Language Lessons in Bolivia

We went to study Spanish, and much of our time was spent in classes and on school activities. Walking around the "ciudad blanca" was a diversion in a place with excellent weather for walking most of the year.

Quick Tips:

Do not miss Potosi, the Sunday market in Tarabuco, any local fiesta that might happen while you are in Sucre, and sampling the wide array of local restaurants which offer not only Andean food but also good French, German, Italian, and Chifa options.

Best Way To Get Around:

Taxis are usually the best way to get around Sucre and for trips to nearby places, including Potosi. The cost for short distance trips rarely exceeds US for short trips, and Potosi is less than round trip for 2 people. Roads are bad so flying is essential for longer trips to La Paz, Cochabamba, or Santa Cruz

While it calls itself vegetarian, the menu also lists "German Meat Specialties!" Terrible pan de coca, but otherwise interesting and well-cooked vegetarian food. Service is slow, not rare in Bolivia.

Fine French restaurant in the Alliance Francais near the Plaza, only open for dinner. Some of the best French food I have had outside France and at a fraction of the price one pays in the US or Europe. Went with a group and had fantastic steaks, the most expensive item on the menu. With lots of wine and side dishes the bill was about US$25 per person!

An utter waste of time. The new park is about 1/2 km from the wall with dinosaur prints and there is no closer access. The park itself has a number of model dinos, but Sinclair gas stations in the US used to have them too! A waste of time and money.

One of the world's premier markets for textiles, the Sunday market in Tarabuco is colorful beyond description. Lovely textiles (and some not so good ones) are available at reasonable prices. Just walking around the market is fascinating. Easy access by bus or taxi from Sucre, about 1 1/2 hours on (for Bolivia) a good road.

We enrolled for 2 weeks of semi-private lessons in the centrally located school, and it was money well spent. The staff is very good, the lessons well-planned, and the atmosphere is a fine one for language learning. The Bolivian accent is clear and easy for a novice to follow (unlike Argentina), and the price is unbeatable. A two week course costs less than a couple of hour-long sessions with a private tutor here.