A 2003 picture that I found on my hard drive today (me on far right). Place: Cochabamba, Bolivia. It took us an hour and a half to climb up to the base of the statue. Cochabamba is known as the Valey of Eternal Spring, so it was a pleasant climb up. We rode the cable car down.This statue is a few centimeters taller than the one in Rio de Janeiro. They are both 33 meters tall, each meter representing a year in Jesus' life. Apparently Bolivians claimed that Jesus lived a bit more than 33 years, so it's a bit taller (Source: Google).
Cochabamba is in a valley surrounded by the mountains. The Christ is placed in a way so that it is visible from anywhere in the city. At night, it is awash in white lights, creating an apparition that is looking after everyone.
My other favorite place in Cochabamba was Palacio Portales. You can check out a photo of this beautiful building here.
Simon Patino, the tin baron, and one of the ten richest men of his time, wanted a building that would open up to the city (Portales=doors) and would be a landmark. Craftsmen from 30 european countries spent about 20 (?) years decorating the interiors of this mansion. The billiard room is fashioned after the Al-Hambra mosque of Spain, the corridors are decorated with the finest Florentine frescos.
Patino, suffered a heart attack in 1924 while the building was still being constructed. Cochabamba is at 9,000 feet altitude with low air density. Patino was forbidden to travel to such heights. He died in 1947 without ever being able to see his dream house.
Act on your dreams. Now. Before life catches on.
