Discovering La Paz: Unexpected Adventures and Cultural Encounters

I didn’t have high expectations for La Paz, considering the cautionary remarks from my Spanish teacher from Sucre. She cited the city’s cold weather and higher crime rates compared to Sucre as a source of dislike. Slightly alarmed by the safety concerns, I chose a highly-rated hostel near the bus station to avoid drudging through an unknown city in the early morning. Being accustomed to lugging my backpack on long walks from bus stations, I appreciated the hostel’s proximity, just a 5-minute walk away.It was 7 am when I reached the hostel, anticipating a wait until check-in time before I could freshen up. Fortunately, luck was on my side, and I was able to check in immediately. What a relief to shower after a night on the bus before exploring the city!

While my teacher’s concerns about crime seemed exaggerated, her comments on the cold weather definitely were not. Even within the hostel, I found myself wrapped up in all the warm clothing I possessed. Despite its proximity to the equator and the Amazon basin, it was La Paz’s high altitude, ranging from 3600m to 4000m, that brought about this bone-chilling morning.

Eager to explore, yet reluctantly held back by the morning chills, waiting for the sun to thaw the city before embarking on my journey. As I ventured through the streets of La Paz, I soon realised that while it lacked the colonial allure of Sucre, it possessed a distinctive character all its own. The sprawling city surprised me with its size, and wandering through its streets felt like navigating a labyrinth. In the old town area, amid a few colonial remnants, I stumbled upon a bustling street market, stretching across numerous blocks. Further exploration led me to the infamous witches’ market, known for its unusual wares, including llama foetuses! It is said foetuses need to be buried in the foundation of new houses to ward off evil spirits. After a day of exploration, I returned to my hostel to seek refuge from the shivering cold of nightfall.

The following day, I ventured to Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), a park containing fascinating rock formations outside of town. What added to the allure of the attraction was the journey itself. La Paz boasts a modern cable car system used as public transport over its mountainous terrain, akin to a metro or subway in the sky. Despite its practical purpose, it serves as an attraction in its own right.

I left the hostel armed with detailed directions from the staff, but quickly realised I hadn’t paid them enough attention. Instead of clarifying ticket instructions and navigating the lane changes, I found myself merely nodding along saying “Si..Si..”, eagerly anticipating hitting the road that morning. Resolving my query at the station would be pretty trivial until one has to do it in a foreign language with a queue of people behind you. On entering the station, I first consulted the security guard, who appeared less occupied than the cashier. He gave a brief summary that I partially understood before directing me to the ticket counter, where I learned that a single ticket sufficed for the entire journey. Access to the cable car area and all subsequent connections was via a QR code on the ticket that gets scanned to enter the boom.

With a ticket in hand, I made my way toward the boarding area, reminiscent of those at ski resorts. The ride itself was exhilarating, offering breathtaking views as it traversed hills, soared above houses, and glided just above street level between buildings. Switching routes 4 times, the total trip lasted about 45 minutes. It was undoubtedly the best value skyway experience I’ve ever had, all for a mere 1 euro fare. In comparison, a single 10 minute trip up Table Mountain in Cape Town costs 15x that. At the final cable car station I had to walk about 20 minutes to catch the short bus ride to the entrance of Valle de la Luna.

Upon entering Valle de la Luna, I strolled around for about 10 minutes, realising that the site wasn’t very large and could be explored in about 30 minutes at my normal walking pace. I decided to slow down, lingering more than walking, and as I neared the exit, I stopped at a shaded lookout point to extend my visit to the park.

At the shaded outlook, I noticed a foreign woman already seated. Starting a conversation with a fellow traveller is one of the easiest things in the world, so after admiring the view aloud, I quickly struck up a conversation. She welcomed the company, and we engaged in discussions about our respective trips and experiences through South America. Her name is Lorrie, a doctor originally from Romania now living in Hamburg, Germany. She was on a two month trip in South America. Since we were both on our way leaving the park, I suggested we take the teleférico (cable car) back together. Although she was aware of the cable car system of La Paz, she didn’t know it could take us all the way back, and was eager to join. Even though we were staying in different parts of town and didn’t have the same route back to our hostels, I proposed meeting up for coffee on her side of town. Having felt a bit isolated lately and not having spoken much English since my friends left Sucre about a week ago, I welcomed a bit of company. We ended up at an overpriced hipster café, but the conversation about our experiences and opinions made a minor splurge worthwhile. 

During coffee I realised we certainly weren’t the same kind of people or travellers, but I valued her company and appreciated the areas where our similarities overlapped. While she enjoys her comforts, I relish exploring how little comfort one actually needs. Nevertheless, I exchanged contact details with her, anticipating that our paths would cross again.

After coffee, Lorrie felt a little exhausted and wanted to relax at her hostel, so we parted ways. She had evening plans to dine at a 5-star restaurant, which wasn’t my scene, nor was I dressed for it. To join her, I would have had to return to my hostel and then back within an hour or so. Google Maps suggested that the only practical option would be to Uber through traffic there and back, so I politely declined her offer. Instead, I set off on a 5km stroll across town back to my hostel, pausing occasionally at bustling squares to appreciate La Paz’s cultural attractions as the sun gradually dipped behind the 4000m-high horizon.