South America Day 51 - La Paz

---

One last day in La Paz. Primarily because of a long journey yesterday and a long journey tomorrow, so I left a day in between. Not because there’s loads of touristy things to do here – we’ve pretty much exhausted that list.

We planned to have a lie-in but the police put paid to that idea when they arrive at our door at 8 am to check our passports.

This morning we start at the Coca Museum which charts the history of the coca leaf, its role in Bolivian culture and uses as a drug, both legal and illegal. It’s more interesting that I’d anticipated. They even have a café where you can buy coca cocktails and original recipe Coca Cola.

We continue to St Francis church with its beautifully carved façade and ornate interior (lots of mannequins – it’s a bit like a religious Madame Tussaud’s) and to the cathedral (less ornate inside but does boast Jesus on a neon cross).

Next we attempt to visit the Urban Park but we can’t find the entrance. After walking around the edge past locked gates for some considerable time, we give up and catch a cable car back to the hotel.

In the evening, one last outing to get dinner and souvenirs. The street is still crazy – it’s nearly carnival and there’s a never ending row of fat ladies in petticoats and bowler hats flogging steamers, fancy dress outfits and an array of gaudy plastic tat.

Once at the restaurant, some Japanese students with pan pipes sit at the next table. Luckily for everyone, I manage to finish dinner whilst suppressing the urge to shove those pan pipes somewhere. And that completes our time in Bolivia. Tomorrow morning we fly to Peru.

---

Comments

[Gillian]

Cocktail or Coke?
Which did you go for?