Those Crazy Cholets

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Today was a busy day. I had my morning class where we focused on Cash Flow managed based on the questions they asked me at the previous class. I was glad to see all the men returned a few new ones joined them. We had some good discussions about the cash flow status of their businesses and what we might be able to do to improve it. The afternoon class focused on goal setting. Each of the woman was asked to share with the group their S.M.A.R.T. goal with the class so they could help keep each other accountable. We had a good mix of personal goals for their families as well as professional endeavors.

After class, Betty took me on a tour of the Cholets of El Alto. The best possible way to see these unique buildings is by cable car. So we took different lines throughout El Alto to take in architecture.

As the population of La Paz surpassed the available land a new satellite city was founded in 1985: El Alto. Many people live in El Alto and come down to work in La Paz. El Alto is much cheaper, but also a more dangerous area. It is now the second largest city in Bolivia at 1 million people (though likely much more than that) and the fastest growing.

The original architect of these crazy buildings was Freddy Mamani. He took the chola (the primary people to own these homes) and chalet to make Cholets. The designs are very

Over the last decade or so strange multi-storey buildings have been springing up throughout El Alto. The kitschy and many times gaudy designs incorporate things like Iron Man, the Statue of Liberty or transformers into the design. incorporate strange shapes, windows frames that meet at impossible angles and facades that include Andean symbols. The insides of these buildings are normally divided into three levels: the ground floors are used as commercial premises; the second floors are reserved for events; and the owners are normally located in the penthouses.

These buildings are popping up all over El Alto. They cost between $200,000 and $1,000,000 to build depending on size and design. The people that own them are primarily indigenous people who moved to El Alto from the country side. It was not that long ago that these people were governed as second class citizens. Many are still looked upon that way even if their legal standing has improved. Some of these people have become very rich very quickly spurred by the rapid population growth.

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