SubscribeLa Paz is a really beautiful city nestled high up in a valley in the Bolivian mountains. The centre was particularly pretty with it's colonial buildings and churches. We only spent a few days in the city, but it certainly left an impression on us as a vibrant, bustling place. It's markets were unparalleled, with mountains of goodies to be found! We visited the witches market too, which, as the name implies, was a bit creepy! It was full of herbs and medicinal stuff as well as loads of dried llama foetuses...GROSS. The Bolivians use them in offerings....It was really quite disturbing because many of them were pretty big meaning they had been aborted quite late...horrible!
On a lighter note, we spent my (Zephie) birthday in La Paz, which consisted of a lovely relaxed day sauntering around the city and when it started raining we rushed straight into the nearest place - surprise surprise, this just happened to be a bar!!
We ordered some coca mojitos - the usual mojito but made with coca leaves, giving it an extra kick! Because of the high altitude it wasn't long til we were verrrrrrrrry drunk!!! We went to find an oxygen bar afterwards, which are supposedly very cool, but it was closed! So we settled for an Appletini instead - well, Dave had a beer!
We visited a wonderful art gallery, the Museo Nacional de Arte, where we saw loads of lovely Bolivian art, including the sculptures of Marina Nunez del Prada, which were so beautiful.
There were also some modern interpretations of indigenous culture...
One of the best things about La Paz is the people watching. The main plaza was a great spot. One of my favourite things about Bolivia is the women. I just adore their amazing hats, beautiful long hair and amazing skirts! They manage to pull of a clothing combination that really shouldn't work!! Women dressed like this are generally Quechua women - part of the indigenous community. It really impresses me that these women keep their culture, which has been so threatened in Bolivia, alive. Very few of the men in cities wear their traditional clothing. It is also the women who maintain the greatest of indigenous artforms - weaving. To my mind it is thanks to them that indigenous culture is still so vibrant and present in Bolivia.
Here are a few images from the main plaza: the cathedral and presidential palace...
Another highlight of the city was the Coca Museum, which explains in great detail the uses and importance of coca in Bolivian culture for many centuries. It is used in all ceremonies, from weddings to transactions in indigenous culture and is an essential tool for the miners who chew coca to keep them alert and energised while in the mines....It also shows how the use of coca to create cocaine has become such a blight on the country, especially with the US's decision to try and completely eradicate it and the drugs war that ensued. Although their hypocrisy was also highlighted since Coca Cola is still one of the biggest buyers of Bolivian coca in the world! Bastards!!!!!!!!!!!
We loved La Paz, but were craving the countryside again soon enough! We had decided mountains and lakes are our thing, so we decided to head straight to Lake Titicaca, the highest lake in the world and the site of the Inca creation myth!
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