2026 Mar 13-16: La Paz

Four days in La Paz, at 12,000 feet the highest big city in the world.

Our airbnb is in the Sopocachi district, on the 18th floor of an apartment tower. The Plaza Eduardo Abaroa, lots of activity, frequent organized events, is a block away:

La Paz, population 2 million, is in a canyon:

It’s expandsd up the walls, and to help people get up & down, there’s an extensive gondola aystem, the teleférico:

Lots of cafes & restaurants in Sopocachi. One that turned out not to be great but had funny art work is Chez Moustache; also a good ramen spot where we sampled Bolivian lager Hauri - and liked it:

On the 2nd say, i think, we went up to the central, historic district, with the Iglesia de San Francisco; a famous restaurant Bolivian Popular Food, where we had probably our best lunch; And the witches market:

‘Couple thinfs to note: lots of women in traditional indigenous dress, thick clots of power wires everywhere.

Across rhe xanyon to Jaen Street and the area around Plaza Murillo:

Visited the museum of art there:

By rhe way, La Paz is crawling with jitney busses. Most are mere vans with 3 or 4 rows of seats, but some are old Dodge busses:

There’s a big open space (or so it shows on the map) at the base of the canyon, which is filled (maybe temporarily) with covered carnival stalls selling misc or with games, food or music. Literally miles of labyrenthine passageways:

Back in Sopocachi, a block from our airbnb, is a fascinating restaurant: Diesel Nacional. Had a very good dinner there:

Sunday @ 5 we went & witnessed Cholitas Wrestling:

Last dinner, at manq’a; quite good:

Picked up @ 6:30 AM for the bus to Copacabana. Leaving La Paz: