Saturday the 3rd of May 2003 – Day 74

Saturday the 3rd of May 2003 – Day 74

The bus journey was not fun. I was sitting with Rob Cotter, (we had met up again). I took the advice of the driver and started chewing that coca leaf and ash. That’s because everyone but the 5 to 6 gringos had brought blankets on board. Temperatures dropped to -5 oc (guess). The windows were too cold to touch. We stopped 3 to 4 times (including Potosi which I had left days earlier). There were no toilets at the stops. They were just coca leaf and booze stops. There were no toilets on the bus (normal) and in this cold, there was no need. At the stops, people disappeared into the darkness for a few minutes. They sell a booze here called “Cedio” which is 95 per cent. Dangerous stuff, mostly drank by miners which are a powerful lobby group in Bolivia. I was tempted to buy a bottle a few times, but you would be drunk with two sips. The coca leafs helped as they tend to take away stress, feelings of cold (most important on this journey) hunger and anxiety. We travelled between 3,000m and 5,000m (the reason it was so cold).

Anyway we awoke as we passed the city of “El Alto”. It is a city of 800,000 people. The overwhelming majority of them work in La Paz, which has led to the nickname “sleeping city” that El Alto has acquired. Lonely Planet describes it as such.

Once merely a La Paz suburb, El Alto has now burgeoned into a separate entity where unkempt children play in expanding potholes; Indian women pound laundry in a sewage-choked stream; streets are lined with sparsely- stocked market stalls; and every second-hand business appears to be an auto repair shop or a scrap-yard”(Lonely Planet)

El Alto was previously a shantytown suburb, comprised of many closely-packed barrios, but now it has spread towards the city, as the In Situ Accretion Zone has expanded out, connecting the two urban areas into one great city. El Alto was constituted in 1986 as a part of the La Paz urban region.

I was really exciting as we saw La Paz as sun rise broke. La Paz, the highest capital city in the world (3,800m), looks like a moon crater. The city is 4km (2miles) above sea level, situated on a canyon floor which shows only a hint of greenery. Even oxygen is at a premium. Anyway it was stunning to to see this city in a bowl, with buildings climbing up all sides.

We landed and took a taxi to the hostel Torino. Rob was delayed because he lost his baggage ticket. We got two single rooms with shared bath for 25 b (3 EURO) each. Nice place with adjoining cafe. We quickly dropped the bags and started walking. We went to all three tourist offices, but were closed.

We saw the Iglesia de San Francisco (construction began in 1549) with its arresting blend of mestizo and Spanish styles. Behind the church is the Witches’ Market where you can buy a bizarre assortment of goods including amulets, potions, delicately crafted silver jewelry, sweets and dried llama fetuses. We went to three markets included the “Black Market”. If you put all the shops in Ireland together, you would not get all the shops and stall that are here. Simply dozens of acres of shops selling everything. they seem to group together i.e. electronics, household, sports clothes. I saw 25 barbers shops in a row. I a moment of madness, I got by first haircut in seven years (I usually cut my own). He spent 20 minutes on me (it was just a number one shave), but they are perfectionists. they can spend up to an hour on each guy. Hair is important to them,a and all the styles were up on the wall. he also gave me an old fashioned shave. All for 5 B (.60 cent).

Had a nice dinner in the market place for 5 B (chicken and chips is very popular here – staple diet), and you can get fixed 3/4 course meals for 4-6 B. A bottle of beer is about 6 B. I was tired and headed back around 7.00pm.

I had given my battery charger to reception that morning but when I got in it was gone. I became paranoid and thought I had experienced my first negative South American experience. I even asked to look in there office, which they allowed. They said I should wait until the guy I gave it to (Roberto) came back at 10.00pm, but I was annoyed. Anyway, I headed down to “20 de October” street for a few drinks and came back at 12.00. Roberto was there and had the recharger. I felt a bit embarrassed to have doubted the staff and in extension the honesty of the people here. I should not have jumped to conclusions. He had put the recharger away when his shift had ended.

I found out two things about the women who wear traditional dress. They arrived because 200 years ago thee was an attempt by the women of Bolivia to copy the European fashions at the time. therefore the skirts and hats. Secondly, women who wear bowler hats – if they are single it is worn on the side and on top if they’re married.