La Paz

Rodrigo meets me off my flight from Uyuni to La Paz. He is dapper, with a straw trilby and speaks English, French, German and Spanish fluently. I’m expecting to have a quiet day, with a chance to catch up and rest. However, Rodrigo informs me that I’m touring the city today, as there’s a national protest against President Evo Morales’ proposed fourth term called for tomorrow and all the main roads will be blocked. Rodrigo is more philosophical about Morales than Oswaldo. Yes, he’s gone a little crazy, but he’s done so many good things. The country is much more prosperous and homogenous. And Morales doesn’t mind if people criticise him. Rodrigo says that Bolivia has the world record for presidential coups, 120 of them. There were three presidents in one day in the early twentieth century.

La Paz - in a Nutshell

• La Paz is arguably the capital of Bolivia – the government is located here, but Sucre is the constitutional capital.
• La Paz, The City in the Sky, is also arguably the highest capital city in the world (if it is the capital). Lhasa is 58 metres higher, but Tibet is an ‘autonomous’ region of China.
• Whatever, it’s scenically situated in a steep-sided bowl-shaped canyon on the edge of the Altiplano, with elevations ranging drastically from 3,200 to 4,100 metres above sea level. It is lined with a sprawl of adobe and red-brick buildings and framed by more white tipped mountains. A massive metro area of over two million residents when combined with the neighbouring plateau city of El Alto.
• La Paz has the world’s longest and highest urban cable car system, which acts as the main public transit network and connects the downtown area to the high-altitude sister city of El Alto.
• The city was founded, in 1548, by Spanish conquistadors under the name Nuestra Señora de La Paz (Our Lady of Peace). The name was changed officially to La Paz de Ayacucho, in 1825, to commemorate the decisive republican victory over the Spanish army in the war of independence. but the city's indigenous Aymara name is Chuquiago Marka (Gold Farm Village).
• The city also hosts unique cultural spectacles where indigenous Aymara women wearing traditional layered skirts, bowler hats, and shawls engage in theatrical, high-flying wrestling matches.
• The downtown area contains the infamous San Pedro Prison, which is known globally for its unconventional, self-governed societal structure where inmates live with their families, elect their own leaders, and purchase their own cells.

Exploring La Paz

La Paz is hardly recognizable from the city I visited 18 years ago. The City in the Sky is still a jumble of buildings sprawling scenically across a great canyon, ringed by the snow-capped Andes, and the traffic is still awful. But it’s clean and organised and there are modern buildings spinning up everywhere. Nothing like the dirty ramshackle streets I remember. And some genius has solved the pedestrian transport problem by building a colour coded metro system of cable cars, interlinking and whizzing up and down the valleys. The skyline is dominated by Mount Illimani, a massive, snow-capped three-peaked volcano which towers over the city at 6,438 metres.

The historic centre is focused around Plaza Murillo and Calle Jaén, a preserved eighteenth-century cobblestone street lined with pastel coloured, restored colonial buildings and local museums, most notably the Ethnography Museum.

Then, the Plaza Murillo, the historic, political, and cultural heart of La Paz. Named in honour of independence hero Pedro Domingo Murillo, this bustling public space is defined by towering bronze monuments, manicured trees, and thousands of resident pigeons. The square is flanked by the country’s most important institutional buildings, including the neoclassical Government Palace (historically known as the Palacio Quemado), the modern concrete tower of the Bolivian Parliament (the Plurinational Legislative Assembly) and the towering Metropolitan Cathedral Basilica of Our Lady of Peace - a structure built ingeniously into a steep hillside, so its front entrance sits a full 12 metres higher than its back base. The government buildings are guarded by grave soldiers in scarlet uniforms.

Just off the corner of the plaza stands the Casa Grande del Pueblo, a controversial 29-story modern skyscraper infused with indigenous Aymara and Quechua motifs, which opened in 2018, to replace the historic Palacio Quemado as the official presidential palace and seat of executive power.

