La Paz, Bolivia
is an excellent starting point for any trip to Bolivia.
Situated in the highlands of eastern Bolivia, this city
is the administrative capitol of Bolivia.
A stroll through the town will show you why this city
has gained so much importance.
La Paz is beset with magnificent views of the tremendous,
21,000-foot tall peaks that look down upon it. The eastern
side of the Andes is only a days' hike from La Paz. Most
visitors to Bolivia, including climbers, usually spend
a few days here to enjoy this intriguing plateau community.
From here you can access Oruro, a lesser-known yet rich
and thriving village a three-hour drive from La Paz, Bolivia.
The Valle De La Luna, or the Valley of the Moon can only
be described as a mythical landscape. Walk the narrow
ridge through this park and marvel in the
The church, built in 1549, is excellently preserved and
is still in use in this predominately Catholic country.
Its pale, sun bleached belies the detail on its façade.
As you come closer and intricate details emerge from the
shadows and strange faces appear in the stonework.
La Paz, Bolivia is the wanderers dream. Roam through
the colonial-era plazas and gaze at the bronze statues
of Spanish rulers and military leaders. Get lost in the
pristine alleyways and enjoy the majestic architecture
that graces every street in this capitol of Bolivia, a
city is which is often bathed in a harsh, dramatic light
under the cloudless blue skies of the Bolivian winter.
The witches market is a marvel to wander through as well.
Freeze dried llama fetuses are on display, purchased by
the devout worshipper as an offering to the God. The predominant
religion here is Catholic, which is heavily interwoven
with native traditions and belief.
Caramel colored Bolivia, La Paz vendors may offer a fine
Indian weaving similar to one of the petticoats she is
wearing, colors blazing in an intricate pattern. Excellent
hand crafted silver is plentiful, affordable, and of the
finest craftsmanship. Being the least developed county
in South America, many of the people of Bolivia eke out
a living with a skill such as weaving. Up to 70% of Bolivian
take part in time-honored activities such as traditional
farming methods. The dry grasslands of the Altiplano is
not the best habitat for farming, and yet many families
eke out their living here, as their ancient Incan ancestors
did before them.
Although it does help to know Spanish in Bolivia, all
over the country, but especially here in the capitol of
Bolivia, La Paz, many of the vendors speak English. Take
time during your afternoon of exploration and ask a question
or two about a piece of cloth, you might get a sense the
time that a person spends on such an elaborate piece of
fabric. As you hold the heavy item in your hand, you can
feel the weight of the care and attention that has gone
into the dying and spinning of the yarn to the final product.
This object will retain its memory after you return home;
each gaze upon it, like a return to its Andean birthplace.
