La Paz
At the end of the valley glass and steel buildings stand in a traditionally luxurious and ostentatious new rich's zone. But they are far from reaching the spectacle, the force and the perseverance the valley steep slopes, that surround the "La Paz Hole", clothe themselves with El Alto settlements. As the lava worms, this time in opposite direction, they try to reach the majestic peaks of the Mururata and the Illimani. La Paz is native, indigenous. El Alto is a full color unfolding, exciting, amazing. We are surrounded by the crowd on the San Francisco Plaza. Under the night sky we go round the steep streets, trying to not to give up under the cold of the night. We wait in the morning for the first stalls of the healers to open to offer their remedies for the soul and the body. Enchanted we repeat the spells of the sorceresses who grant powers to the remedies.
These make us to hate places that offer traditional meals in a restaurants with stars. We walk through the streets of the fruit and vegetables market. Behind the door of the "Cochabamba guesthouse" there are delicacies for the use of local people and also for the ones like we, that escape from a occidentally polluted elaboration. This is the lunch we are satisfied with.
Have we been here before?
We are in the Main Square area.
Virtual (and real) visit recommended: Coca Museum in La Paz. The coca candies they sell: unique in the world. But nothing best than chewing coca leaves…