The Plaza is really lively, a cross-section of Bolivian life sitting on the steps chatting, or in the case of the younger generation, chasing the pigeons. It is also, I have read, a frequent focal point for national political demonstrations, military parades, and civic gatherings. It’s fascinating to see how European dress has become the norm here. Many of the city ladies don skirts with layered petticoats, topped with blouses and woolly cardigans. Atop are bowler hats worn jauntily askew. They adopted the hat wearing habit from the railway workers of the 1930s. Oswaldo takes me into a shop to explain and compels me to try the look. It's not my finest hour.

The Witches' Market

The famous Witches' Market is a fascinating (and creepy) hotch-potch of weird items: spell boxes, amulets, lotions and potions, aphrodisiacs, snakes, dried frogs, turtles, feathers, dried llama foetuses and armadillos. Presiding over this hocus pocus are the indigenous Aymara .ladies of La Paz in their scarves and bowler hats. Also wandering the labyrinth of stalls are the distinctively woolly capped Yatiri or witch doctors, who can solve your health problems and tell your fortune.

This area is unrecognisable since my last visit, having been substantially upgraded from the chaotically basic. There are now lines of neat booths, packed with jars, teas, coca leaves, idols of varying sizes, and heaps of lurid coloured rocks. These face (incongruously) a row of football gear shops. In many cases medicament stock has expanded to include souvenirs, as well as items from all continents, such as joss sticks and Chinese lucky cats, to cover all bets. There’s even a brand-new gallery. Not everything has changed though. You can still have a consultation with a shaman or witch or choose from a pungent smelling assortment of herbs and powders and most of the shops still have llama foetuses dangling from the ceiling (essential for the foundations of new buildings) .

My hotel is, conveniently, just around the corner. Llama steak for supper.

Around La Paz

Tiwanaku

Last time I was here, with Elaine, (coming from Peru) we decided to opt out of the cycle ride down the deadliest road in the world, but other excursions were on offer. I met an archaeologist, in a bar, so on his recommendation, we embarked on a half-day tour to the Tiwanaku Archaeological Site, where he was excavating.

The Tiwanaku civilization was a powerful pre-Inca empire flourishing from roughly 200 CE to 1000 CE. At its peak it supported up to 40,000 people. Sophisticated high-altitude farming techniques involving irrigation, extended its cultural and religious influence across parts of modern-day Bolivia, Peru, and Chile, leading to domination of the southern Andes. Ironically, severe drought led to its collapse. They vanished, centuries before the arrival of the Incas.

The architectural remains showcase an extraordinary mastery of engineering, where multi-ton blocks of sandstone and volcanic rock were fitted together with interlocking joints and copper staples. In the central ceremonial zone, the vast Kalasasaya courtyard houses the centrepiece Gate of the Sun, a monolithic stone archway covered in intricate cosmological carvings and the Semi-Subterranean Temple where dozens of unique stone heads protrude from the sunken walls.

The site also includes the Akapana pyramid, a massive seven-tiered stepped structure which served as the city's religious core, and the nearby Puma Punku complex, that contains shattered, interlocking H-shaped blocks. This is some of the most sophisticated stone-cutting precision in the pre-Columbian Americas. Much of the work is still underway and we have to peer at these wonders through barbed wire.

Moon Valley

And a return visit, this time with Rodrigo, to Moon Valley. Valle de la Luna is about 10 kilometres south of downtown La Paz. Here, erosion has worn away the mountainous clay to leave as series of tall pinnacles. There are two walks through the park, with a small amount of scrambling over bridges and boardwalks. The spires are close knit and tower overhead. It's a little reminiscent of Bryce Canyon in the USA , but it's an inferior and smaller version. The mineral content is said to create a variety of hues, but today most of them are literally, plain beige. And sadly, it doesn't compare well with the Chilean version, I've just seen either. But I don't feel too bad writing this - as I've raved about so much of this Bolivian journey.

We then  zip back across town on the green and yellow cable car lines. Here there’s a great view of the new and old, teetering on the cliff tops.

