I had not seen many backpackers to date as they tend to be on a budget and use hostals. I met one girl from Australia and she was very informed and gave me some good tips on my itinerary. She was going to do the island then give death road a blast, something I had decided to avoid. Time to go she and save me a hug (I must have reminded her of her dad). I found myself hugging her rucksack which just felt all wrong. So I tried to find her back and misjudged the size of her backpack and to my horror my hand ended up on her derriere. Ooops sorry!
Back onto the bus, over the ferry, along the bumpy road, through the war zone, and then finaly to La Paz. It is the highest capital in the world and is set in a valley with Mount Illimani as its dramatic backdrop. I got off the bus mid-afternoon and the map said a 20 minute walk to the hotel so I decided to go for it. Unfortunately the pavements were of stone paving which made it difficult to pull my suitcase. But I arrived and checked in. I got a map from reception and he recommended some bars which were all in the same area that I had just walked past. I found am ATM en route and selected one with tables outside. The honey beer went down well and I chatted to a dutch couple and a Swiss guy about their travels. They recommended the Teleférico, the cable car system, as a good way to view the city. I walked back to the hotel and bought a burger and fries from a roadside stall, complete with mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup and relish. Very nice actually. Got back to the hotel and considered a shower but it looked like a teleporter from a science fiction film end it was cold so I gave it a miss.
I woke and breakfasted. The receptionist marked on my map the route to the nearest cable car and other interesting places to visit. I set off map in had in yet again the same direction. I walked straight past the Coca museum, missed it completely, then was accosted by the god squad. This was an american guy with a local female accomplice, to catch you in both languages. I politely took his JW leaflet which I now realise stands for Jehova witness. By a pure coincidence I then visited the witches market just to get the balanced view. More a line of shops than a market, witches here don't have the negative connotation we know. They sell herbs and folk remedies to manipulate the many spirits that populate the Aymara world. Not just herbs and seeds but parts of frogs and insects. The most eye catching are the dried llama foetuses which are buried in the foundations of new buildings as an offering to the goddess Pachamama.
On to the cable car. I passed a couple of older women filling a wheelbarrow with gravel and when I got to the terminal there was a wedding party all dressed in traditional costume.
I got on the gondola and it reminded me of Medellin. We passed over the city cemetery and spotted some people scavenging from waste sacks that had been tossed from the top. I got out and walked into some sort of health rally. There were tents with signs for all sorts of illnesses. Back onto the gondola and I made my way back down. I walked on the route I had been advised and saw a splendid old church and the square that houses their parliament. If you like pigeons this is the place for you.
I headed back and felt hungry. I wandered back to the burger stall hoping to try a chicken version but he was shut. I looked on my phone and there was a bar close by. I wandered up and it looked shut but a woman popped out and gestured me in. It was just a room with tables and a fridge full of bottles of beer. There was a man who approached and showed me to the fridge and an older lady. I settled on a local beer and paid him. He gave me a glass and I sat down and started pouring. I took a sip and the older lady came over with her bottle and glass and sat down next to me. I turned round and realised that she was in fact as drunk as a skunk. She kept raising her glass and we both had to have a drink. Then her head would drop and I would think she had nodded off or passed out. Then 20 seconds later she would come back to life and the whole routine would repeat. The man was smiling uncontrollably, I guess he had seen it all before. I showed her my photos on my phone to try and amuse her but she was struggling to focus on them. She kept speaking to me in Spanish even though I had told her I was English. I got to my last glass and she got up to speak to the man. I seized my chance, gulped down the last drops, said adios and made my escape. I walked spriteley towards the burger stall but while he was setting up he hadn't actually cooked anything. So I bought a couple of cheese and ham empenadas that were light on both ingredients. Back to the hotel, paid my bill, and early night ready for a flight tomorrow.
I really must learn some Spanish.
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