Greetings! We recently returned from a trip to Bolivia (boh-liv-ee-uh; country #97), where we were able to experience La Paz (lah PAHS) and surrounding areas. Below, you will find information and photos from our trip.
LA PAZ
Bolivia (named after Simón Bolivar, the Venezuelan leader of the quest for independence in the Spanish American Wars) is a landlocked country (after it lost access to the Pacific Ocean in the War of the Pacific with Chile [1879-1884]), that is bordered by Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. The capital of Bolivia is La Paz, which is the highest capital city in the world (elevation of 3640m/11,942ft), and is the seat of government in Bolivia. When considering travel to Bolivia, it’s important to do research, and talk with your physician about what preventative measures would work best for you in anticipation of spending time at such a high altitude.
(and one of the seven cable car lines;
each cabin holds 10 people, and can move 1000 people per hour)
Twelve million people live in Bolivia, and approximately two million of them live in La Paz (the largest city in Bolivia is Santa Cruz, with three million people – it has lower taxes, more land, and is closer to Brazil, making it easier to import/export). Just above La Paz is a town called El Alto (home to Bolivia’s international airport), which is at an elevation of approximately 4100m/13,451ft, and is home to 1.5 million people. Three altitudes make up this area, including El Alto (one hour by car, or 8-15 minutes via cable car from La Paz City), La Paz City, and La Paz valley (3200m/10,498ft). The lower areas are made up of land that is similar to a canyon. The clay around this canyon area is very soft, and makes La Paz very susceptible to landslides. As a result, they have built trenches around the city as a way to manage flooding and landslides.
Bolivia’s history dates back to the Incan Empire, which is reflected in the multiple languages that continue to be spoken in the country today. There are 36 native languages spoken in Bolivia, with Aymara [eye-mah-rah] and Quechua [keh-choo-ah] being the main languages spoken in La Paz (Guaraní [gwah-rah-NEE] is the third most spoken language in Bolivia). The further away you get from La Paz, the more prominent the native languages are, such that Spanish (which is considered a universal language in Bolivia) is not spoken very often or very well in those areas.
The multiple cultures and ethnicities (which is the reason why Bolivia has a “plurinational” designation) are also reflected in the colorful flag, which was designed when the cultures joined together to fight the Spanish Colonists.
The first call for independence within Bolivia was in 1809. Bolivia was subsequently “declared” independent in 1825, but this was not recognized until 1847. Bolivia was originally called the Republic of Bolivar, but the name change to Bolivia was approved in 1825, and the constitution of 2009 reflected the current designation of “Plurinational State of Bolivia,” and strengthened the rights of the indigenous people. It should be noted that Bolivia is the second poorest country in South America, but the economy is growing pretty quickly, producing tin, silver, lithium, copper, coca plants, and “refined cocaine.”
As indicated previously, La Paz is at a very high altitude, as it is nestled within the Andes Mountain Range. One of our tour guides said “we are wide, tiny people” due to there being less oxygen at the higher altitude, and the body having to work harder.
Women of Bolivia (called Cholas [choh-lahs] or Cholitas [choh-lee-tahs]) often wear up to 15 skirts, which results in this very full, bowled/ballooned look.
Interesting Fact: Children start attending school at 3 years old and typically attend through 12th grade. Some students will stop attending school around age 12 or 14 and will start working, though this depends on the family (financial) situation (the average household salary in La Paz is $350USD per month). In La Paz, students usually graduate from high school and then go to university, though the males are required to do one year of military service after high school before they go to university (they typically attend a university in La Paz, or they travel 12 hours away to a university in a town called Cochabamba [koh-chah-bahm-bah]). Students are required to learn English and one native language (Aymara, Quechua, or Guaraní) while in primary and secondary school.
(chicken, onions, peppers)
(takes almost one hour to cook – delicious!)
(hot drink made of purple corn and white corn, water, sugar, cinnamon, and cloves (usually made for breakfast and served with a pastry)
LAKE TITICACA AND COPACABANA
(Titicaca means “rock of puma”)
Lake Titicaca (tee-tee cah-cah) is the highest navigable freshwater lake in the world at 3812m/12,507ft. Access to Lake Titicaca on the Bolivian side is primarily through a town called Copacabana, which is a 3.5-hour drive from La Paz. The lake straddles Bolivia (44%) and Peru (56%), and Copacabana is about 15 minutes from the border of Peru. There are 40 islands in the lake between Bolivia and Peru, and the lake ranges in depth from 25m/82ft at its most shallow to 380m/1246ft at its deepest. Trout (called Trucha [tru-chah] in Spanish), King Fish, and Karachi (the only native fish that is still living) live within the lake, as do large frogs (40-50cm/15-19inches).
Interesting Fact: While Bolivia is landlocked, it has a Navy, which trains on Lake Titicaca. Bolivia has indirect access to the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans due to agreements with some of its neighboring countries.
80% of Bolivians are Catholic, and others believe in Mother Earth and/or their native religion, with a fair number of people combining Catholicism with one of those two. Copacabana is one of the most important areas for Catholicism because of the Virgin of Copacabana (which is placed inside of the church, within which photos are not allowed). The Virgin of Copacabana was designed and constructed by Tito Yupanqui (tee-toh yu-pahn-kee; 1581-1583), who did so from a dream. The Church of Copacabana was built in 1661 in Baroque style from cactus wood, and is adorned with gold leaves and silver plates. It is currently taken care of by the Franciscans.
When Argentinians, Peruvians, and Bolivians buy a car, they will bring it to the Church of Copacabana to have it blessed. Above is an example of how the cars are decorated in anticipation of a blessing.
(with three levels of depth)
(the equivalent of Adam and Eve in Christianity)
One of the islands that can be accessed by boat (approximately 1 hour away from Copacabana) is Isla del Sol (ees-lah del sohl; Island of the Sun). On this island is the Temple of the Sun, which was built around 1000AD by the Incas and Aymaras, with three levels representing heaven, earth, and the underworld. It was used by the Incas for ceremonies.
SALAR DE UYUNI (UYUNI SALT FLATS)
Uyuni (oo-yu-nee) is in the southwest corner of Bolivia, in the city of Potosi (poh-toh-see). Ten thousand square kilometers (3900 square miles) of land in Potosi and Colchani (kohl-chah-nee) is salt, resulting in an area called the Salt Flats. The area used to be a series of prehistoric lakes (from forty thousand years ago) that dried up over time and became the largest salt flat in the world. While the land is flat, this area is at 3650m/11,975ft altitude.
There are several layers of salt, and it covers a pool of brine, which yields lithium. Lithium is extracted from the salt, and because fresh water is required to extract it, the process takes one year. Bolivia is the largest producer of lithium in the world.
(this is the last part of the Flats to dry)
During the rainy season, the rain does not let up for months – due to the salinity, the humidity is taken away by the wind and releases heavy rain that lasts for hours. Despite the amount of rain that falls, it does not permeate the layers of salt. After the rains end, the water becomes extremely calm and yields the largest mirror in the world (120km/80mi across). The water was approximately 2-3inches/5-7cm deep.
Bolivia was a unique country with very kind people and delicious food! There is a lot of history here, and its geography rivals many of its neighboring countries. It is definitely a place that we would recommend others coming to visit, as it is the third least visited country within South America (behind Suriname and Guyana). Just make sure you have a plan to manage/combat/prevent altitude sickness. Until next time, take care and be well…