South America 3. La Paz
At a lofty 4000 m above sea level, La Paz is the sprawling capital of Bolivia. While the city of La Paz historically only comprised the valley region, unbridled population growth has merged it with the satellite city of El Alto, forming a hybrid and immense metropolis. Tucked into a cleft between the Andes, La Paz’s social class is reflected in its geographical stratification; the lower into the valley one goes, the wealthier the neighbourhoods become. The slopes surrounding La Paz are dotted by winding roads and makeshift houses, cascading down towards the business district.
La Paz is a city brimming with quirky peculiarities. The city’s zebra crossings are populated with energetic young people in full-body zebra costumes – whose purpose is to educate pedestrians and drivers on road safety – dancing and posturing their way through the city centre. Another particularity is that young boys who shine shoes in the city centre often wear balaclavas. Shoe shining is apparently so shameful that they will go to great lengths to conceal their identities while on the job.
The tumultuous history of Bolivia may suggest that its capital is a hub of instability. While not completely untrue, it can often feel like quite the opposite on the sloping streets of La Paz. La Paz is a fascinating mix of cultures that live together in harmony, a morass of indigenous Aymaran customs and colonial Spanish practices. Amid the hustle and bustle of modern La Paz, the diverse flavours of these cultures are on show throughout the city.
We arrived in La Paz from Uyuni in the evening. Having been weaned from civilisation for the past week, we relished visiting the first large city on our itinerary. The flight into El Alto was truly a sight to behold, with specks of incandescent light lining the valley. El Alto International Airport is the highest in the world, and La Paz the world’s highest capital. Expensive hotels even go as far as to prepare oxygen tanks for poorly acclimatised guests. Exhausted from our earlier tour in Uyuni, we settled for an early night.
We spent our first day in La Paz exploring the city on foot, soaking in the Bolivian atmosphere. Walking down the tree-lined city’s main thoroughfare, El Prado, we were struck by the change of scenery compared to our previous few days. Like most large cities, the urban jungle that is La Paz is made up of branded shops, banks, and local fast-food joints. High-rise hotels seem to sprout erratically along El Prado. As we rubbed shoulders with mobs of pedestrians and street vendors, it did not escape us that La Paz is a city composed of diesel and dust.
Eventually, we reached Plaza San Francisco, one of the central squares of the city, surrounded on three sides by Basílica de San Francisco, Mercado Lanza, and a hectic trufi (minibus) station. The plaza has an amphitheatre-like atmosphere, with crowds congregating to hear the preaching of comedians and political lobbyists amid beggars, gossips, and touts. The Basílica de San Francisco is reminiscent of the mestizaje style, with its stone façade combining Spanish baroque with figures from Aymaran mythology.
From there, we made our way up Calle Sagarnaga, a narrow tourist street lined with markets, tour agencies, and cafes. This area is a hotspot for backpackers and souvenir hunters, with stores peddling traditional fabrics and alpaca goods. After a brief stop at Café del Mundo for a brief respite, we made our way across the busy El Prado towards the cobblestoned Calle Jaén. This street is one of the most well-preserved colonial areas in La Paz, with brightly coloured buildings housing small museums and numerous bars and cafes. Unfortunately, because it was a Sunday, just about everything was closed.
Disappointed, we made our way across the city to Parque Mirador Montículo, a park which offers a picturesque view of the whole of La Paz and the distant, snow-capped Mount Illimani, overlooking the city as its guardian. The park was evidently a hotspot for amorous couples. With a view like this, who could blame them?
As the mirador was conveniently located near a teleférico station, we decided to experience the famous cable car system. We took the yellow line up to El Alto as the sun descended over the surrounding Andes. The cable cars, which opened in 2014, have become an integral part of public transport in La Paz, where a metro system would be costly and impractical. Consisting of four lines today, the Mi Teleférico has alleviated many of the environmental and traffic problems between the satellite city of El Alto and the city centre.
As we climbed the valley, reaching El Alto, we were greeted with a breathtaking view of night-time La Paz. The city of El Alto hangs precipitously over the valley. Against the backdrop of the snowy Andes, we sat speechless as tiny, densely-packed flecks of orange gradually emerged from the valley below.
Descending back towards the city centre, our day ended with an authentic Bolivian meal at Luciernagas, an inexpensive restaurant. We tried several traditional Bolivian dishes (in massive, “Bolivian-sized” portions), with particular highlights being Ají de Lengua, a beef tongue stew; Sajta de pollo, chicken stewed in a peanut sauce accompanied by tunta, a local variety of preserved potato; and charque, akin to salted beef jerky.
La Paz came alive on our final full day in the city. Our senses were flooded with taxi horns, trufi exhaust, and loitering crowds. We chose to spend our day with a walking tour through the city with the fantastic Red Cap Walking Tours, which offers free tours with an optional gratuity.
