La Paz is a really awesome city with a ton of things to see. Unlike the US, there are no Targets or Walmarts, practically everything is bought from street markets. There a ton of markets, by favorite being el Mercado de Brujas (Witches Market) although I think I’m overstaying my welcome. One thing I’ve noticed in La Paz is there always seems to be some sort of dancing going on. 
My first week here we walked about this little show going on on the Prado. The women are wearing traditional Aymara dress (although I don’t know about the hats) and dancing to live music! I can’t tell if all the dancing is for the month-long bicentennial celebration or just for the fun of it.
I’m finally getting to know the city better, and even found out how to use the post office the other day. I was super surprised to find out its open until 8pm! Ok maybe thats not a huge deal but its amazing how much more time you feel like you have when you can go to the post office past 5 pm.
La Paz has a lot of beautiful Catholic churches that are very obviously influenced by the Spanish (by the amounts of gold). Many Bolivians are Catholic, although it is often mixed with traditional indigenous religious customs as well.
Iglesia de San Francisco
The Iglesia de San Francisco is a beautiful church built after the Spanish came to Bolivia. They don’t allow pictures to be taken inside the church which is too bad, because it is one of the most amazing churches I’ve ever seen. The interior is covered in so much gold its unbelievable. The walls are lined with statues of various Saints, but they are not statues like anything I’ve seen in the US – they are much more animated and if I may, kind of creepy!
Catedral
This past Sunday we tried to check out the Cathedral at Plaza Murillo but it was closed. I haven’t quite figured out how a church is not open on a Sunday afternoon but who knows.
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- Catedral
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- Iglesia de San Francisco
July 22, 2009 at 8:44 pm
the pix are S U P E R cool! it sounds like you are having tons ad ton of fun!
July 22, 2009 at 9:06 pm
Sarah-
Are you working or site-seeing? just Kidding. Looks like a beautiful place. The cool thing about taking this opportunity to go to LaPaz is that if you were just picking a place for vacation, you might never go here. I was looking through archives of the amazing race. They were in Bolivia. The road block was to wrestle Chilopas (women wrestlers). Have you done that yet? I am anxious for you to get home so we can see all of your picts. We’ll watch the ‘race’ then also. Love Dad.
July 24, 2009 at 11:54 am
Just got home from Florida and had to catch up on the great adventures of Sarah in Bolivia. Thanks for taking us all along.