I only spent an afternoon in Potosi, so if you´re looking for reviews of mine tours or the museum, look elsewhere. The museum was closed when I was there, and after talking to a number of people, breathing in toxic substances including asbestos in intense heat at a 4,800 meter altitude for an hour is not worth the greater empathy I might develop for all miners. Clearly, working in a mine of this kind would absolutely suck, and it´s true that this city is home to a forgotten holocaust, but obviously one of the many benefits of being middle class and white is not having to ever enter a place like this. In Bolivia, it seems like much of the tourism is driven by the idea that since we can ride bikes down a deadly road, ... read more

I first heard about the Pampas tour as a poor man´s alternative to exploring areas near Iquitos, Peru. I passed on the 20 hour, dangerous road journey to Rurrenbaque and opted instead for a 40 minute flight. Through Honey Tours (located in La Paz on Comercial across from the Wild Rover hostel), the flight was about 1000 BS and the tour (through Indigena Tours, which was pretty good) was an additional 550. The guides definitely respect nature on some level, but if you are looking for something less intrusive (they fed the hawks piranhas we caught and seemed to have some sites prepared, including a croc they killed after it (according to them) bit off the leg of a girl 25 days earlier, and the locals burn some of the area for their crops - it ... read more

La Paz is dissonant music for all the senses. The houses between El Alto and the city center hang precariously off a steep cliff, and the only escape for the eyes are the white-capped mountains. Elevation varies over 1000 meters and here, the poor look literally down on the rich; officers dressed as zebras and donkeys direct traffic; men hanging from colectivos rap their prices and destinations; locals huddle on stools shoveling in street food; protests close down whole sections of the city (and are accompanied with fireworks and chants and riot police ); shoeshiners wear ski masks to hide their faces (social stigma, apparently); the markets are hallmarks of ownership and competition, even for ´witches´with their potions and relics. I RECOMMEND: - The Adventure Brew Hostel, which has excellent beer (a nice relief in South ... read more

Unless you are looking for a Disney-ish experience, Puno is more or less a place to skip or to pass through quickly. Avenida Lima, the main street, is limited to walking, (thankfully, so at least your chances of your legs being broken are less than in Arequipa) but the unintended consequence is a plethora of touts, tours, and rip-off restaurants. To avoid dealing with this nightmare of a boardwalk, go directly to the port early in the morning if you want to see Las Islas Flotantes. The islands have been on the lake since locals sought to escape the Incas and are made out of a cork-like substance and reeds. Admittedly, they are pretty amazing, but they are impossible to enjoy for what they are. A three hour tour is more than enough; in fact, some ... read more

The centre of Arequipa is more like a European city than a South American one. Think southern Spain. It is clean, polished even, parallel, and modern. It´s a nice break from the relative grime, but it´s entirely too sterile for me. Hundreds of small shops around Plaza de Armas reveal where the city gets its money and what it´s real intention is: to lure tourists into trips to nearby Colca Canyon, Mt. Misti (and others), and even Puno and Nazca. After an always-torturous night bus, I paid 40 soles for a single room so I could sleep in peace at Home Sweet Home hostel. It was recommended by several other travelers, but it seems to be so popular because it´s the first on in Lonely Planet. Dorms are 15, and all rooms include a pretty good ... read more