Riots, Risky Roads, and Ruffians

La Paz is nuts. The city itself is built in a valley, thus from the main road there is only one direction... up. La Paz may not be the countries most logical, largest, or prettiest city, but it has uprooted Sucre as the countries capitol. Thus, a lot takes place in La Paz. The city which is notorious for cocaine, is also home to a largest amount of indigenous people who stream to the city looking for employment. The city center looks just as rich as Santa Cruz as most of the impoverished live above the valley in La Paz's sister city called El Alto. Most significantly, La Paz is the governmental center. So on the day I arrived in La Paz and the taxi drive told me about the government overnight deciding to stop subsidizing gasoline, I knew it was trouble. The price of gasoline increased 79% overnight; making it impossible for almost any industry in the country to run. Word of protests,violence, and riots spread. The buses effectively stopped running and on December 30th, the city turned into a protest zone.

The riots, burning cars, and stones whizzing by my head in no way stopped me. I still did the stuff that everyone goes to La Paz. The most thrilling, Adrenalin pumping experience is biking down the "World's Most Deadliest Road." It starts at a whooping 4700 meters and ends at a tropical 1100 meters. With 63 kilometers length with only an 8 kilometers section uphill, the road rightfully earns its name. There is no guardrail, and not paying attention during one of the many turns could make a person E.T. there way to the afterlife. With good bikes, a little skill, and as my guide instructed "not being a fucking idiot" its a technically easy ride and an experience of a lifetime.

The riots quieted for the new years holidays as people spent time with their family, so La Paz turned back into a tranquil city and its natural beauty increased as the sun came out. The government square including the congress and the presidential palace was lively with people visiting the city center. The ancient San Francisco Cathedral shined in a colonial part of town. Most interesting is to see the city scaling the valley walls behind the colonial buildings.

The cities markets stretch beyond the Cathedral up the hills and valleys. It starts in the way too tourist witches markets were one can buy a dried llama fetish for good luck and moves up through a walmart type collection of different stands acting like departments. Similar to the Latin American way of doing business all types of one store group together, but Bolivians take this to a new meaning, putting 90 of one type of store selling identical products right next to each other. They generally all charge the same price making the one you pick largely arbitrary. The city also takes a quick turn towards poverty within a few blocks of leaving the Parada or maindrag.

La Paz's most notorious landmark is the San Pedro prison. A lot of people "know" a lot of stuff about this place, but its mysteriously functioning makes it so that even those that have entered seem to know little to nothing. Made famous by the book Marching Powder; claims have been made that it produces 75% of the worlds cocaine, the prisoners can leave when they choose to with enough money, and that it contains the world's most notorious drug kingpins. The scary part is, it could be true. Tours are illegal, but so is a lot of daily activity in Bolivia. This prison is a serious money venture for those inside and those associated. It is something one should take with caution, but intrigue may be a little too much to avoid.

Another tourist activity in La Paz is a local form of professional wrestling called Cholita Wrestling. It is famous because large amounts of actresses dressed in the fully traditional dress. It is awesome to see the locals throw popcorn at the bad guys and chant for the heroes.

La Paz by night

Just a real quick all photo blog of some picture I took of La Paz at night.

The Bolivian Navy

Lake Titicaca is the world's highest navigable lake. At 3,811 meters about sea level, it is literally breathtaking. The lake lies on the border of Bolivia and Peru and has incredible mythological significance to the Incans and local indigenous groups. In Bolivia the last city before Peru in a small town called Copacabana. This city exists for 3 major reasons: it is a massive pilgrimage site for people coming from all over to celebrate a local brand of Catholicism that mixes local and Christian theology, it is the main port to get to Isla del Sol, and its a nice stop for the average Gringo Trail person to stop between Cusco and La Paz. Thus, Copacabana for me was the first place in almost 3 weeks that I was back amongst tourist. Copacabana is nestled on the lake shore between 2 cerros. The cerros on both sides raise up just about 4000 meters. Thus, I heaved my way up both cerros to get a good look at the lake.

