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Published: October 27th 2006
Miraflores District of La Paz
Taken from the CUSO office, this is the Miraflores district of La PazWell, after almost a twenty-three hour flight plan, I finally made it to La Paz last Wednesday morning at 5:55am. I must say that for international airports, that the airport in El Alto (outside of La Paz) is probably the oldest one I have ever been in. From departing the plane to meeting up with the taxi driver who had come to pick me up, I think I took about 50 steps and it took about 15 minutes to go through immigration and pick up my luggage. If only the airport in Ottawa could get luggage back to its passengers so quickly 😊
The taxi ride from the airport to the apartment where I would stay for the next few days gave some spectaular views of La Paz as the international airport is at the top of what looks like a crater and the city is nestled in the crater below. I wish I may have been more awake and that I had my camera out, but I guess I´ll have to go back to that point sometime to get some shots. The apartment I was staying at for the first few days was occupied by another CUSO cooperant, Alejandro,
Miraflores District of La Paz
Another view from the CUSO office of the Miraflores District of La Paz. who is here on a placement for two years. He only arrived a couple of days before me. Alejandro, Lisa (another CUSO cooperant who flew in to La Paz with me and that lives below Alejandro) talked for a bit and then we crashed, sleeping of a couple of hours before a taxi came to pick us up to bring us to the CUSO office. The CUSO office in Bolivia was not welcomed in a new cooperant for two years, so they seemed so interested in us. Panchito for the CUSO office took us out to exchange some money and get some glamour pictures done for our visas and temporary resident cards. They really takes their pictures seriously here! After this, we headed back towards the CUSO office where us three cooperants went to get lunch. As lunch is the main meal of the day here, it is very easy to find and very cheap. Our lunch consisited of a hard-boiled egg with a sauce for an appetizer, a bowl of soup, a main dish (which I had chicken, rice and potatoes) and a dessert. All this for 10 bolivianos! To put this into perspective, $1 Canadian is equal to
Nevado Illimani (Mount Illimani)
This is the view from Alejandro´s balcony. I only wish I had this view every morning. about 7.37 bolivianos. Anyhow, after lunch we headed back to the office to talk, however, Lisa and I started to drift off in slumber land again. After leaving the office, we grabbed some groceries at a supermarket near where we live and somehow I ended up making dinner for everyone. Alejandro, Lisa and I talked until we could not talk no more and then we all hit the sack!
Some impressions and feelings from my first day in La Paz:
- The landscape around the city is absolutely amazing
- The mix of traditional and modern life in the city amazes me
- It´s been a while since I have to use my Spanish full-time. I hope that it begins to improve soon.
- I hope this feeling of breathlessness everytime I walk up a set of stairs goes away soon.
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Heidi
non-member comment
Good for you Patrick!
This sounds like quite and adventure. I will follow you as you go and look forward to hearing what you are going to be doing there. Oh to be young!! I am working through food demo this semester....a little boring...but has to be done. Take care and be safe. Heidi McLaren