Adios Peru, Hola Bolivia
Trip Start
Aug 06, 2007
1
18
36
Trip End
Ongoing
La Paz,
Bolivia
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
However - we breezed through the boarder crossing - changed our spare Soles to Bolivianos and as we had arrived in Copacaana by lunch, we decided to keep going the further 3 or so hours to La Paz. Copacabana was nice and seemed like a little chilled out lake town - but as we had done the lake island thing in Puno - we decided it was best to press on with the mission.
La Paz is a crazy chaotic city from the moment you set eyes on it. The housing and buildings start up high and descend steeply into the valley - they seem to be sprawling in a chaotic fashion everywhere. My first impression of La Paz was that it was similar to Hanoi (Vietnam). Everything is on the street. The footpaths are overcrowded with traditional bolivian women selling fruit, vegetables, weavings etc. There is mess and dirt everywhere as you try to step politely over the chaos. La Paz seems a lot poorer than any city we have been to yet - and a lot more dirty. Unlike Hanoi it does not have the pretty lake and yummy food to compensate for this chaos. It almost makes you laugh how niche these street stalls get, specialising in phone cords, or just staplers or even Llama foetuses (eww).
Paul and I checked into what the Lonely Planet said was a very neat and tidy popular hostal...um....maybe im fussy but it seemed pretty filthy to me.....another definate jandals in the shower and get out your bed sheet abode! Im really ready to chuck that god damn LP out the window (grrrr). Hehe.
Anyhow - La Paz is freezing - and grey - my white shoes that have stayed pretty white for the past 4 weeks are now black....and I think we will head to Sucre tomorrow. Best to press on. Looking forward to some warmer weather...so may be doing a highlights only tour of Bolivia to motor through to Brazils beaches!
