11/3 La Paz

Nice hotel brekky. C was up chucking last night´s dinner but was pretty much ok after that.Strolled across town to the main plaza. Saw the Courts and the Parliament around the main plaza (where they hang Presidents!).

Cathedral

Front of Presidential palace

View of hillsides fromdowntown, Huge flower market on right

Hundreds of these beautiful old buses everywhere.

Decided to follow the contour line back because it is very hilly. Delighted to find a Maccas imitation where we got cappucinos and croissants with cheese for $1.50. The road continued into a running street market with stalls everywhere just like Bali or KL. Best of all - no hassling at all and prices very cheap. If only we had luggage space.

Looking for something other than fried chicken or burgers for lunch then we stumbled across a ceviche eatery. Locals only and no menus etc but we managed to get by with junior Spanish and hand waving. We shared a small bowl for a sample. It is raw fish and shellfish that has been cured in lime juice and coriander. Just dont drink the juice. Very fresh and tasty. They served it with bits of potato and sweet potato and some toasted corn. We waved effusive thanks and congratulations on the cuisine (Nos gusto la comeda) and headed for the door but they insisted we return for another bowl of what looked like the same sauce as a soup. This was quite sweet and very pleasant. They also gave us a shot glass which J tasted and almost collapsed. Calliente!!!!!! (hot) I dabbed a fingertip and that was plenty ferocious.

The pedestrial path continued across a freeway and became a clothes market. Not a lot of stalls because it was Sunday but interesting garb. My cargo pants have split across the knee and need replacing. I was suddenly and inexplicably smitten by an almost weightless emerald green Bolivia soccer shirt. It turned out to be that clever tech stuff that you wear as a skin layer. Very pleased with that for $4. The path eventually took us back to the hotel.

Walked through the witches market which was an eye opener. Most obviously the dried llama foetus that they had everywhere. Hello Aussie Customs - NOT. Apparently you bury one of these under your new house and Paschamama protects you from earthquakes. I dont think they are witches in the vicious sense of the word - rather just practitioners of ancient cultural beliefs. We bought a small clay button thingy that is destined to become a fridge magnet. It features the Sun bringing energy.

We met at the pub where the group had gathered for a presentation by the organisers of the mountain bike rides down Death Road. We skipped that and went for dinner with Gordon and Yvonne. Back to the pub in time for performance of my latest song recording how hotttt Sam was in a Gstring and how it was necessary to stop her wearing them to protect the glaciers and polar ice caps. They all enjoyed that and then officially toasted our farewell, although we are going to be around another day here and will see them all again - at least in Lima.

Turns out my $4 shirt has white lapels of glaringly different size and shape. Grrrr.