High Coffee

While preparing this journal, it seemed natural to try and fit in a colonial coffee experience. How did 19th century Bolivians drink coffee and tea? Despite knowing La Paz well, I couldn’t think of a suitable candidate. I asked around and people dismissed me; culinary memories do not exist in the Bolivian culture.

Luckily, markets provide wonderful insights into old times and traditions; thus they compensate for the lack of written traditions in many areas of the world. There is little doubt that the essence of Kashgar’s market had changed very little since Marco Polo visited there.

Bolivian Breakfasts at Sopocachi Market

Beyond the ubiquitous street markets, Bolivian cities feature traditional covered markets resembling very much Asian ones. The food products and house ware areas are almost identical in both places. The difference lies with the food plaza. Bolivian ones usually have smaller ones and are divided into morning stalls – serving breakfasts and coffee – and lunch areas that operate until the late afternoon. In Asian markets, every stall specializes on a dish, or related dishes, while in Bolivia the stalls are defined according to the meal they serve.

Sopocachi is one of the La Paz quarters; its lowest part reaches the main riverbed splitting the city and is thus part of downtown La Paz. Guachalla Street is just a few blocks away from the UMSA University – the main one in La Paz – and hosts the Sopocachi Market, a relic dating back a few centuries. That means reaching the market is a breeze from everywhere in downtown. Occupying much less than a block, the market cannot be a significant shopping center of the modern city; many stalls operated on the street. Yet, inside, the traveler can still meet a traditional market and drink a cup of coffee or tea.


Breakfast stalls in Bolivia are very humble. There is a small cooking area featuring a gas balloon, a kettle, a bottle of coffee concentrate, another of black tea concentrate and a jar filled with leaves and herbs used for the preparation of herbal infusions. Nearby are a tiny, old television showing the last soap-opera, and a couple of long benches on either side of a table. All customers share a single table, two in the largest establishments.

The breakfasts offered in the markets include from simple bread with a hot drink, to which a piece of cheese can be added, to sandwiches, the last include fried egg, minced meat and cold meats versions. The breads served here are typical of Bolivia – the commonest are called "marraquetas" and "sarnas" – and should be avoided; in official publications it had been made known that they contain bromates. These compounds are widely recognized as causing cancer and are prohibited in most of the world.

The only available cheese in the markets is of the solid white version and is extremely salty, I recommend tasting a little bit before considering it. Eggs are not recommended since they are not refrigerated and thus the danger of salmonella is real. Meat is also kept in the open, and in the markets it may contain trichina. Moreover, the general sanitary conditions are poor, thus the only safe way of enjoying such an adventure is by drinking an unaccompanied hot drink, which is prepared with boiling water in front of the customers’ eyes.

The variety of herbal teas is what impressed me first. Those include chamomile, a local type of mint, coca, anis and others fresh leaves. They are prepared by putting a generous amount of leaves in a cup, pouring boiling water over them and then covering the metallic cup with a saucer for a few minutes. This is the moment to mention that coca leaves infusions are inactive and completely safe. A common choice is called "trimate" ("three tea-infusions") and is prepared with anis, chamomile and coca.

Black tea and coffee are prepared out of concentrates. This type of coffee is called here "destilado." Despite being a handy option, it means the final result is not very fresh; extraordinary amounts of sugar mask the taste of the drink.

Taking proper care, the most remote and exotic markets can provide exciting views into the exotic cultures and remote times.

Deep Underneath

Roughly than two miles above the see level but deep under the ground, is a place where coffee flows and the surrounding town is forgotten.

Hiding a food establishment underground is seldom a good way of advertising it. It is improbable that such a place would become popular, after all, while people go to eat out, they want just that: to look at the crowds, at a beautiful landscape or just to be seen.

The Best manages to break this concept. La Paz harsh environment invites this reversal: bright altitude-light, polluted air with poisonous fuel vapors, unyielding, violent crowds, ubiquitous heavy-armed policemen and packs of wild dogs patrolling the town, encourage the creation of shelters, places where the city is kept out of sight.

Location

Located at the kitty corner of the UMSA (La Paz main university) the Best enjoys an excellent location on the main avenue dividing the town; it occupies the underground floor of the Shopping V Centenario. The last is a small mall with little to offer beyond its restaurant; the crowds obey gravity and flow downwards, underground.

Once inside, the city can be forgotten, at least for a while. Two semicircular staircases lead down to the restaurant which is divided into two parts. The cashier (where the menu can be studied and orders are placed) is covered below the entrance. The sitting area is placed below a circular shaft running up along the mall, so that the visitors to the shops can watch the diners and be tempted into joining them. Colorful fluorescent lights of different shapes adorn the space and many TV screens are tuned to HTV’s lively music. A tree was placed at the very center of the sitting area, adding yet another surreal touch to the place.

Prices

In 2007, the management of the Best was changed, since then the new owners make a point of raising the prices frequently in steady steps. Thus I avoid giving here a detailed description of the prices. However, as of the end of 2008, a filter coffee costs 6 BOB (less than $1), an "Especial de la Tarde" costs 9 BOB ($1.25), and the most expensive breakfasts reach the $4 mark. As a rule of thumb, the plac is a bit less expensive than coffee shops along the nearby "El Prado," the main avenue in the city.

Menu

Since the Best is open from early in the morning until night, its menu is designed to cover different meals. The lunch and dinner options are of the fast food type, but the whole menu is available at all hours. It is not rare to spot a local eating a hamburger with French fries before 8 AM.

