Set at an altitude of 3660m La Paz is Bolivia’s Sin City. The sprawling mass of half constructed buildings climb up the nearby hillside as far as the eye can see.
We arrived in the city at 4.30am on a bus from Uyuni. Despite being at high altitude for the past week, the lack of oxygen mixed with the pollution choked us as soon as we began walking. Unfortunately, this is not a city you want to be wondering around in the early hours of the morning so we sat for a few hours sipping coffee in the bus station until it was a reasonable hour to venture out.
Bolivia is unlike any other South American country we have been to so far. With a majority of the people being indigenous there seems to be a fierce rejection of westernisation. The way in which the local women dress is certainly unique.
Despite being an ugly and notoriously dangerous city it attracts hundreds of backpackers all of which congregate in the many hostels surrounding the area known as the witches market.
These strange stalls ran by tiny women in traditional dress sell everything from love potions to coca leaves, hallucinogenic cactuses and dried lama foetuses.
There are numerous items on sale for the various rituals which they carry out.
It has to be one of the strangest places we have been to so far.
Coca Museum
One of Bolivia’s more controversial traditions is the chewing of the Coca leaf. We had seen people all over the city stuffing these dried leaves into their mouths and were curious to find out more. We had heard from many people that the leaf can ease the symptoms of altitude sickness and as we were both suffering we were willing to give it a try.
To find out all the facts we headed to the local Coca Museum, which despite being small was filled with a lot of information. It was clear this was one tradition the Bolivians will not be giving up anytime soon.
We also found out the correct way to consume the coca. We had previously seen tourists buying the bags of dried leaves and simply stuff them in their mouths and start chewing. This, as we found out in the museum, was incorrect. To get any sort of stimulating effect you need to add an alkaloid. This was purchased in the form of a sweet tasting calk like block.
A small amount is crumbled into the dried leaves, of which about 10 is recommended. This is then rolled up and stuffed into the side of your mouth. After about 30 minutes you will start to feel a slight numbing in your gums and a mild boost of energy. A bit like having a coffee. Unfortunately, as many tourists find out to their disappointment, this is nothing like the potent high given by the other illegal derivative of the plant, Cocaine.
That is not to say that Cocaine is not also widely available. In fact La Paz is also famous for being home to the world’s first Cocaine bar, Route 36. Jump in any taxi inconspicuously waiting outside the party hostels at dark and they will take you to the bar where along with a beer you can also get a gram of Bolivia’s finest delivered to your table on a plate. It’s still illegal but apparently the police are willing to turn a blind eye, for a certain fee of course.
The city was certainly eye opening. But after being robbed (Pickpocketed while in a pizza restaurant), we were pleased to see the back of this crazy city and head to the more tranquil shores of Lake Titicaca.