Copacabana is home to one of the countries oldest and prettiest churches. A lot of the Pilgrims who come here drive their cars in order to have them blessed. The cars are dressed up with colorful flowers and feathers then blessed by Catholic priests. Local Paceña beer is then poured on the car is bless it.

The mixed religion shows itself most prominently in the side room of the Cathedral called La Virgen Negra where people go in and light candles in order to pray to a dark or black Virgin Mary. The eerie scene dates back more to the local culture and the incredible significance of Lake Titicaca to the Incan mythology. The lighting of candles to the black virgin is done the same way make small sacrifices were given to the Incan gods at Lake Titicaca in ensure victory in battle and good harvest.

Isla del Sol is even more significant to Incan mythology. It is the birthday place of the Incan people, the place where the gods came to earth and created the sun (and the moon on neighboring Isla de la Luna). It is the place where the first people appeared. It is easy to see why the biggest island in the lake become so import. Nearly treeless because of the elevation, the Island has a blaring solar presence that is certain to sunburn even the heartiest of travelers. The Island it far enough of the coast that in every direction is crystal clear blue water.

An ancient temple on the islands far northern side is all but ruins now, but it the remains of the Incan cult of the Sun. The ruins which have been largely reconstructed make up a maze of old building associated with the old mythology.

Overall, when you're not hunkered down in the Bolivian rainy season, Lake Titicaca shines so bright you cannot barely see anything in front of you. One way or another, it a place that still remains as tranquil as it was during the Incan empire where one can forget their worries.

Alto Cristo

After Samaipata and Santa Cruz I spent a little amount of time in Cochabamba, Bolivia. Thanks to Poland's recent interest in building large Jesuses, Cochabamba has lost its title of largest stone savior to them. Still, the Jesus in Cochabamba is nothing to scoff at. This Jesus is still large, he is is charge of Cochabamba, and he has come to save your soul. Plus for only 4 bolivianos you can take a sweet lift up to him and avoid the multitudes of stairs (and muggers).

Cochabamba's center is very pretty. The town has very old roots, and holds one of the countries 2 important universities. Thus, the colonial architecture of Cochabamba is amazing. Yet, unlike La Paz, Sucre, or Santa Cruz, very little about Cochabamba feels designed for tourists. The city still seems to be Bolivia's most functional city and is a pleasant place to come for people looking for something different from the craziness of La Paz, the odd but pretty falseness of Sucre, and the rapid hustle of Santa Cruz.

The area around Cochabamba is the area where the vast amount of Bolivia's coca production takes place. This area is home to current president Evo Morales and his coca growers movement of the 90's. It is what fuels this largely vastly impoverished region and the road that connects Cochabamba and Santa Cruz drops sharply in elevation. The road starts in the high altitude of the beginning of the Altiplano and goes through the cloud forest to the tropics. It is full of lakes and beautiful scenery.

Trout is a famous dish of Bolivia, and even though I didn't partake, the meal looks really cool.

My favorite part is the cloud forests. It is amazing to rise through the mountains and see the clouds surround the car and see peaks of maintains sticking through the clouds. This area is so green and lush is is amazing to look around. The rainy season really effects this area of Bolivia, and roads frequently are washing out, so the whole area seems somewhat like a mountain wonder.

Where the Condors Fly

Santa Cruz is Bolivia biggest city, but don't make it a destination. It is depressing and exists mainly as Bolivia's commercial center. What is not to miss is neighboring Samaipata. It is a swank little tourist/hippie town that has some of the countries greatest hiking including Condor trekking and Incan ruins.

Santa Cruz is about 300 meters above sea level and was hot enough to make someone roast within their own skin. Samaipata was amazing pleasant at around 1650 meters. Within a 3 hour taxi ride you start to ascend into the Cordillera Occidental and the flora changes from tropical to cloud forest.

The puebla has a lot to offer as well. The town is full of vegetarian restaurants, local markets, a museum for local artifacts and anthropology, a World War 1 plane that crashed in the town and then was made into a statue, and plenty of pleasant streets to keep the tourism at awe.

