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What do people like about La Paz???
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La Paz, city of peace... A city where I got no peace at all; if anything, its inhabitants have been working on destroying my nerves. I sound like a little sour puss, don't I? Well, I didn't have the best of times there.
I heard so much about Bolivia - almost every traveller I met claimed that Bolivia was their favourite place of all they had visited. They said there was a lot more indigenous culture here than in other parts of Latin America. That La Paz is stunningly set and interesting to explore. That people were kind and friendly, and nature was beautiful. I won't argue with the nature part, it truly is gorgeous.
So let's talk about La Paz then. I don't find it attractive at all. Streets are in desperate need of repair, and sidewalks everywhere stink of urine. From the very first minute I did not feel safe here. And how could I? - with everyone (guidebooks, other tourists, even locals) telling me to watch out for my belongings, not to wander the streets at night, and only to take radio taxis, etc. etc. The overwhelming police presence did nothing to calm me down. Buildings are often decrepid, almost falling apart. Good thing there aren't many earthquakes in this part of the continent. Streets everywhere are lined with rudimentary stalls, beggars, and drunks. To get to the city center you pass through some unimaginable slums, not a pleasant sight and not the most secure of feelings. And lastly, there was civil unrest in town (and in other Bolivian towns) while I was there, which made it even shakier for the traveller.
Public transportation is also delapidated. Some of the micros and buses are from the 1950's, and I honestly have no idea how they manage to climb up the steep streets of La Paz day after day - but they do. Shockingly, many of the conductors are little boys. I thought child labour was prohibited, and certainly did not expect to see it throughout the capital city, but there you go, it's the ugly reality.
Did I mention there is a witches' market right in the center of town? You can find dried llama foetuses, dried frogs, cacti, and all sorts of other concoxions there... Quite curious a sight, but yet another aspect of La Paz that makes you feel like you've been thrown back in time 100 years.
Now let's talk about conveniences. Businesses close between 12 and 15, no exceptions (well, maybe just the street stalls). Some shops close doors before their official closing time - a good half hour before that. On Saturday afternoon and all day Sunday the entire city shuts down. You can tell businesses are not geared on tourism in this country - for comparison, in Peru many offices are open during the entire weekend.
I had the most horrible experience with AeroSur - don't buy tickets with this airline if you can avoid it, take Amaszonas. I paid cash for my fare to Uyuni (a good $135), but later had to cancel due to change of plans resulting from bad weather in the jungle. AeroSur will apparently only refund me the money after 20 days (!!!!), and I need to be there in person, and at that they will only give you back 50%. What a rip off...
I didn't find the people as helpful as others claim, either. Mostly, they are busy with their day-to-day survival. Some are nice, others not. Many of them will push you out of your place in line if they can. At least I can say, contrary to Peru, there doesn't seem to be a hidden motive when they decide that they do want to help you - they do it out of a genuine desire to be friendly. So many faces battered from the whip of misery, skins hardened by the test of time.
I can't wait to move on. I really can't... what do people like so much about La Paz?
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To pass the time while I was waiting for my jungle trip (which did not materialize) and the Salar de Uyuni trip, I booked a Death Road bike ride. Within 4 hours, you descend from around 4000m to around 1100m amid breath-taking scenery... which, if you are focusing on staying alive, you have no time to enjo y , haha! The asphalt part was scary and I generally lagged behind. Two thirds of the bike ride is on gravel - some of it fine, some of it rough. It's quite jittery and your behind pays the price on the next day.
But surprisingly I found the gravel less dangerous, and was speeding down neck on neck with the boys. I think I was the first girl in our group at the finishing line - and this despite a nasty fall towards the end. Yes, that's right, I fell and the bike pedal dug into my calve and took a clean piece of meet out. I think its going to leave a big scar (I had nothing to close the wound up with)... but at least I will have a story to tell and proof of my suicidal tendencies, hehe. In fact, I was more upset about the grazing on my right elbow - it destroyed tan I had worked so hard to attain! Don't worry though, I am perfectly fine!
The bus ride back took about 4 hours, and by the end of it we were joking that we deserve not one but two free t-shirts: one for surviving death road, and the other for surviving the bus ride. But that's what you get for spending 4 hours in an enclosed space with 2 Irishmen and two Aussies (and 3 other guys) with nothing else to do but drink beer. Not to mention that we seemed to pass through all 4 seasons before getting back to La Paz - rain, sleet, snow, sunshine and fog that would make both Lima and San Francisco proud!
Since I could not change my plane ticket to Uyuni, I scrapped it and braved the 13 hr bus ride instead. This was one of the bumpiest rides of my life, not counting the actual touring of the Salar de Uyuni. But more about that in the next entry...
Latest Comments (1)
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What do People like about La Paz? (reply)
Feb 25, 2008 13:40 EST by boliviatim
I am Bolivian and I got a kick out of your report on La Paz.. most of us from who are not from LaPaz, but from other Bolivian cities hate this town. I have to admit (which hurts) what, your impressions are, are very TRUE of this dreadful city. Unfortunately you did not see Sucre, Cochabamba, Tarija, or Santa Cruz. They are nice cities and I think you would have a different impression of Bolivia. M... show all
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| 25. | What do people like about La Paz??? - La Paz, Bolivia Feb 09, 2008 (  19 ) (  1 ) |
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