Mar 29 - La Paz continued

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 !

Early dinner tonight as we have a 5am wake up tomorrow (yuuughhh) for our trip to Lake Titicaca. How exciting ! 

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 !!

Mar 28 - La Paz - Highest capital city in the world

BOA  just missing the C !

Bolivia 28 March

Headed off to the airport for our flight to La Paz where we had to say goodbye to David our fun Bolivian guide who by now felt very much part of the family.

He negotiated us through the airport check in avoiding excess luggage charges by kissing and chatting up all the check in girls. Told you he was a great guy ! (Bolivian airlines 20kg aaarrgh especially after our wine and rug shopping).

We arrived in La Paz at 4100m, the highest capital city in the world but child’s play for us 5000m survivors !!

International flights don’t fly in here directly due to the altitude as planes can only load to 70% due to the combustion not having enough oxygen and can’t carry enough payload which of course is commercially not viable for the airlines so they fly into Santa Cruz instead.

Our first view of La Paz on the road in from the airport was an eye opener. It is vast !! 

Just a small section of La Paz

The richer people live down in the crater where there is more oxygen and the poor people live right up at the top road where there is less oxygen. 100m difference between the two. The poorer people used to have to walk down and up with goods but they have now introduced a series of 12 funiculars that are the main rush hour way of getting down and up to work. All most unusual.

We arrived at the hotel which is right in the heart of the centre of town. It was complete mayhem with traffic belching fumes, horns beeping constantly and a sea of people on the pavements. Complete madness. 

Love the old buses....but not the belching fumes !!

Our hotel is another little Casona with the rooms round a central courtyard a little oasis of calm in a sea of people.

Once checked in we went to look round the Witches market which was an easy walk from the hotel. It was pouring with rain so many of the witches were in hiding, so we looked round some lovely textile shops including a fair trade alpaca store where I found a lovely little pressie for Julia’s baby to be (not long now).

Witches Market in the rain --)

Paul & Mandy in the car repair shop...

We had also checked out some of the hotel local recommendations for dinner and all we can think is they wanted us to eat at the hotel ! We eventually found a good steakhouse with a parrilla grill on site and had great steaks and ribs there with a nice bottle of Argentinian Malbec.

Bolivia were playing Argentina at football in the late afternoon and emotions were running high. They hadn’t beaten Argentina for many years, but Messe had a four match ban issued only 4 hours before the match and miraculously they pulled a 2-0 win out of the hat !  Great we thought until we realised the celebrations and horn tooting would go on through the night and our rooms were on the street !!  Aaarggh. Still, earplugs and Malbec helped and we got through !

Mar 27 - Last Day Sucre

Bolivia 27 March

Our free day in Sucre we headed out separately. Steve and Janette went off with David to try and get Steve’s pc connector fixed while Paul and Mandy went exploring round the town.

Happily, although it took most of the day, the computer got fixed thanks to David for the princely sum of £18. Meanwhile Paul and Mandy had found and sampled the famous Saltenas (empanadas with bells on) and some of the local artisan ice cream.

All in all a happy browsing day in a lovely little city. Dinner tonight was in another laid back Sucre Café bar with 80’s music and comfort food. Jugs of local beer and Mandy’s Chuflye and we were all sorted.

We like Sucre very much and will be sorry to say good bye. Tomorrow we are onwards to La Paz !

Mar 26 - Tarabuco Market

Bolivia 26 March

Today was our trip with David to Tarabuco market. This is a town about an hour from Sucre which is where all the indigenous people go to trade and we have been looking forward to seeing this.

We set off in the minibus with David and a new driver called Rodriguo. The road spiralled upwards again and round bend after alternate bend. After being chucked around a bit we asked David to tell the driver to take it easy – what we didn’t realise was that it was his boss driving !! Ooops…

The market was fascinating, all full of the colour and costumes of the local people. 

We saw one set of people where the men wore hats very similar to the Spanish conquistador helmets and when we asked the question wished we hadn’t !  The people in Tarabuco repelled the Spanish and defeated them heavily in battle (through some sneaky methods). They then cut open the chests and ate the hearts of the defeated Spanish and to this day they are known locally as the heart eaters – yuk !!  They also kept the Spanish helmets and these became a sign of prestige and status locally, so now they make their own in the same style.

Mandy and Paul found a lovely rug for their new abode in Wales, yes of course it’ll be easy to pack…

Janette found some lovely soft Alpaca socks for Linda (at vast expense of course….. £3 each)

From there we were taken to a lunch spot with "traditional dancing" delivered by the waiting staff. and some children......most bizarre

Shopping over, we headed back into Sucre to finish our afternoon with a potter round exploring.

Sunday dinner was interesting as most restaurants close so we ended up in the Backpacker Not for Profit restaurant drinking local beer and Steve eating a Falafel burger !!!  Day for the diary that one !

Mandy has discovered a penchant for the local hooch Singani which they make into a drink called Chuflye with ginger beer etc.