La Paz

Having spent less time in Sucre than I would have liked, just over a day, I decided to fly the forty-five minutes or so to La Paz. Paying the $550 or so Bolivianos airfare, approximately £50 far outweighed twelve hours on a Bolivian bus.

La Paz is situated in a valley at an altitude of 3660m above sea with the looming Mt Illamani in the background. The airport is located around 10km out of town and so on arriving at El Alto Airport I jumped in a cab and headed for the city.

The Lonely Planet says ‘The first glimpse of La Paz will, literally, take your breath away’. And that it did. The city’s buildings cling to the sides of the valley and tumble downwards, not dissimilar to the views I encountered in the Rochina Favela in Rio de Janeiro, only on a much larger scale. After stopping for a quick photo we continued on to the hostel.

La Paz as seen from Mirador Parque Laikakota.

I was staying at the Hostel Maya which is located on the main tourist street of Sagárnaga near to Plaza San Francisco. In hindsight it wasn’t the best choice as the road has a steep incline, far from ideal when you’re struggling with the altitude. However, on the plus side the hostel was ideally located to explore the nearby Mercado de Hechicería (Witches’ Market).

Along with the usual fruit and vegetables, you can purchase more specialised items such as dried llama foetuses. Apparently you bury it under the porch of your new home to bring luck and good fortune. The market and surrounding streets are great for people watching and taking pictures, I could easily have spent a couple of days there alone just walking around.

A Bolivian woman wearing a bowler hat known locally as a Bombin.

Looking bored selling Bombins.

Bombin maker and repairer José.

A young boy eating lunch in the Mercado de Hechicería.

I took an evening bus and crossed the border into Peru arriving in Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca around 22:00hrs.