stephen j edgar photoblog

An unbelievable cab ride from the airport to city centre JUST as the sun was breaking marked my introduction to La Paz Bolivia. The airport at El Alto is at least 1000m higher than La Paz. Driving down a big curving road you have an almost birds eye view of La Paz and the astounding Mt Ilimani. The sun rakes across the buildings that cling to the side of the canyon. A sight to behold and an beautiful photo op to boot -but not this morning. After a sleepless night all I could do was gaze and smile. An interesting fact about the airport. It’s the highest airport on earth and because the air is so thin, the airplanes need a 5km runway to land and to take off. Man, did we come in FAST this morning! Any craft flying out of La Paz will burn so much of it’s fuel that a refueling stop in nearby Santa Cruz Bolivia is essential. I couldn’t figure out why there were no flights direct to Miami…and that’s why for all you interested.

As we trundled up and down through rush hour La Paz we dipped into shadow and ascended into orange morning light, I wondered why I had not heard more of this place: it’s BEAUTIFUL. Winding cobble stone roads, colonial architecture…I thought of her history and specifically how (and why) in the hell anyone would’ve seen the potential in building this high up…what forsight! Obviously Captain Alonzo de Mendoza convinced the right people and those people had friends who bought in…..GOLD baby. Yup, those Spaniards of the 1500s sure had a nose for it. Apparently the River Choqueyapu (or CHOKE as it’s now known) was full of the yellow stuff……today it’s full of a different yellow stuff…

Checked into my suite and crashed.

Woke up round noon and spent the remainder of the day bombing around in another taxi cab shopping for shoes. Here I grew even more enamoured by the ups and downs and twists and turns of the city. Imagine San Francisco but with steeper hills all cobble stone…and now replace all the Americans with the Cholita (the colourfully dressed ‘market women’) -trust me it’s nice. here’s a snap.

quaint isn’t it? But don’t get me wrong. There are lots of deisel fumes, lots of stray dogs, lots of homeless folks….it’s South America, whadaya expect!?!?! But really, all in all, a very well kept secret.

gotta fly, assignment starts tomorrow.

hugs

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