Room 101

My ‘boutique’ hotel is in a traditional converted house, with brick walls and gabled ceilings. I’m in Room 101, which is living up to its name. It faces out onto a central corridor, as does its only window. This is cloth covered and too dark during the day and too bright at night, especially as the passage light comes on every time someone walks past.

I’m not sure that my disturbed night entirely accounts for the racing heart, shivering and dizziness when I finally get up. I peek outside, at the riot police, grouped by the plaza, plastic shields raised. They were absolutely correct about the plaza being the place for demonstrations. But I have to go back to bed. Altitude sickness seems to have set in. The hotel, not missing a trick (well it is next to the witches’ market), has provided Diamox in the room, at two US dollars a pop. The chemist next door sells eight for 45 Boliviano (about £5). And I’m also throwing caution to the winds and adopting driver Wilson’s approach to coca leaves (handfuls at a time).

I can hear chanting and a few firecrackers outside, but nothing that suggests a revolution is taking place.

Bexit

I’ve had an unwelcome message from Rodrigo. We have to leave earlier than planned, at 5 a.m., in case the roads are still difficult. In the event, we have a very smooth passage and I’m at the airport with plenty of time to sit in the café. I’m still not feeling great. And the plane doesn’t take off until three passengers have volunteered (suitably bribed) to disembark and fly tomorrow. Otherwise, we’re overweight and the plane won’t be able to get over the mountains. I’m carefully not making eye contact with the airline officials. Back to Santiago.

What is the Capital of Bolivia?

• The official capital is Sucre, the government is based in La Paz and the largest city is Santa Cruz de la Sierra

A Very Brief History of Bolivia

• Early agricultural communities took root throughout the high Andes and the eastern lowlands around 1500 BC, which gradually evolved into complex regional cultures, most notably the Tiwanaku civilization that arose near Lake Titicaca, pioneered advanced stone architecture and sophisticated high-altitude farming, and expanded its spiritual and political influence across the entire altiplano region from 300 AD until its collapse around 1000 AD.
• From the fifteenth to the early sixteenth century the area that is now Bolivia was ruled by the Incas.
• Spanish forces led by Francisco Pizarro conquered the Inca Empire in the 1530s and Bolivia was subsumed within the Viceroyalty of Peru.
• Discovery of massive silver deposits, at Potosí in 1545, transformed the region into an economic powerhouse of the Spanish Empire, fuelled by forced indigenous labour.
• Independence was finally won, by Venezuelan Simón Bolívar, El Libertador, in 1825, after many years of war, (along with Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru).
• Venezuela’s then-leader Antonio José de Sucre was given the choice of uniting Charcas (modern-day Bolivia) with either the United Provinces of Rio de la Plata or the newly formed Peru Republic or, to declare independence from Spain and go it alone.
• Sucre chose the latter and named the new republic after Simón Bolívar.

• More war followed, a Civil War and conflicts with all of its neighbours: Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Chile, at different times. Bolivia eventually lost control of several parts of its territory, including its access to the Pacific coastline, (to Chile in 1879). This loss is bitterly resented by the Bolivians. They say that the Chileans invaded at carnival, when everyone was drunk and that this was therefore totally unfair. They still, hopefully, maintain a navy and celebrate Sea Day annually.
• A military coup, in 1964, overthrew the civilian government and initiated nearly two decades of shifting military dictatorships and political repression.
• Democratic governance returned permanently, in 1982, amidst severe economic hyperinflation and deep financial crises.
  Native leader Evo Morales won the presidency in 2005, initiated widespread social reforms, nationalised gas resources, and renamed the nation to the Plurinational State of Bolivia. Mass protests over disputed election results led to his resignation in 2019 and triggered a period of political transition, before constitutional elections restored his party to power, in 2020.

Is Bolivia a Poor Country?

• Though historically rich in mineral and energy resources, Bolivia is the poorest of South America's countries. Almost 40 percent of Bolivians live in extreme poverty.

Is Bolivia Safe to Visit?

