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Published: March 16th 2006
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Noel´s Stamina Drink in the market The bus to La paz was due to leave Potsoi at 8.30pm, we arrived at 7.30pm and got a drink. There was still no bus at 8.45 so we were getting a bity panicky. At 9.00pm the bus turned up and we were informed we would need to check our bags in at the office upstairs before boarding. After a mad dash and watching to make sure our bags got on the bus, we boarded. In the centre console of the drivers compartment, I noticed a big bag of coca leaves - at least we knew the driver wouldn´t fall asleep at the wheel!
The journey was scheduled to take 11 hours but at what seemed like 100mph it only took 9. I slept most of the journey but Tas didnt as she thought the driver was driving erratically, I never mentioned the coca until we dissembarked in case this made things worse. We arrived at La Paz at 6.30am and as we felt so dirty we decided to go for a nice hostal - it was worth it. We got washed and slept most of the day only waking so Tas to visit the toilet (52 hours worth of
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Murillo Plaza squirts and still counting).
La Paz is the world´s highest city (3660m) and the largest in Bolivia. It is not the captial but is the centre for commerce, finance and industry.
When we woke in the afternoon we went for a walk. The place was teaming with heavily armed police/miliatary (machine guns, rocket launchers, armed vehicles, rifles, battons, shields - you name it they had it). There was also a special unit of motorbiking military who rode around on 200cc trial bikes with a driver at the front and a machine gun carrying gunnman on the back. They were ready for action buzzing around the streets in deadly swarms like wasps. The reason for this military/police presence (there is a very fine line between the two in Bolivia) was the inaugeration of Evo Morales, the new president, two days later. After putting our minging clothes into the laundry to be thoroughly cleaned we went to a pub and had a few beers to end our relaxing day.
The next day we decided on a walking tour of the city, we found it to be very cosmopolitan which meant all types of ethnic restaurants. we went to
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The Sprawling bowl of La Paz a Lebanese restaurant where we had hummus, falaffel, olives, vine leaves, and all the rest which was a fantastic alternative to what we had consumed in the last few days. Tas was still suffering but good food is worth paying a price for and as she said ´If is goes straight through I get the benefit of the taste and its good for the wedding diet´. Our city walk started at the ´witches market´´ where all types of potions and artefacts relating to white and black magic could be bought. The following weekend was the Alasitas festival during which minatures of all the things you want for the coming year are placed on a tray beside Ekeko the Ayamara household god. The market contained many of these minature items and shrines. Next was the ´snide´market where all manner of hooky goods could be bought, Nike/Adidas sportswear, pirate copies of albums, films etc, I got a genuine Tommy Hilfiger belt for 10Bs. (Just over a dollar) You could also buy reams of branded washcare labels for about 3Bs. I bought some Nike ones so I doubt I will make it back throught The States.
Next on the walk was the coca museum. The message from the coca museum was that coca in its unprocessed form is not addictive and relatively harmless. During colonial times the Spanish made coca compulsory for the black and indigenious slaves that worked down the mine as it improved productivity. The UN blamed coca for the poverty in Boliva in the 60s and ever since the UN (particualrly the US) has waged a war on coca. I am not convinced from what I have seen and experienced here that coca is harmless, but neither do I believe that in its unprocessed state it is that harmful. I believe that if the supply of the processed plant was regulated in a similar way to alcohol in the UK and more was learned about its effects, over a few generations things would change.
The UNs justified fear of cocaine has driven the unjustified fear of coca, creating a barrier between cultures. It should be noted that coca has been used here for many thousands of years without issue. It is only in the last 200 years that white man has possessed the drug and it seems he is spoiling things for everyone.
Next on our city tour was the prison in La Paz. It is said the prison is owned by the prisoners who are allowed unregulated visits and their familes live in there with them. There is a suggestion that anyone can visit the jail and the prisoners are happy giving a tour (though officially tourists are not allowed in). We visited the jail and it was obvious we could have got in by briding the official at the side entrance. Tas was not up for this however, so we walked the perimeter under the watchful eye of the armed guards patrolling the tops of the walls.
We past plaza Murillo on our return which is the central square in La Paz and has many official government buildings, hence the heavy security. We were walking through the square and Tas asked me for the camera which was in my backpack. I stopped, rested my bag on a ledge and started routing through it. We heard shouting and looked up see the armed police/miitlary pointing their guns at us. Realising almost immediately our mistake - approaching a government building and opening up a fair sized bag on a window sill - we stuck our hands up and showed immense fear. We were instructed to step away from the bag, to which we complied and once the bag was checked we were allowed to go home and change our pants.
We never got to finish our tour of the city as the afternoon was a very rainy one. It is the rainy season here (120mm in january) and when it rains it pours. La Paz is in a bowl in the Andes so hilly streets become rivers. We took shelter from the rain in a market where I got a smoothy that was advertised as invigorating and inproving sexual stamina. When I bought it the two ladies serving behind the counter whooped, smiled and winked at Tasmin. What with the bell tower of fertility and the stamina smoothy I can´t see how we are going to come home as only a pair!
The rain did not subside so we got soaked heading back to the hostal. We got a good nights sleep (only disturbed by Tas´s squirts) and prepared for the road to Copacabana.
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Vix
non-member comment
Squitty bottom!
Tas, drink some cooled boiled water with a spoonful of salt and sugar dissolved in it whenever you're squitty, it'll taste awful but it helps, honest. And clean your hands with some of that vodka before you eat. Close shave with those military types. Stay safe you two!