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La Paz, Bolivia
16° 30' S 68° 9' W
Jan 10, 2006 00:11
Distance 215km

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Cheap food and a nice shave

Text written in: English

Noah and I awoke early this morning to cross the border between Peru and Bolivia, and then proceed onto the highest capital city in the world: La Paz, Bolivia.

The border crossing was incredibly easy. We got off the bus on the Peruvian side, got an exit stamp, and then walked across to the Bolivian side to get our entrance stamp. Then we re-boarded the bus and headed to copacabana, the bolivian version of Puno.

In Copacabana we had about an hour and a half to wander and eat before we had to get on another bus which would take us to La Paz. So we wandered over to the cathedral. The cathedral was beautiful, it was a nearly completely whitewashed building with a large plaza in front and brightly colored tiles covering the facade of the cupulas. Inside were some incredibly large and ornate gold sculptures. After the chruch we walked through the market and eventually to nice restuarant with a large garden in front. Now here is where we discovered how cheap bolivia. We were in a nice, tourist type restuarant, and we got by far the cheapest meal of the trip (except for one where noah was served pig knee as his meat). We had menu del dia, which consisted of a vegetable cream soup, a liter of coke split, and chicken with rice and potatoes for 2 dollars each, and this was a pretty delicious meal, with good service (by south american standards)!

We boarded the new bus and headed toward la Paz. About an hour into the trip, all of a sudden we stopped. Apparently to cross lake titicaca from copacabana there is no bridge, so at a narrow point, all riders get off their buses pay a small fee and get on a boat across the lake. Meanwhile the buses also pay a fee (probably not small), and board their own boats to cross the lake as well. Its actually a nice break from the ride, and the square on the other side of town has some interesting statues to look at. One actually is a soldier (a bolivan i suppose) stabbing another solider right in the neck with a bayonette, the blood flows freely and the other soldier staggers back in pain. We got back on the bus once again and headed for La paz once again.

When you come over the ridge and first see la Paz it's incredible. This city was built inside a canyon and so the buildings crawl up and down the steep slopes of the surronding mountans. In the southern distance there is a huge snow capped mountain, and the view seems to go on forever. We got off the bus and headed downhill toward our hostel, which was clean, with a nice courtyard, and quiet (except for the dog, who didnt seem to like us too much). Once situated Noah and I headed toward a travel agency to try and figure out the best way to get to Buenos Aires from here. We spent a little time there and eventually headed out to explore the city. Soon we came upon a section of the city with numerous peluquerias (barber shops) so we decided to stop in for a nice shave. Thankfully, the barber put in a new razor for me, and now my face feels smooth as a babies bottom. We continued to explore and found a big square where a comedy routine was going on (we didnt get it), and also the witches' market, which sells dead bats, llama fetuses, and other such oddities.

Regretably, Noah and I have decided to leave La Paz tomorrow to journey to Oruro where we can catch a train to the border of argentina and bolivia. I believe overall our time here in Bolivia will be short, but we are really excited to go to Buenos Aires, and we would like to get there by friday, so we have little choice. Undoubtedly I will want to return to Bolivia, as in such I short time, I already like the place.