LaPaz

  La Paz, Bolivia
Sunday, November 16, 2008

Our bus was leaving in the early afternoon, so we had a nice lie in again.The bus drove up to one point where we had to cross the lake.Everybody had to get off the bus,take a tickets to go on small boats for a 10mn ride to the other side of the lake. The bus had to go on a raft to go through!! That was pretty unique.We arrived at the end of the afternoon in LaPaz,the highest capital of the world.You arrive by the mountain and you can see the whole city (and pollution) from above. At first sight, it looks really crowdy and the traffic is mental. It was lashing rain but we did not have far to go to the hotel.

lamas foetuses

 

cloister

Today (17.11), far from Thionville´s drama , we visited the town.The streets are all up and down.We saw the witches´market, where they sell all kinds of potions to find love or earn money.There were loads of dead animals skins like puma and snakes. Finally, you could buy lamas´s foetuses for good luck.You have to brush it around everywhere (for a new house or around your desk for a new job -Elodie, fais ca ds ta nvelle boite, ca va le faire!). We visited the cathedral and had a great tour of the Franciscan´s convent. We are now unbeatable on religious paintings (all the influences and different schools..).LaPaz seems like one big market, with stands everywhere which sell nothing and everything. There are also the shoe cleaners everywhere.The all wear a hat that covers their face. We visited the coca museum. It was interesting although a bit utopic. Basically, the coca leaves were all good and healthy to chew  until the the occidental people came to turn it into cocaine and demonise it. It seemed the leaves where at the center of everything in the history (negotiations, social events,religious, working, etc)We saw the house of the president. There was a marching band outside the vice president building and some people that seemed important came out. We hope to know more about that by watching the news.

La Paz