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Superbowl-of-a-city

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Arriving after a few days in the Atacama desert, we got out our warm mountain gear again at the airport and drove down the steep slope into a huge bowl-type valley nestling a million people.




	Arriving at the airport and stunned by a chilly wind

La Paz is the capital and largest city in Bolivia, also highest capital of the world at 3600m (12,000ft). The airport is even higher, planes leaving don't need to climb very much! Most the streets are narrow and steep, one gets dizzy and unbalanced turning corners. A cloud-burst one afternoon changed the roads into speeding gushing rivers.

Favourite spots:




	Our tour group at Luna-Valley

- walking the streets, colourfull market shops and colourfully clothed locals.

- Luna Valley, large landscape of weathered sandstone which looks is very barren and looks like the surface of the moon.

What's really great:

- cool climate - having so much cash in the pocket. At 1,2 million pesos to the dollar (1985), the largest note 100000, quite funny. Our driver had boxes of money in the boot/trunk of the car. - after 6 weeks in S.America, getting quite good in spanish.

Sights:

- cathedral

Other recommendations:

Lake Titicaca (highest lake) is only 100km away

Published on Friday September 10th, 2004 by rangutan

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