San Fransisco

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Hello friends. I am quite content here at the moment because both my sister and my father have joined me in La Paz. I am also anticipating the arrival of my mother in about two weeks. This will be the first time we will all be living together since my high school years, so I feel very blessed to have this opportunity.

On another note, my father and I visited the famous San Francisco church in uptown La Paz recently. While there, we had a personal tour of the grounds where some monks still reside, and we even got a first hand look at the bell tower that overlooks the bustling plaza. The church also represents the long-time repression and segregation of the indigenous population (from the Spaniards), as the indigenous were originally not allowed near the vicinity of the elaborate structure. In fact, there were separate neighborhoods that divided the two populations until the 1700s. Check out these photos!

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Photos

beautiful window
The glass window above the main altar of San Fransisco church captures the light in the most amazing way.

cracked bell
It was said that a Franciscan monk once rang the bell so hard that it cracked. They still ring the bells every Sunday.

The punishment cell
If a monk was caught leaving the premises, he would be sentenced to solitary confinement. They would have to stay in this cell anywhere from 2 weeks to 2 years depending on the level of disobedience!

The roof
The church was built in the shape of a cross. The monks used to walk the roof line in meditation, but it is no longer allowed.