The Band Follows Us Everywhere

South America » Bolivia » Chuquisaca Department » Sucre
April 13th 2009

Published: April 14th 2009

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katiandmark

the band

Bolivia is a world apart from Argentina and Chile. Its people are oftentimes poor, but not hungry. Big toothless smiles on sun-worn brown faces with fat cheeks full of coca under strange hats - that’s Bolivia. The cities we visited were colonial (Sucre) and haphazard (La Paz). Both are the capital of Bolivia. Both dislike each other. We have been in the tropics for several weeks, but in Bolivia we have yet to be below 9000 feet in elevation.

Bolivia is a step back in time. The main highway from Uyuni (a major tourist destination for the salt flats) to Potosi (site of a giant mine in the Spanish empire) was dirt. Our journey was interrupted by a bus that was partly blocking the 1 ½ lane road because it couldn’t get itself out of a ditch. Hundreds of people stood around, without a chain or tow in sight.

Sucre, the white city, was a delight, a white-washed colonial city anchored by numerous beautiful churches. Our hostel was better than many hotels we’ve stayed at, with a beautiful flower-filled courtyard and all the amenities for $20/night. We decided to stay and take some more private Spanish classes (5 hours

bolivia road problems

don't worry, not our bus. but it delayed us for a while. 500 foot drop to the right.

of private lessons for $30). We toured a local market town nearby and got to see the vibrant indigenous heart that beats in Bolivia more than any other country in the Americas (except maybe Guatemala). Tribal dress is common; funny hats abound. There are rounded hats with ties to conquistadors, or the more popular British top hat, worn by Bolivian women for centuries after a fluke of a trade deal, or the crazy top hat with a swoosh to one side, a spring-loaded ball at the top, and frilly streamers coming down over the eyes.

This year is Sucre’s 200th anniversary, and on our first night in town, we were treated to a small parade. This is not uncommon in Bolivia as along the way we’ve witnessed at least three more parades and fiestas celebrating, among other occasions, the anniversary of a school, a football game (Bolivia recently kicked Argentina’s ass in a world cup qualifying match and the country hasn’t shut up about it), and, of course, Semana Santa.

Sucre also has some of the best nighttime street food ever! Frozen pizzas cooked to order in giant portable ovens! For around a dollar, you choose your pizza

Sucre - congress

the constitutional capital still holds on to the judiciary

and have them cook it right in front of you. They will even smother it in ketchup, no extra charge, to make it a “completo.” Bolivia also has a great type of fast food. Almuerzos are set meals in many restaurants. You simply walk into a restaurant, and for between $1-3, you order “lunch”. Lunch comes as a three- to four- course meal with soup, salad, entre and postre. These vary in quality (the best was a full-on parilla), but a minute after you order, lunch is served.

La Paz was much less tranquilo than Sucre, which wasn’t helped by our choice of hostels. The city has over a million people stuffed into a valley at 13,000 feet. A visit to the Witch´s Market was in order, though we chose not to purchase the dehydrated llama fetuses or jaguar pelts. Instead, we wandered the near-vertical streets and museums, bumping elbows in the crowded corners with many other people trying to make their way, avoiding random protests. We took in a couple of ethnic restaurants and good bars (although Indian food was not the best choice for our travel-worn stomachs). We also got to learn a lot about coca -

the hostel sucre

hostel numero uno in S.A.

Bolivia’s infamous cash crop. Coca cultivation is as old as civilization, and as with most drugs, has caused chaos in the 80 or so years since cocaine has been made illegal. Coca is mostly misunderstood, and it is still an ingredient in Coca-Cola. It also makes a great tea.

I’d recommend Bolivia to any unemployed traveler. There are many places in the world where the dollar has an advantage, but Bolivia is that rare place that lives within its own currency, which makes the good life fairly attainable, if you can stomach the bumps in the roads.

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