For some reason we got stranded in La Paz for an extra day.. We werent really told why which we were all a bit upset about but hey at least it gives me some more time to update you guys a bit about the city and the little adventures we have had along the way...
As I mentioned in my earlier post La Paz is packed with people and we have had plenty of mugging experiences within our group already...one of our guys who has got this really big professional filming camera got thrown dirt on from the top of a roof and then 6 old ladies came along trying to clean him... He just held on to his camera and kept walking,.... another guy from our group got spat on and they wanted to take his stuff while he was wiping it off... Similarily they tried to get into his jacket pocket .. he pushed the woman on his left aside while his girlfriend hit the other person who was trying to get into the pocket....
A new guy in the group wasnt as cautious and left his camera in the top pocket of his back pack... and off it went...
You can really notice a difference between Bolivia and Peru in terms of poverty. we all felt a lot safer in Peru and you see way more people begging for money on the streets in Bolivia. The buses are really really old and quite often you find yourself caughing since the fuel smoke is so bad on the streets. When shopping for souvenirs like in Peru you need to bargain with the people.. it always goes> but for you my friend a special price!!! ... On the witch market you can buy all sorts of funky things.... like soap of Aloe Vera with SNAIL slime, candles for finding a partner, Hate potions, some weired dried worms, talismans and of course the dead dried baby lamas&alpacas..... The locals do seem to buy this stuff though.
Another special adventure in both countries have been the toilets which is even more an experience given that we have all had stomach problems... you usually need to hold your breath going in and most of the time there isnt a flush but just a bucket of water... we have all become quite big fans of the Bushpee.. Overall the whole thing just makes me laugh and I find these little things simply entertaining.
I find it fascinatng how things are different in these countries.. whilst some may get annoyed it simply makes me laugh.. its all part of the experience... whilst most of you probably think that we ae in sunny South America here it has been freezing cold and wet in the mountains.. over the next few weeks we will move south and lower when temperatures should be warmer until we get to Patagonia.
Another cool fact about La Paz is the prison here.. I really want to read the book´the marching powder´which has been written about it. Apparently theinmates have taken over the prison and have this whole little society within the prison.. where you can even start your own business but also need to pay rent for your own cell... a few guys on my tour knew about it and it sounded like a fascinating place. Some tourists have managed to get in and have a look around.
