La Paz: World´s Highest Something..

So yet another night bus, this time with the warning to bring any sleeping bags and blankets that you had with you...and it was worth it..

Another night spent passing over 4,000m on high Andean altiplano. We awoke to a brilliantly blue sky, and not a cloud in the sky. We passed Lake Titicaca and the blue of the lake stretched as far as we could see, only to be met by the huge expanse of the blue sky. Blue, not blue like blueberry blue, but blue like deep water diving blue, forever blue, pierced only by the looming jagged peaks of the Cordillera Real in Bolivia. Giant snow capped mountains, choked in glaciers seemed so small and miniscule when sandwiched between blue sky and blue lake patties.

Border crossing was somewhat painless, although there was some walking involved and more form filling out.... Justine, has come down with a cold in combination with her aching knee, so as a result patience is at a minimum in the form filling out department (just also spent two hours trying to send another package via mail to Canada...)

La Paz is an unreal site. You cross more high Andean altiplano with nothin but scrub grass, searing sun and snowcapped mountains, and gradually the bus begins to weave through dirt streets and joven pueblos (shanty towns). Suddenly the shanty towns tumble down a step cliff and the deep gorge of La Paz is revealed. La Paz is the world´s highest capital city (3660m) and is built into a giant canyon ( nearly 5km from rim to rim), built into it yes, but more like a giant carpet that fills the entire ravine, climbs all sides and then covers the rim. Hovering high over the city is the giant mountain of Illimani (6402m), choked in snow and visible clearly through towering buildings and rambshackle houses.

The streets are busy and full of life; markets spread all over the city and anything you want can be found on the sidewalk, from empanadas (stuff dough with potatoes, meat and cheese), stretch cord, knee braces, toothpaste, nail clippers, TP, typewriters, armadillos (stuffed), dried llamas fetuses etc. We are staying near the witches market, which although it is smack beside tourist markets, seems to also cater to locals. Llama fetuses, fur pelts, frogs, herbs, and also miniture models of houses, Gods and other idols can be bought in order to heal yourself or to pray to the Pachimama.

We have spent the last couple of days wandering the streets, grazing on all the kinds of food you can get. We enjoyed a wonderful fruit shake for breakfast, made fresh for .25CAD and tossed back a few empanadas with spicy sauce.

We have booked a flight with a military airline to Rurrenabaque. Rurre is only about a 45 min flight, but it is a 19 hour bus ride which can sometimes double in the rainy season. Coupled with that, you must also take the ¨World´s Most Danerous Highway¨if you are going by bus. So we decided to drop the 100CAD for a flight to Rurre. Only thing is, if it is raining in Rurre the flight will not go because it is only a dirt airfield. Our flight should leave on Friday... here´s hoping..

Tomorrow will be another chill day, possibly with a visit to the zoo and the Valle de la Luna (erroded valley of canyons and pinnacles about 10km from La Paz).

Once you get used to the bustle of life here it is really quite enjoyable. Pushing your way through crowds, eating when and where you want and finding anything your heart desires all in the open, sunny air; once you emerse yourself into all of this, life in the World´s Highest Capital can be alright.