La Paz’s average elevation is around 3,650 m, yet as the city’s population has grown the people have built their homes ascending the surrounding hills. Thus, the elevation of the city ranges from roughly 3,200 m to 4,000 m. In general the wealthier you are the lower you live. The families living at the higher elevations spend their lives trying to move closer to the city center. It isn’t a city I would want to spend a lot of time in, but I am thankful to have seen it. It is one of the most unique cities I have ever visited.
During the flight from Sucre, we marveled at how seemingly close we were to the land. Since the whole altiplano region is at such a high altitude, the plane’s altitude felt much lower. What was even more amazing was that the runway is at eye level with the tip of a snow covered mountain. Of course our travel plans had to take us back to high elevation and this time I wasn’t the only who felt it!
On our return to La Paz from Lake Titicaca, we got to see for ourselves several of the facts we had been told. For example, one local told us that the reason all the buildings are just brick and have no plaster is because the owner of a building under construction pays less taxes on it than when it is completed. Thus, all buildings are in a perpetual state of “construction”. This one fact alone makes the city horribly ugly. Whenever we met other travelers who had been to La Paz, I would say, “Isn’t it the most beautiful ugly city you have ever seen?” They all understood what I meant and agreed. The buildings are shabby, poor, and all the same square red brick. Yet, they are surrounded by majestic mountains and in the distance the Valley of the Moon is visible. It is also crazy to think how all the houses are built one on top of another. If an earthquake hit, the city would be devastated. Another bizarre thing about the city was the sheer magnitude of fried chicken fast food restaurants. In some squares it was the only type of food to be found.
We moved slowly due to the altitude and pretty much only checked out the main plaza and some side streets. The main tourist attraction is the cable car which the current administration built as a legitimate form of transit for the locals. It provides some impressive views of the Lego city and the mountains in the background.
Speaking of the current administration, President Morales is an interesting figure to discuss. He originally was a coco farmer and greatly rose to power through his advocacy for the cocaleros (coco farmers). From the beginning he fought against US pressure to eliminate the production of the crop. From a US perspective, production of the coco plant is in direct opposition to the War on Drugs. In Morales’ opinion the US is an imperialistic bully trying to encroach upon the traditions of the indigenous Andean people. In reality, the coco plant has many uses and benefits outside of the drug realm. His hope is to show the world the uses of the coco plant and for it to become a legitimate and legal form of trade. He is a very controversial political figure. Many people love him for all his socialist policies that benefit the poor and the fact that he is the first indigenous president (he is the 80th president of Bolivia). He is praised for his fight against illiteracy and for distancing the country from neoliberal influences through such acts as lessening the country’s dependency on the World Bank. Others, claim he is the worst thing to have happened to Bolivia because his abusive changes to the constitution. He even changed the laws surrounding how long a president can hold office. It is currently 2015 and he took office on January 22nd, 2006. Interesting to say the least.
The most interesting person we met in La Paz was the guy working the morning shift at our bed and breakfast. I could write four paragraphs about the conversations I had with him. For some reason I always happened to be in the kitchen by myself right around the time he showed up. He had spent four years in New York City and liked the prospect of practicing his English with me. He told me all sorts of things about men like the fact that all men get craaaaazy jealous. He personally doesn’t allow his girlfriend to go to the gym by herself because she as an easily persuaded female may innocently swoon over the brute strength of another male. I tried to tell him that that degree of control is overkill and would probably damage the relationship long-term, but my suggestions fell on deaf ears. My favorite conversation revolved around facts about Americans. He greatly enlightened me. He said that when an American is born, the government places a chip in his/her arm. The chip allows the government to control us. Thus, it isn’t our fault that we all view the world incorrectly. The chip is to blame! Also, Obama is an alien. I am so glad that I was shown the light and that I am no longer naïve to the massive conspiracy that is in control of my people and country. You know they say that laughter is one of the best things for your health, well once away in my room this friendly fellow’s shared knowledge greatly improved my health.
The main tourist site we visited while staying in the city was a day trip to the ancient ruins of Tiwanaku…
During the flight from Sucre, we marveled at how seemingly close we were to the land. Since the whole altiplano region is at such a high altitude, the plane’s altitude felt much lower. What was even more amazing was that the runway is at eye level with the tip of a snow covered mountain. Of course our travel plans had to take us back to high elevation and this time I wasn’t the only who felt it!
On our return to La Paz from Lake Titicaca, we got to see for ourselves several of the facts we had been told. For example, one local told us that the reason all the buildings are just brick and have no plaster is because the owner of a building under construction pays less taxes on it than when it is completed. Thus, all buildings are in a perpetual state of “construction”. This one fact alone makes the city horribly ugly. Whenever we met other travelers who had been to La Paz, I would say, “Isn’t it the most beautiful ugly city you have ever seen?” They all understood what I meant and agreed. The buildings are shabby, poor, and all the same square red brick. Yet, they are surrounded by majestic mountains and in the distance the Valley of the Moon is visible. It is also crazy to think how all the houses are built one on top of another. If an earthquake hit, the city would be devastated. Another bizarre thing about the city was the sheer magnitude of fried chicken fast food restaurants. In some squares it was the only type of food to be found.
We moved slowly due to the altitude and pretty much only checked out the main plaza and some side streets. The main tourist attraction is the cable car which the current administration built as a legitimate form of transit for the locals. It provides some impressive views of the Lego city and the mountains in the background.
Speaking of the current administration, President Morales is an interesting figure to discuss. He originally was a coco farmer and greatly rose to power through his advocacy for the cocaleros (coco farmers). From the beginning he fought against US pressure to eliminate the production of the crop. From a US perspective, production of the coco plant is in direct opposition to the War on Drugs. In Morales’ opinion the US is an imperialistic bully trying to encroach upon the traditions of the indigenous Andean people. In reality, the coco plant has many uses and benefits outside of the drug realm. His hope is to show the world the uses of the coco plant and for it to become a legitimate and legal form of trade. He is a very controversial political figure. Many people love him for all his socialist policies that benefit the poor and the fact that he is the first indigenous president (he is the 80th president of Bolivia). He is praised for his fight against illiteracy and for distancing the country from neoliberal influences through such acts as lessening the country’s dependency on the World Bank. Others, claim he is the worst thing to have happened to Bolivia because his abusive changes to the constitution. He even changed the laws surrounding how long a president can hold office. It is currently 2015 and he took office on January 22nd, 2006. Interesting to say the least.
The most interesting person we met in La Paz was the guy working the morning shift at our bed and breakfast. I could write four paragraphs about the conversations I had with him. For some reason I always happened to be in the kitchen by myself right around the time he showed up. He had spent four years in New York City and liked the prospect of practicing his English with me. He told me all sorts of things about men like the fact that all men get craaaaazy jealous. He personally doesn’t allow his girlfriend to go to the gym by herself because she as an easily persuaded female may innocently swoon over the brute strength of another male. I tried to tell him that that degree of control is overkill and would probably damage the relationship long-term, but my suggestions fell on deaf ears. My favorite conversation revolved around facts about Americans. He greatly enlightened me. He said that when an American is born, the government places a chip in his/her arm. The chip allows the government to control us. Thus, it isn’t our fault that we all view the world incorrectly. The chip is to blame! Also, Obama is an alien. I am so glad that I was shown the light and that I am no longer naïve to the massive conspiracy that is in control of my people and country. You know they say that laughter is one of the best things for your health, well once away in my room this friendly fellow’s shared knowledge greatly improved my health.
The main tourist site we visited while staying in the city was a day trip to the ancient ruins of Tiwanaku…
