La Paz

La Paz was a warm and welcoming place, despite its chilly temperatures (it's the world's highest capital, and winter at 12,000 feet is no beach vacation). The city is quite interesting in its own right, but it also fascinated me in its stark contrast to Lima. Peru's capital is totally disconnected from the rest of the country, both economically and culturally. In Bolivia, which recently added "Plurinational State" to its official name, the rural indigenous cultures are celebrated not as historical heritage, but as an essential living component of Bolivia today. Half the people on the streets of La Paz were wearing traditional (not western) clothes, and the few wealthy skyscrapers were not the center of focus. The city's red-brick buildings spill down over the ridges to coat the entire valley, with the snowy peak of Illimani looming large above the rooftops.

Looking out over the city towards Illimani

San Francisco church and plaza

Evo's name and face are frequent sights, always accompanied by both the Bolivian flag (left) and the indigenous wiphala flag (right)

Plaza Murillo, on the Spanish side of the city, is home to the cathedral, the legislative and presidential palaces, and many many pigeons

Tucumanas and salteñas are the Bolivian version of empanadas, and are sold at street side carts on every corner

Also on many corners are La Paz's shoe shiners, who typically wear ski masks to cover their faces. As the feet are the most shameful part of the body for the Aymara, those who work as shoe shiners don't want to be recognized as such.

Rows of stalls in one of the central markets, set up in a multi-level building reminiscent of a parking garage or library stacks

In addition to regular markets, La Paz's witch's market offers amusing home remedies and unique items like llama fetuses (used in traditional rites to bless newly constructed buildings)

Anything unusual in this photo? Traffic-herding youth dressed as zebras are part of a new government program for disadvantaged youth - still don't really understand the connection there, but those zebras were everywhere!

Sopa de maní (peanut soup) is a traditional La Paz dish

I also got to visit Tiwanaku, a set of pre-Incan ruins outside La Paz

Leaving La Paz on a set of looong bus rides, I decided to break up the journey by stopping in Sucre, a beautiful city of white colonial buildings and cobblestone streets. Tranquil and temperate, Sucre made me wish I could stay longer!

My other in-transit stop was Potosí, known for the wealth extracted from nearby Cerro Rico's (Rich Mountain) silver mines