La Paz

There is no other city like La Paz. 

Situated a stunning 3660m above sea level and built in between mountainous peaks it cannot be described as anything less than incredible...and sitting in the penthouse of the Edificio 20 de Octubre with a panoramic view of a sea of orange lights I have to pinch myself. 

Nina and I arrived in La Paz to a beautiful, sunny, Saturday afternoon. The sky was a piercing blue and clouds were scarce. As we wound our way down the side of the hill away from El Alto and the airport and into La Paz we couldn't really digest what stretched out in front of our eyes. The traffic is total mayhem, the streets are built on freakishly steep slopes and the houses are dotted all over the uneven terrain. It is fantastic!

A Japanese man insisted on taking a photo of us due to the fact that we looked so ridiculous!

This great city is now our home for the next two months. For those who aren’t already aware, Nina and I are participating in a journalism program at the Bolivian Express, a monthly magazine that is distributed all over La Paz (in restaurants, cafes, on airplanes etc). For the next two months we are working alongside three other interns from around the world, as well as a permanent team of editors and journalists to produce the monthly issue.

Before we began our time with the Bolivian Express however, Nina and I checked into the Onkel hostel in Sopocachi, La Paz. It gave us the perfect opportunity for a few days of exploring the city and ultimately to get a real feel for the place.

As Saturday evening quickly approached, too exhausted to think, we consulted with our trusty Lonely Planet for a nice place to eat out, eventually deciding on the Star of India. As it’s name suggests, this restaurant serves traditional Indian curries and is hidden at the top of one of the many steep streets in La Paz. It is at the Star of India that tourists are able to eat (or attempt to eat) what the restaurant claims to be ‘the spiciest vindaloo in South America’. If the bowl is polished off completely, the individual is then rewarded with a promotional t-shirt as their very own claim to fame. While this may sound like a weak attempt to justify our non-attempt…it was our first night in Bolivia, and my travel companion is not a fan of spicy food. So, afraid to brave it alone, I have put it off for the time being.

On both Sunday and Monday much of the city was closed due to the annual Labour Day holiday. As a result we spent much of the day wondering through the endless food markets, admiring the Bolivian women, ‘cholitas’, in their traditional and highly decorative ‘polleras’ (layered skirts made from beautiful local fabrics), and taking in the incredible view of the mountains that can be admired from many spots around the city.

Apart from it’s unique geographical position and obvious attachment to traditional culture, La Paz is also known for it’s highly unusual, and at the same time very dangerous San Pedro prison. It is now the focus of much attention due to the recently released Marching Powder, a book that follows the life of a British drug dealer who spent years behind the bars of the prison. His biography exposes the corrupt nature of the jail and the cocaine dealing that goes on between numerous individuals, and not just the inmates! Nina and I are yet to tour through the prison due to the fact that it is now illegal, and also because we watched as two Australian boys were robbed of their chance when the ‘tour guide’ ran off with their money. It was a little bit unsettling when we discovered the prison was in fact located on the corner opposite our hostel!

Later that evening we navigated our way through the streets to the Bolivian Express building where we joined the rest of the team for a farewell dinner for one of the interns. It was an enjoyable night…many stories were shared, wine was drunk and there was an impressive buffet of home cooked food to go around.

For the past few days we have been settling in to our new apartment, which in case I haven’t already mentioned is in fact a penthouse. We are therefore treated each day and night to a panoramic view of the city, and I almost feel as if I could give the daily weather report. Yesterday was fantastic…we had a magnificent view of the rain (which later developed into hail) as it swept over the mountains and descended onto the city of La Paz.

Before the storm...

During the storm

Today we visited Zona Sur, the most upmarket suburb of La Paz that lies in the lower altitude region (ironically, unlike in many European nations the lower class citizens live in the higher altitude regions with the best views, and the wealthier congregate at the bottom of the valley). We were eager for some shopping and an adventure beyond the boundaries of Sopocachi.

There is a notable difference between Zona Sur and the rest of the city, and it is clearly evident in the rows of relatively high-end fashion boutiques and gourmet delicatessens which cannot be found in the centre of La Paz. Although it is situated towards the bottom of the valley, the inhabitants of Zona Sur are likewise treated to stunning views of the mountains.

I’d describe our day as a bit of a splurge…we each treated ourselves to a few incredibly good value, niche items of clothing as well as a treat from the gourmet bakery. However having been at the doctor only several hours earlier trying to treat poor Nina’s illness we felt it was well deserved!

The bakery

Caledoscopio...the shop where many a purchases were made!

Now it is time to continue exploring La Paz and enjoy living as an intern at the Bolivian Express.