La Pa La Pa La Pa La Pazzzzz....

That is what you hear trying to catch a bus to La Paz from say Copa Copa Copacabana. I do have to explain. Here in this part of the world you can buy everything on the street. From the most obvious things to the unthinkable from dried llama fetuses, ingredients for witches potions to medicine claiming to solve your bladder problems.

And those selling make it a point to shake off their competition by constantly and as loud as possible shouting out what they are selling, at times explaining what their product does even if it helps urinataion problems. And with this keep in mind that La paz is a market place, with markets everywhere and all the time.

Getting around this city built in a valley at 3600m is done using small and at times not so small vans called combis. Besides the driver each single bloody combi has a guy who`s solo job is to shout out the location and price of his destination . And they sing out names of their destinations adding to the chaos of vendors.

So in all I spent a bit over a week in La Paz. A market city, whose setting, shoeshine boys, thin polluted air and people themselves makes this city truly unique.

I happened to be here for the 1st of May celebrations where in plaza Murillo a couple of blocks away from my hostel, the Evo Morales, the Bolivian socialist president, gave his speach amongst the parades by the faithful followers dressed in thier traditional costumes, a perfect opportunity to people watch and photograph.

An hour south from the city is Valle Della Luna, a valley with weird rock formations and splendid views, whick makes a perfect escape from the bustling city life.

Also worth talking about was the El Alto market. If you think you saw it all head over for the market held on Thurdays and Sundays where people from all over the city to seel or buy all sorts of things from food and clothes to spare parts and live stock amongst fortune tellers ......and The view from El Alto alone is worth the trip. Illamani with it`s 3 snow capped peaks steals the spotlight.

And for those up for a wild night head off to Vivienne`s, a dodgy illegal bar whom I got to know of way after I had already left La Paz so u can let me know how it goes ...if you make it out !!!