While I am a hiking fanatico, my favorite part of Samaipata was the Zooligico. It is an animal refuge. They take animals in that have been illegally obtained or abused and give them a place to recover and live. This included birds, llamas, mountain pigs, turtles, and the fan favorite monkeys.

Don't go to Paraguay

It may seem obvious to you, but you're wrong. Paraguay is nice, the land is pretty, and the people are amazing. Don't go though, at least not alone. There is no tourist infrastructure. The buses are complicated, the heat is like nothing you've ever experienced, and the most highly recommended tourist attractions by Lonely Planet no longer exist. Gun enthusiast be aware, there are lots of them in Paraguay, and if you stand in front of the right buildings just long enough, you'll probably get to inspect the business end for great lengths of time.

Its not all bad though. I had an absolutely amazing time visiting the least visited UNESCO world heritage in the whole world. The Jesuit ruins at Trinidad and Jesus are amazing. Spending time exploring the massive ruins completely by oneself makes one feel a little like they are Indiana Jones.

In Argentina they tell you that they are the biggest yerba mate drinkers in all the world. Then they turn around and make fun of Uruguayans for carrying around the jugs of hot water so they can have mate during the day. Both of these countries have nothing on Paraguay. Since it is impossible to work in Paraguay between 12-5 because of the heat, the people of Paraguay sit around drinking Terere (yerba mate with lemon grass and mint). They drink it without eating for at minimum 5 hours a day. Each driver of every bus has a special boy who sits in the front with him and pours him more water into his mate cup in order to not miss a beat on the terrible Paraguay highways. The most extreme example is that I once saw a girl at an intersection in Encarnacion on the back of a motorcycle pouring more water into her open cup so she could drink on the go.

The one story that must be told about Paraguay though involves an infamous (and often overstated) part of South American 20th Century history. I arrived in a little town by the name of Lomo Plata after sunset in the middle of the Gran Chaco. The town had less then 300 people and the only place to stay in town was already full upon arrival. I had no idea what to do, so I went door to door asking if they had an extra bed I could rent for the night. Since this town only exists as part of Mennonite settlements, many of the people were quite brash in their refusal to allow me near their home. The last house on the street was a different story. They were amazingly nice, they offered me a bed, food, and company. They (like the rest of the Mennonites) were tall, blond, and pale. Except this family was clearly not part of the church. They told me to take a seat in the living room for a moment while they fixed up the bed. While sitting down, I couldn't help but look above the fireplace to a massive authentic WWII Nazi banner, swastika and all. I had final come upon my proof of the Nazis who escaped to South America after 1945. They had pictures of some relatives in the full SS uniform around the house as well. They turned out to be nice people: the fed me, helped me arrange a bus, and saw me on my way. They welcomed me back in the future if I ever returned to the Gran Chaco, yet I think my thirst for the Gran Chaco has been quenched for life.

Sadly I don't have pictures of the situation, but I do have a couple more cool pictures of the national graves of many of the national heroes of Paraguay as well as some a great example of the extreme (and possible most noticeable of any country I have ever been to) difference between the super rich and the poor masses.

Bring your galoshes, there is no getting out of this one dry.

If you don't like the feeling (or sound) of being moist, then you probably should scribble Iguazu Falls off of your bucket list. If you enjoy large awe-inspiring things, maybe reconsider.

The national park was also full of animals as well.

It was also impossible to walk anywhere in the park without being surrounded by butterflies. Not just one type of butterfly, but many different types. It was like something out of a princess movie during the main chorus. This type in particular is called an '88' butterfly because of the patter on its wings.

I found it interesting in the national park how they would translate absolutely everything into English our use pictures. Words that literally had the same meaning in English and Spanish were translated twice for no reason. It was the use of pictures that worked even better in Iguazu.

In the end, traveling with Matt and Allen really made this falls amazing. I had a lot of fun dealing with Matt's critical fear of imaginary diseases. Paraguay was sad without them.