La Paz

La Paz is a city of only 1.2 million people (can you tell I'm a New Yorker?), but its neighborhoods are sprawled across a long stretch of mountain cliffs. It turned out to be a much different city than Dixie and I had anticipated: larger and more modern. And while traces of it's colonial past remain, it is only one of La Paz's many flavors.



Unfortunately, we've lost 2 half-days in La Paz because I was sick when we first got here and then our return from Salar de Uyuni was delayed by a day due to a strike (resulting in a 14 hour bus ride that I really don't want to relive or recount). Nonetheless, our visit was well-timed: we arrived the day of University Folkloric Parade and during Bolivia's Independence Day celebrations.