La Paz, Bolivia

Relaxing and enjoying the city life in La Paz
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Seeing La Paz for the first time is truly a unique experience. Coming across the el Alto at 4000 plus meters you magically drop 500m into a canyon below. As you enter, various buildings and structures dramatically cling to the side of the canyon as the lower regions contain the newer areas of suburbs and skyscrapers. Looking East, you then see snowy Mt Illamani at 6402m, completing the overall view. The city bolds itself as the highest capitol in the world, and walking the inclined streets at over 12000 feet surely takes it toll on your lungs. The city looks sketchy at first, and you can definitely see the differences in the classes of its people as you move up and over the el Alto. Without exploring though you don't see this, which is a shame because I believe you have to in order to taste the true flavor of the city.

A view of La Paz with Mt. Illamani (6402m) looming in the background
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Needing a break, the first 3-4 days were pretty much to ourselves as each of us did our own thing. Usually checking out different areas of the city like the Prado area or the Witches Market, and then meeting for dinner somewhere. Seeking normal city life, my daily routine usually started with a Cappucino and Chocolate Croissant from Cafe Royal on the corner of Mariscal Santa Cruz and Columbia. Not the best breakfast in the world but when you find something this tasty you stick to it. After taking in some scenery I would walk to a local market just up the street from our hotel. There I'd always seek out a lady on the corner making fresh juices and have her whip me up a strawberry and banana licuado for 2 Bolivianos. Politely requesting the yapa (second serving from the blender) I would move on to Plaza San Pedro and snag a couple of saltenas for another 3-4 Bolivianos. With a going rate of 7 to 1 on the USD my lunches were costing me around a buck a day. Not too shabby, and the food was really good. The afternoons were spent walking the city or stepping into internet cafes to update this and gather more information on Bolivia. At night I would meet up with Adrian and Matthias for dinner, tending to go to Brosso's in the Prado area since we all enjoyed it and it became an easy choice. We would then grab a beer at Mango's, or some other local joint, and do our best to chat with the locals. A couple of nights we even caught a movie to get a little taste of home.

Seeking normal day to day life in the city

One of the many statues along the main road Ave. Mariscal Santa Cruz (aka Prado)
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So that was my daily routine and I enjoyed doing some normal things for a change. They say it takes awhile to savor what La Paz has to offer and I have to admit it's true... Initial impressions were not good but as I spent more time in La Paz, and settled in, I found myself wanting to spend more time here. It's definitely worth the stop.