The highest capital in the world!

---

Wow! What an amazing city tucked in the valley between snowcapped mountains!

I landed in La Paz Sunday afternoon, a little worried how the 3600 odd meter altitude would affect me, especially after my night out in Santiago trying the specialty, Pisco Sour (The airport bus came to pick me up at 4am, so there was no use in sleeping... I did that on my baggage trolley at the airport waiting for customs!!)... I did, by the way, manage a pretty decent tourist whirl around Santiago on Saturday - made it up to Cerro San Cristobal for a view over la Paz (with a Maria statue similar to the Christ in Rio), munched on some seafood in the Central Market, and visited a couple of interesting museums...

Back to La Paz. Galia´s parents met us (I had met a NZ guy on the plane who was coming to work here for Gravity Bolivia mountain bike company...) at the airport which was very sweet!! As the hostel they took me to was full, Graham suggested the new hostel that Gravity had just started up. So I got out at the house where he would be staying and... never left!! He kindly offered to let me crash in his room, and I´m still there!!! I just signed up for their infamous ride down ´the world´s most dangerous road´ tomorrow... check their website www.gravitybolivia.com More about that once I make it down!

So, the first day, apart from my head feeling a little dizzy (but may have been the lack of sleep), I was fine, and marvelled at my not being affected by the altitude! Little did I know, the first night is the real test, and sure enough, I woke with a headache and threw up... nothing but the water I´d drunk... Monday morning. Following that though, it was all smooth sailing! And I plucked up courage to leave the house for longer than a short walk to find some dinner!!

Tuesday Graham and I got our bearings and explored the market area of La Paz, making a stop at the Coca Museum where we tried some tongue-numbing (litterally!!) sweets and got the low down on the history of coca... fascinating stuff! Check their website www.cocamuseum.com Basically, chewing coca leaves has been a long tradition in Bolivia, and helped the miners to work long hours to dig for gold and helping with altitude (we´re drinking coca tea daily!). The US and Coca Cola changed all that, making coca illegal (or pricy once they found it increased productivity) except for their own use! The Geneva Convention also bans coca, interesting...

Yesterday I braved the micros (local buses) and ventured out to Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), a lunar landscape of pinnacles about 1/2 hr out of la Paz. I met a delightful local guide there selling musical instruments who offered me a quena (flute) which I can just about play a tune on! Waliku showed me around and explained the medicinal plants with tales of his mother curing his childhood ills!! He also taught me a few Aymaran words which I´ve forgotten! Then we went to lunch and to the zoo! He is going to show me around the Valley of the Souls, his hometown, on Sunday!

Last night began the memorial parades of the 23 March, the day the Chileans attacked Bolivia and took away their access to the sea. All the armed forces paraded through the city, and I even got a few glimpses of indigenous President Evo Morales. Mind you, this morning I had to stand for 4 hours waiting through all the singing and parading, through rain, sun and cloud!. At the start of the national anthem I was sharply told I must take off my hat! The catch cry of the morning was ¨Mar para Bolivia¨ - Sea for Bolivia, and, from what the newspaper´s say, Morales wants this acheived during his presidency and has formed a three step plan to enable Bolivia access to the sea once again. We´ll see!

Today I tried traditional Bolivian ´almuerzo´ for lunch - homecooked set menus for around 6 Bs (less than $1!!!) which are very hearty and filling, and packed with locals... (and I´m not sick yet!!). Then I wandered around the fascinating musical instruments museum...

So, I´m planning to stay in La Paz till Sunday (apart from the ride tomorrow, Galia´s parents said they would take us to some traditional dancing Saturday night!), then heading down to the Uyuni Salt flats on Monday!

---