Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
SCHOOL OF BAROQUE
In a kind of magic-realist reversal of the Manaus opera house bringing highbrow European
culture to the Brazilian Amazon, the
San Ignacio de Moxos music school
on Ayacucho (
03 4822347) is now taking their singular brand of indigenous Baroque from the Bolivi-
an Amazon to Europe. Founded by a Navarrese nun and counting between two and three
hundred students, the school has been teaching violin, cello and flute to the town's youth
since the mid-1990s, creating a unique ensemble whose performances have brought ac-
claim fromBuenos Aires toBarcelona. The school also hasaconcert hall; ifyou'reintown
it's worth checking to see if there are any upcoming recitals.
Laguna Isirere
A fifteen-minute walk or five-minute motorbike taxi ride north of the plaza brings you to the
attractive
Laguna Isirere
, where you can relax, swim and observe the abundant birdlife. Le-
gend has it that anyone who drinks from the lagoon will never leave San Ignacio - not such
a terrible fate. Lake transport is via either muscle-(Bs2) or motor (Bs5)-powered canoe.
ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE: SAN IGNACIO DE MOXOS
By plane
Though not for the faint hearted, the antiquated, two-passenger
avionetas
which
fly between San Ignacio and Trinidad can make for a cheap and unforgettable way to exper-
ience the Llanos de Moxos. The standard fare is Bs400 ($57)/person but don't be surprised
if you're offered a seat for as low as Bs100; locals in need of a fellow passenger sometimes
search out people waiting for buses. To hire one yourself, phone Captain Emilio Arios Diez (
7114 9435), though be warned he doesn't suffer fools gladly.
By bus
Buses and
autos
to and from Trinidad (4-5 daily; 4hr) and en-route from Trinidad to
Rurrenabaque (2 daily; 16r) arrive and depart from the far end of Santiesteban, the road that
heads out of town to the east.
ACCOMMODATION
Plaza Hotel
On the main square 03 4822032.
Basic, rudimentary rooms, leading off a so-
ciable reception often bustling with locals. The
y also
have their own generator so at least
some of the rooms have power during blackouts.
Bs120
Residencial San Joaquin
On the main square 03 4822055.
Delightfully antiquated,
family-run clutch of spartan yet atmospheric, whitewashed rooms with ceiling fans
, origi
nal
beams and heavy furniture, all grouped around a courtyard garden with hammocks.
Bs100
Laguna Isirere
If you fancy staying the night on the lake, accommodation is available
in ba
-
sic palm-thatched huts (sleeping two) on the lagoon's far shore; ask in town for Mario.
Bs70
