A Week In Bolivia
With time running short to make it to Machu Picchu before the rainy season really set in, we had a limited amount of time to explore Bolivia. We opted for a quick week in the area around La Paz and Lake Titicaca before heading on to Cusco. Here are some highlights:
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Riding the cable car in La Paz
Riding public transportation isn't always something you do for fun, but in La Paz the new cable car system is a great way to get a scenic view of the city. For only 3 Bolivianos (about $0.50) you can ride any one coloured line as far as you want. If you ride the red line to the end, and then switch to the blue line and ride it to the end (and then back) you will get to see El Alto and the valley center city from the air. And if you are trying to move across the city quickly, this is a great way to avoid the sometimes crazy La Paz traffic. |
A local football match
We happen to be in La Paz on the night of one of the final games between the two local teams- Bolivar vs The Strongest. The tickets were cheap (about $18) and the rivalry was strong, although the Bolivar fans outnumbered The Strongest fans about 5 to 1. The skill level was atrociously bad- even as a non-football watcher I found myself screaming at the players to do something productive (aside from kicking the ball out of bounds or falling to the ground pretending to be hurt). But the crowd made it all very entertaining. I was especially amazed when the die hard fan section nearly lit themselves on fire by accident when one of their banners caught fire from a flare. It was also incredible to see the riot police rush the field to break up an argument between the players and the ref.
We happen to be in La Paz on the night of one of the final games between the two local teams- Bolivar vs The Strongest. The tickets were cheap (about $18) and the rivalry was strong, although the Bolivar fans outnumbered The Strongest fans about 5 to 1. The skill level was atrociously bad- even as a non-football watcher I found myself screaming at the players to do something productive (aside from kicking the ball out of bounds or falling to the ground pretending to be hurt). But the crowd made it all very entertaining. I was especially amazed when the die hard fan section nearly lit themselves on fire by accident when one of their banners caught fire from a flare. It was also incredible to see the riot police rush the field to break up an argument between the players and the ref.
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The Witches' Market in La Paz
The Witches' Market is a small street in La Paz, but the shops are full of unusual delights. There are powders, lotions and pills to cure anything that ails you and also to help get you whatever you are looking for in life (from love, to money, to sexual encounters). The most confronting items are the dried baby llama fetuses. It is somewhat comforting to know that these can only be acquired naturally (the baby llama must die of natural causes and be collected, and not taken and killed). These are used in ceremonies by witch doctors as an offering to Pachamama in order to bless a house, bring prosperity and health or keep evil away. If you do the free city walking tour you will cover a lot of ground, including the Witches' Market and other markets in the city. |
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Cycling Death Road
Death Road is located a couple hours outside of La Paz and until 2006 was the main highway to reach La Paz. During it's peak, it is understandable why it was named "the world's most dangerous road", as it was a high traffic highway with many large trucks and vehicles not suited to the sharp turns, dirt & rock covering, and frequent fog/rain. This is now a tourist hot spot for people looking for a thrill. For most cyclists, the journey down is safe, as you stop frequently and only need to go as quickly as you are comfortable with. We were told that since 2003, 47 tourists have died on the road (which is still a lot for a tourist activity, but far less than a lot of online articles you read which claim hundreds die each year). The views are spectacular but I would advise to try to go on a clear and dry day. Any added fog or water could make it a rather long and unpleasant day, not to mention make it that much more likely that something could go wrong. |
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Exploring the ruins of Tiwanaku
Tiwanaku isn't very well known, but it was a great day trip from La Paz. The area was inhabited as far back as 15,000 BC, but was at its peak as one of the oldest cities in the world around 300 AD. This pre-Inca civilization was the dominate power in the Andean region during this time. The remains of several temples, pyramids and other constructions can be explored by walking through the site and reading the explanatory signs. When the Incas later moved to this region, they didn't believe that an earlier civilization had built it but instead believed that the God Viracocha had built it himself after rising from Lake Titicaca. |
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Copacabana and Lake Titicaca
Compared to Puno, Copacabana is a lovely starting point to explore Lake Titicaca and spend a few nights. We took a day boat trip to see the Isla De La Luna and Isla Del Sol. Isla De La Luna is relatively undeveloped and for visitors only really offers a small restaurant, toilet and the ruins of a small temple. They only recently opened it as a common tourist destination because some disagreements between the locals now prevent tourists from visiting the top end of Isla De La Luna. You can still visit the bottom half and there are several small restaurants and some accommodation. Be warned that most of these are at the top of a steep hill, so I wouldn't bring your big bags if you do want to spend the night. The lake itself is huge and seems more like the vast ocean when you sit and look out upon it. |
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Questions about travelling in Bolivia? Email us and we will be happy to help!