty city--I wish I had realized this before!

The Main Plaza

The cathedral in the Main Plaza. You can climb the bell tower, and see the whole city! 

Alexander Coffee--one of the best cafes ever! 

 You may be wondering why the "jungle" is mentioned in my blog title. Well, here begins my adventure and journey into the rough, but beautiful "jungles" of Santa Cruz. The next morning, I headed to Biocentro Guembe, which is a ways from the hustle and bustle of the city center. Guembe is in the "jungle" and is on an enormous property, which includes a beautiful butterfly sanctuary, a "natural" bird habitat, a wild orchid garden, numerous natural pools, museums, animal exhibits, cafes and restaurants, etc. It's an amazing place, but bug repellent is a must. I didn't even realize, but the mosquitos are plentiful and vicious. However, despite the mosquito hordes and my ridiculous amounts of bites, I had a wonderful time wandering around the property, watching the beautiful, delicate butterflies, observing the birds, and swimming and laying by the pool. After a long day in the "jungle," getting, literally, eaten alive, I headed back into the city to have a relaxing late afternoon and night.

One of the hundreds of butterflies in the sanctuary.

Looking towards the city from the tower in the bird sanctuary. 

The orchid garden! 

 My last day in Santa Cruz consisted of a long, relaxing stay at Alexander Coffee, soaking in the atmosphere and the delicious food, and more city exploring. My few days in Santa Cruz were pleasant and relaxing, something I never thought I would say. Thank you for proving me wrong, and being a city of nice restaurants and cafes, easily walkable, clean, safe, fun, and interesting. I can honestly say, Santa Cruz is worth visiting and experiencing!