Bolivia: La Paz

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The Bolivian capital literally left me out of breath: the city is constantly bustling with activity....and is located at more than 3600 meters of altitude! No need to say that I needed a couple of hours to adjust to this high location...and the city's steep hills!

When you arrive by bus from "El Alto", one of the poorest neighbourhoods, you can observe the capital built between a gigantic colourful valley. The view is truly impressive...especially when there is a clear day and you observe the "Illimani" with its 6400 meters and white snow.

The entire city can be considered as a one gigantic colourful market! The multitude of stands are occupying the sidewalks and you end up walking on the streets among the cars and small omnibuses from which people scream outloud the destination and price of the ride! The noise and pollution (and height!) of this fast growing city can be at time overwhelming!

Despite the numerous museums, monuments and plazas of the capital, the best way to discover La Paz can be done by walking throughout its many streets and visiting its multitude of markets! Each street and neighbourhhod seemed to specialize in one particular item. One will be dedicated to furnitures while the other will be only occupied by hairstylists! Calle Sagarnaga is filled with outdoor and indoor textile merchants; the steep street is coloured by the outside stands and indigenous vendors. On a perpendicular street is located the famous Witches Market where few women sell a multitude of colourful unidentified items which are mostly offerings to the Pachamama, the Earth Mother. The dry lamas feotuses were quite impressive....

After visiting the Andean Textile Museum and Coca Museum, I went to the Cementerio General. Visiting the Cementery has been a cultural experience by itself as I was able to observe the different rituals associated with death in Bolivia. Ironically, the cementery was a living place: a multitude of people walked, sang, and cried among the windows of their loved ones. It was very interesting to watch people "interacting" with their dead family members and friends. Some old Bolivian women were singing in Quechua while others were coming to refresh the flowers to be placed in the "window boxes". A colourful and lively place...

For Valentine's Day, our last day in La Paz, we attended a soccer match at the La Paz stadium where "Bolivar" was playing Boca Juniors. Having watched the famous "Superclassico", I can tell that the Bolivian crowd was much more civilized than the Argentinean's one! Regardless of who is playing, watching a soccer game in South America is always exciting!

Next stop: Oruro...for its famous Diablada and Carnaval!

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Photos

La Paz
"Toda nuestra accion es un grito de guerra contra el imperialista"
"Everything we do is a war cry against the Imperialist"...as you can see, after 40 years following his death, Che is still living is Latin America...

La Paz-Cementerio General
Visiting the General Cementeray has been a truly cultural experience. People are usually buried few years before being incinerated and then commemorated in these small spaces protected by glass and decorated with colourful flowers. The cementery is ironically a very living place as many come to refresh the dry flowers, sit in front of their loved ones and sing to them...The picture also shows you how high in the mountains houses are built...

La Paz- Witches Market
The Witches Market offers a wide range unknown items (in the eyes of the foreigner)! Most of them are offerings to the Pachamama, Mother Earth, including the lama foetuses that you can see on the pictures. These will be bought to be placed under a new house with other items to ask the Pachamama to bring prosperity to the home...However, the rich people are expected to dig an entire lama!

Comments

[Annette]

Hello Laurence.. awesome photographs and narrative. La Paz sounds truly unique. safe traveling Annette xo