Bolivia/Peru getting ready

Tonio and I decided after much back and forth about how I wanted to go to Ecuador/Colombia and he wanted Machu Picchu, Peru, and Bolivia. We decided on Peru and Bolivia! Hmm. But I am so excited. La Paz is the highest altitude city in the world. The salt flats (salar de Uyuni) in Bolivia around Uyuni are a one of a kind lanscape. Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world. We plan on visiting the floating villages of Uros. And of course Machu Picchu and Cusco, Peru.
But, On December 24th Tonio and I decided we would buy our tickets to La Paz, Bolivia and return from Lima, Peru for our annual winter trek. We hadn't noticed the that less than a year ago Bolivia began requiring visas for Americans ($100) but a visa can only be granted if the applicant has a Yellow Fever vaccination ($110). Problem with the Yellow Fever vaccination is that you must have the shot 11 days before entering Bolivia. We leave in 15 days and as we called around no one had the vaccine and wouldn't have it till the end of November. (Other offices were closed till Jan. 3 because of holidays). Seems the vaccine manufacturer stopped making single doses and now only make 5 dose vials and the vial expires with-in one hour of first administering it which means they need 5 people at the same time! Tonio feared we were going to loose our tickets.
We called so many offices on the CDC yellow fever website. no one had it. I gave up, I figured I could call Monday and have better luck. Tonio did not give up, and half an hour later found a doctor in Prospect Heights Brooklyn. He was such a nice Doc, Dr. Boah from Ghana. He was so hilarious, got us in so quick! He cracked jokes about how next time Ghana would beat Italy at football. Both Tonio and I are so scared of needles but he was terrific!

Dyker Heights Christmas Lights, Brooklyn NY

Dyker Heights is an Italian American neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY near the Verrazano Bridge. It is famous for its Christmas light displays and over-the-top decorations. Tonio and I drove several blocks. The best being 83rd and 84th streets between 11th and 13th avenues.
Map: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=83rd+and+12th+dyker+heights+brooklyn&ie=UTF8&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&ll=40.62037,-74.011931&spn=0.017786,0.037637&z=15&iwloc=addr&om=1

Pretty funny and very festive. Made us feel a little lame for out lack of festiveness. I got over it later when I thought about the amount of electricity used to make it possible. We have left it up to our neighbors across the street, they have enough for the whole block.

Welcome to Montana

From Sheridan, Wyoming to Billings, Montana

14 degrees F i think.