The tour began in front of San Pedro Prison, notorious for its corruption and, oddly enough, luxury. Within the heavily guarded walls, inmates have formed a hierarchical community. Inmates have jobs inside the prison, which allow them to buy or rent accommodation for them and their families within the complex. According to our tour guide, the unimaginable wealth of some convicts arise from trafficking cocaine into and out of the prison, as well as holding guided tours for tourists of the prison. These highly illegal activities are often overlooked by the prison guards, who in turn are heavily bribed by a cut of the profits.
The walking tour then led us through Mercado Rodriguez, the largest local market in central La Paz, where we were greeted with never-before-seen varieties of giant corn and countless species of potatoes. The market is a popular locale for cholitas, indigenous women characteristically donning bowler hats and puffed skirts, remnants of the aristocratic fashion of medieval Spain. These women are traditionally from rural areas and were, for a long time, discriminated against in La Paz. Nowadays, however, they are increasingly embraced as part of the fabric of La Paz and Bolivia, and the shifting social attitudes mean that they are integrated into everyday life. Indeed, there are even weekly cholita wrestling matches in El Alto!
Darting between dashing vehicles, we reached Mercado de las Brujas, or Witches’ Market, where dried llama foetuses hang from storefronts and are used as offerings to Pachamama (Mother Earth) for her blessings. Occasions such as the opening of a construction site are often marked by the burial of such tokens. Making our way down towards the centre, we passed by colourful stalls where ancient Aymaran traditions, such as fortune telling with coca leaves, were still being performed. Stores lining the alleyways hawked trinkets and talismans which would bring us good fortune, happiness, and love.
Stopping briefly for exotic juices and salteñas (a Bolivian pastry filled with meat and potatoes), we then reached Plazo Murillo, the central square which is home to the Presidential Palace and House of Congress. The centre of the square was adorned with a statue of the Bolivian hero Pedro Domingo Murillo, a signatory of the Bolivian declaration of independence. Nonetheless, we were struck by the police blockades set up on all four sides of the plaza, the result of anti-government protests earlier in the year. The plaza was the key rallying site for political events and coups, marking the unstable political history of Bolivia. Bolivia has experienced at least 190 governmental changes since 1825, accounting for the sustained chaos of its troubled capital.
Following the tour, we attempted to find some of the local delicacies in the central markets but to no avail; eventually, we settled for a nice but unspectacular meal in the restaurant in Hostal Naira. Feeling adventurous, we boarded a cramped trufi heading for Valle de la Luna (Moon Valley), 10 km from the city centre. In contrast to the one in the Atacama Desert, this Valle de la Luna consists of surreal spires formed from the cratered mountainside. This site is not a valley at all, but instead provides a mazy path through canyons, rock formations, and sprouting choma, the hallucinogenic cactus which grows in the area. Arriving near the closing time of the site itself, we were denied a view of the entire area, but our brief visit certainly left a strong impression.
For dinner, we were able to reserve a table at Gustu, one of the best restaurants in South America, located in the wealthy neighbourhood of Zona Sur. Neighbouring Peru may hold the gustatory limelight, but Gustu has brought gastronomy into La Paz and Bolivia. Founded by Claus Meyer, the co-founder of the world-famous Noma, Gustu emphasises the use of Bolivian ingredients from sustainable sources. Interestingly, Gustu has expanded its horizons to beyond a simple restaurant, transforming into a culinary school and empowering impoverished locals to become chefs, waitstaff, and sommeliers.
Seated in the wooden dining room, adorned with vibrant decorations hanging from the high ceiling, we opted for the seven-course tasting menu, arriving on beautiful slates and ceramic bowls, paired with Bolivian wine and cocktails. We were not disappointed by the dining experience. The tasting menu was a lesson in the diversity of Bolivian ingredients and landscapes. Our favourite dishes included a black quinoa-like grain served in a milky reduction, a “Bolivian carbonara” consisting of shredded palm heart, alpaca charque and, a perfectly cured egg yolk, and strips of slow-cooked lamb in an orange jus. For those who are interested, I urge you to read this New Yorker article outlining the origins and philosophy of Gustu. A tour through the kitchens and preparation rooms by the maitre d’ was the perfect bookend to our stay in La Paz.
There is no doubt that La Paz is still a city of struggle and strife. Compared to its more developed neighbours of Chile and Peru, Bolivia is relatively impoverished and unstable. Today, however, with the advent of tourism, this landlocked country is certainly becoming more prosperous, and visitors are treated to an intriguing mix of the past and the future.
With more time…
Other attractions in and around La Paz include El Alto’s sprawling Thursday market and Tiwanaku, a UNESCO world heritage archaeological site just outside of La Paz. For the more adventurous, opt for a half day hike to Muela del Diablo, or cycle down Death Road (Yungas Road). La Paz is also home to a budding modern art scene, and galleries such as esART and Gota de Agua offer modern art and Bolivian folklore music respectively.
