Wednesday, June 15

The ride to La Paz was a spectacular as a night bus could be. The moon was nearly full, illuminating the landscape with a bluish haze that was reflected skyward by the arid Andean mountains. It was as if we were driving on the moon, past deep valleys that were scooped from earth by the hands of giants.

Unfortunately, we arrived sooner than planned, which translates into dark and cold. Both Ben and I had gotten the impression that La Paz was less than safe at night, so we dawdled in the terminal for a bit until the sky started to lighten. I headed off to a hostel I had seen, but when I arrived they said no room was available. I ended up taking a cab back to the bus terminal to try another hostel (Adventure Brew). They had space in an 8 person dorm (Bs60), which was not the intended level of travel for this trip, but I happily accepted it.

I started a conversation with a German woman who agreed to watch my bags (she had also just arrived that morning) while I found something in the city to eat. That was easier said than done, but I did procure some bread rolls and eggs. The hostel closes the kitchen at 8am, however, and we were left with untoasted bread with butter, which nevertheless tasted wonderful at that juncture. At some point, I meandered upstairs with my things and napped on a couch until noon. Waking up, I then stumbled up to the top floor in search of a bathroom, where I discovered a bar with an incredible view of the city and Illumani in the distance. I spent most of the afternoon with my bird guides and laptop catching up on bird notes just enjoying the scene.

Around 3:30, I headed out to explore a bit of the city. Opposed to much of what I had heard, I quite enjoyed the city; it has a vibe and energy that were distinctly lacking in either Santa Cruz and Cochabamba. The city is vaguely European, with narrow cobbled streets. The spires of cathedrals rise to meet the apartment buildings in a battle for the skyline while the residents scuttle along tightrope-wide sidewalks. Of course, it is still Bolivia and so not nearly as polished as the cities of France or Germany or Italy; I was reminded of Budapest.

The street I was walking opened into Plaza San Francisco, where the legislature meets. The square was carpeted with pigeons and people purchased feed from vendors along the edge. A favorite trick was encouraging the pigeons to land on your arms and head. One little girl appeared quite expert in this feat. I believe I also spotted my first House Sparrow of the trip.

Girl with pigeons, La Paz

I returned to the hostel for a beer and to meet BK for dinner. We shared a round of drinks then headed off to El Tambo for supper. Ben ordered beef, while Kristina and I ordered llama, but with different sauces. Absolutely delicious.

Bird tally: 1 new