• There are the usual warnings about petty crime, travelling at night and avoiding con men, especially in La Paz. Intriguingly, the FCO also says this: 'Avoid prison tours. They are illegal and unsafe. There are no guarantees for your safety inside prison premises.'

Facts and Factoids

• Bolvia spans several extreme geographic zones, ranging from the rugged peaks of the Andes Mountains to the tropical rainforests of the Amazon Basin.
• One third of the country is in the Andes, making Bolivia one of the highest countries in the world. Lake Titicaca, straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia, is the highest and largest navigable lake in the world. Hence the nickname, The Tibet of the Americas. Nevado Sajama is the highest point in the country, reaching an elevation of 6,542 meters above sea level.
• Madidi National Park is recognized as one of the most biologically diverse protected areas on the planet, housing thousands of species of birds, plants, and mammals.
• Salar de Uyuni is the largest salt flat on Earth, covering over ten thousand square kilometers and holding a significant percentage of the global lithium reserves.
• Bolivia has the only Bolivianite (ametrine) mine in the world
• The currency used throughout the country is the boliviano, which is issued by the Central Bank of Bolivia.
• The national flag features three horizontal bands of red, yellow, and green, with the national coat of arms positioned in the center
• The age at which you can vote, in Bolivia, depends on your marital status. If you are married, you can vote at the age of 18. However, if you’re single, you’ll need to wait until you reach 21. And voting is mandatory.
• People dressed as zebras help children to cross the road (lollipop ladies)

What Language is Spoken in Bolivia?

• The nation speaks thirty-seven official languages
• The most prominent indigenous languages include Quechua and Aymara, while Spanish is the most widely-spoken language in the country.

What To See in Bolivia?

• Landlocked Bolivia is the highest, poorest and most isolated country in South America. It is also the cheapest and the most surprising.
• La Paz is a reinvented city
• The rituals in and around Copacabana (Titicaca to La Paz) are fascinating
• The people are friendly and the scenery on the route from the Atacama, across the Altiplano and up to Uyuni (the largest salt deposit in the world) is absolutely astonishing. Surreal painted mountains, vivid lakes, colourful bubbling geysers, a rock city in the desert. Not to be missed.

Overland to Copacabana

A tourist bus picks Elaine and I up early from Puno, in Peru and drives to the Kasani Peru-Bolivia border crossing. The road hugs the shoreline of deep blue Lake Titicaca for a large portion of the way. Trout farms, and traditional agricultural terraces roll down to the water’s edge. The border post is surprisingly relaxed, though the actual border is marked by a brick triumphal archway. which we must walk through, on foot.

Copacabana

Nestled along the shores of Lake Titicaca Copacabana is a historically significant cultural hub and the primary gateway for water transit to the sacred islands of the Sun and the Moon. Long before the arrival of European explorers, the site was a prominent pre-Columbian ceremonial centre. It then evolved into a major Catholic pilgrimage destination, following the construction of the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana in the sixteenth century.

This expansive, white-washed Moorish-style sanctuary houses the Dark Virgin, a carved, four foot, wooden statue created by indigenous artist Francisco Tito Yupanqui, in 1580. Over time, The Virgin of Our Lady of Copacabana became associated with travellers due to the church's physical location on a vital, but bottle necked peninsula, on a trans-Andean trade route. It could be treacherous, leading voyagers to stop at her sanctuary to pray for safety before embarking on the long journey. The association solidified, in 1589, when a group of Spanish navigators caught in a violent storm off the coast of Peru prayed to the Virgin of Copacabana for their lives. Their miraculous survival spread her reputation as a powerful protector against the perils of travel and rough waters.

The name Copacabana is thought to originate from the indigenous Aymara language native to the Lake Titicaca region. The most widely accepted etymology is that it evolves from the phrase kota kahuana, where kota means 'lake' and kahuana means 'view'. It's very different from the much more famous beach, in Rio de Janeiro. There is a direct historical link, but the Brazilian beach is actually named after this town, not the other way around.

