La Paz Bolivia 29
March
No internet
of any kind this morning and some work stuff to sort out so had to use this
afternoon when the internet came back to get back up to speed with the world
before we head off back into the wilds of Bolivia and Lake Titicaca tomorrow so
not much exploring for Steve and Janette today.
Paul and
Mandy did better with a run out to Calle Jaen an original colonial street
housing museums before heading down to the main Plaza Isabela Catolica where all
the main government buildings were before heading back to the Witches market
for a bit of shopping.
Janette and
Steve headed to the 5 star hotel a few blocks away to use their internet. Not
sure who gave it 5 stars but it must have been a hefty bribe !! They had no internet either so we realised it
was the whole of downtown which had gone out after the rain, which after
looking at the street wiring shouldn’t have surprised us !
We settled
down in their restaurant to work on our photos for the blog and the internet
came back on mid morning. We were in the middle of work when we heard this big
commotion outside including some very loud bangs !
Steve’s
mates the miners were having a protest march to a government office next to the
hotel and now he was an expert was able to confirm that the loud bangs were in
fact small dynamite charges !!! Right in
the middle of the main street of the capital city. We assumed the loud bangs were firecrackers
but on closer inspection, we discovered them to be carrying sticks of dynamite
with light charges….not something that happens every day we thought.
One of the stand outs of La Paz were the Cholitas. These are women who sell goods in the street wearing a traditional outfit which includes a small bowler hat perched on their heads.
This all started with the indigenous people being made to wear European clothes during the Spanish occupation. Then in the 1920's Bowler hats were brought in from Engalnd for the men, but they were all coloured and the men wouldn't wear them so the women did.
Over time this evolved into the Cholita outfit and they are still all over Bolivia but a huge concentration in La Paz. The bowler hats can cost up to $200 so for them they are major investments & status symbols. When it rains they cover them with plastic bags !
One of the stand outs of La Paz were the Cholitas. These are women who sell goods in the street wearing a traditional outfit which includes a small bowler hat perched on their heads.
This all started with the indigenous people being made to wear European clothes during the Spanish occupation. Then in the 1920's Bowler hats were brought in from Engalnd for the men, but they were all coloured and the men wouldn't wear them so the women did.
Over time this evolved into the Cholita outfit and they are still all over Bolivia but a huge concentration in La Paz. The bowler hats can cost up to $200 so for them they are major investments & status symbols. When it rains they cover them with plastic bags !
However equally exciting news !! "The Lassies" Sheena (our other 60th birthday celebrity) and Eileen are en route to Lima !!
They have a couple of days there before joining us in Cusco for the rest of our Peruvian adventure for a week before they head off to the Amazon !
They have brought their Paddington Bears with them that Janette got everyone for Xmas, so the 6 Paddingtons are now in Peru and nearly home !!
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