In the eighteenth century, a group of Peruvian and Bolivian merchants were travelling by ship along the coast of Rio de Janeiro. A violent Atlantic storm hit their vessel, threatening to sink it. The sailors prayed intensely to the Virgin of Copacabana for their survival, promising to build a shrine in her honour if they made it to land. They survived and built a small chapel on a rocky headland near the shore, placing a replica of the Bolivian statue inside. Over time, locals began calling the entire surrounding area and its crescent-shaped beach Copacabana.

Today, the town fans out from the central plaza toward a scenic crescent-shaped bay, while the prominent hill of Cerro Calvario rises steeply above the northern edge of the settlement, to mark an ancient trail which mirrors the stations of the cross. And the rituals associated with travel and the Virgin are still maintained, incorporating the Ch'alla, an ancient Andean ritual of reciprocity, gratitude, and blessing directed toward Pachamama, or Mother Earth.

Everyday, in Copacabana, there is ritual centred heavily around motor vehicles. Motorists, truck drivers, and taxi fleets actually drive across Bolivia and Peru, to have their vehicles blessed for safety. The ceremony takes place right outside the church walls, in the main plaza. Drivers decorate their cars in elaborate finery, including floral garlands, paper streamers, car-sized rosaries, and small hats. A Franciscan priest or monk moves down the line to say a prayer and sprinkle holy water over the open engine bay, the exterior, and the passengers.

Immediately following the Christian prayer, the traditional Andean Ch'alla component begins. The vehicle owners pop bottles of champagne, beer, or local alcohol to vigorously spray down the tires, hood, and roof as a libation to Pachamama. The ritual concludes with the lighting of firecrackers around the car, to ward off evil spirits, before the vehicle is safely driven away.

Lake Titicaca - Facts and Factoids

• At an altitude of 3,812 metres above sea level in the Andes mountains, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable body of water in the world and the largest true lake in South America, stretching roughly 190 kilometres in length and 80 kilometres at its widest point.
• The lake is split between two nations, with the western portion belonging to Peru and the eastern section belonging to Bolivia.
• A natural geological depression divides the lake into two distinct basins, the larger Lago Grande and the smaller Lago Pequeño, connected by the narrow Strait of Tiquina.
• The unique ecology of the lake supports several endemic species, including the giant Titicaca water frog, which breathes entirely underwater through its loose, folded skin.
• Multiple indigenous cultures view the lake as a sacred birthplace, including the Inca, who believed their creator god rose from its depths to fashion the sun and the first Inca ancestors.
• Fed by five major river systems and melting glaciers from the surrounding Cordillera Real, the lake loses most of its water through high evaporation caused by strong winds and intense high-altitude sunlight.

Isla del Sol

Then, a boat trip boat, posh dining facilities, to the Isla del Sol, a rugged place, steeped in central Andean cosmology and history. According to Inca mythology, this rocky landscape was the sacred birthplace of the sun god Inti and the first Inca ancestors, Manco Cápac and Mama Ocllo, who rose from the lake to establish their empire.

The boat lands at Yumani, a village in the south. The stone Inca steps carry us upwards. The island is a series of steep hillsides shaped by ancient, agricultural stone terraces, still farmed today by indigenous Aymara communities using traditional crops like quinoa and potatoes. Dotted across the landscape are dozens of significant archaeological ruins, including the multi-roomed Pilkokaina Inca Palace and the intricate Chincana labyrinthine complex.

No motor vehicles are allowed on the island, so transport relies entirely on footpaths and pack animals. It's more obviously touristy than the Peruvian Uros islands, with a display museum/complex.

Copacabana to La Paz

The journey from Copacabana to La Paz covers roughly 150 kilometres across the Altiplano and requires all vehicles to cross the narrow Strait of Tiquina on motorized wooden barges. We have to disembark from our car cars and take small passenger ferries across the 800-metre water gap while the vehicle is balanced precariously on the flatbed barges.

Once across, the highway climbs sharply into the high plains of the Andes, offering sweeping panoramic views of the snow-capped Cordillera Real mountain range before descending directly into the sprawling urban basin of La Paz.