Their breakfast is my favorite way to begin a day while in La Paz. There are many options for a breakfast here (two pages in their menu) from the rather Continental "Especial de la Tarde" up to the "Desayuno Grande." The last resembles a small banquet and includes a steak, two eggs, two toasts, French fries, fruits juice and coffee. Other options include pancakes, fruits salads and their flag breakfasts, inspirationally called Best 1 and Best 2. The first includes two eggs, two toasts, jam, butter and a coffee while the seconds adds to that a fruit juice with milk.

However, the best option for a light breakfast is the "Especial de la Tarde" (Afternoon’s Special) that includes three toasts, jam, butter and a coffee or a tea. In a very unusual fashion for Bolivia, the coffee served is regular filter coffee, a vast improvement on the local "destilado;" refills are served regularly, being this an exclusive characteristic of the Best in La Paz and providing thus another reason for visiting it, especially when planning a long coffee break. During the mornings, the coffee is usually fresh, though in the afternoon it waits for customers during long periods of time, being thus often burned.

In one of the world’s highest cities, poetic justice demands its Best coffee shop to be deep underground.

The Israeli Center in La Paz

Eli and Dorit – an Israeli couple – run El Lobo, an institution that have become the main Israeli restaurant in La Paz and the most famous hangout for the many backpackers from that country visiting the city. As in Bangkok, I decided it was time to visit the Israeli headquarters.

Setup

Located at the corner of Santa Cruz and Illampu streets, El Lobo enjoys a premium spot in the tourists area of La Paz. Occupying the second floor of the structure, it allows good views of the Witches Market.

The inner space is greenish, literally so. The walls and ceilings are covered with photocopied photographs of past customers – some of them even autographed – stuck on a dirty green background. Arches and stylish lamps complete the decorations.

Several rows of benches fill the irregular inner space, some of them feature pillows, but most of them were just bare wood, in an oddly fitting the clientele Military-Spartan style.

The bathrooms were quite small and cramped. The lack of music was felt in the cavernous main space, which was isolated from the street noise; the quiet was eerie, maybe this was the result of the lack of any other customers at the time of my visit.

Menu

The menu offered dishes popular in Bolivia as well as a wide section of Israeli hits; as in Bangkok, I had decided before the visit to check the hummus, the acid test of the Middle Eastern cuisine.

However, the menu held a surprise. For a little extra ($4 for the whole dish), I could order a big plate of hummus with falafel. I couldn’t refuse that, and ordered without a second look at the colorful menu.

The Coffee

Being the journal’s theme "High Coffee," this item was high in my list of priorities while visiting El Lobo. Yet, they offered only the soluble type and the Bolivian "destilado" (see the market entry in this journal) and thus I gave up. For a second I considered dropping this establishment from the journal – it could fit others – but then, it reflects the fact that two miles above the sea level, good coffee becomes a luxury.

Hummus with Falafel

The first disturbing sign that something was wrong was when sachets of ketchup, mustard and mayonnaise were put in front of me. Was I supposed to cover the hummus with ketchup and mayonnaise? Was the mustard supposed to spice up the falafel? I ignored them. The spicy sauce that was put next to them was more similar to the Bolivian "red llajua" spice than to anything found in the Middle East, but it was perfect for the dish.

After a while a big plate – on the verge of being call a small tray – was put in front of me. It contained a substantial amount of hummus with what looked as tahini at its center. Nearby was a generous amount of thick French fries and on the rest of the plate was a salad of tomatoes and cucumbers chopped into small cubes, the last are the base for most Israeli salads. Falafel balls covered the other items in the central part of the plate. Two warm pitas in the Palestinian/Israeli style (resembling a pocket) were put nearby.

The French fries were as good as the salad; it is hard to miss with those dishes, though onions, garlic and olive oil for the salad were missing. It is remarkable that all the items had arrived without spices despite the Bolivian custom of pouring incredible amounts of salt on everything. Here the customer had the freedom to choose the spices on his food. The falafel balls were small, meaning that most of their inner part have been deep-fried (on the verge of burned); beyond their crunchiness, they were rather difficult to assess.

The hummus posed a different difficulty. At first it was hard to say what was wrong. It had green spots of parsley and red areas of paprika, both well established spices for that dish. The tahini was rather tasteless and created an obstacle for assessing the hummus paste. Soon it became obvious that neither the tahini nor the hummus contained any olive oil – its taste cannot be easily masked – and that the hummus lacked garlic. The Palestinian/Israeli hummus usually contains garlic which gives it a peculiar taste absent in hummus from other regions. I was expecting that, Bolivian restaurants seldom invest in the best ingredients. Yet there was something else. Tasting and tasting, I almost finished the dish without being able to understand what else was wrong. It had something to do with the texture – it was too inconsistent - and then the taste was kind of diluted, I could barely feel the chickpeas essence. Putting that in words gave me the answer: the hummus have been augmented with water. Was that a sign to similarly dilute the expected tip?

The Chacaltaya Mountain and the Moon Valley are both nearby downtown La Paz and are offered as a single combined day tour by all the travel agents in town; a combined tour costs around 50BOB (slightly above $7 as per the end of 2008) per person; usually there are daily departures from Sagarnaga Street near the San Francisco Church.

Chacaltaya

The Chacaltaya was until a few years ago the highest developed ski area in the world, but the global warming has left only a few patches of an unfed glacier without any snow. Nowadays, the most of the year brown mountain is dwarfed among tallest, snowed peaks; though, if visiting during the rainy summer, the mountain would be white with snow immediately after a rainstorm in the city.

The similarities between Kathmandu and La Paz are often striking; however, when I was in Nepal, reaching Kalla Pattar - just above the Everest Base Camp at around 5600 meters - took me almost three weeks of walking amidst the most beautiful mountains on earth, while La Paz offered a half a day tour up to the Chacaltaya at 5395 meters, with most of the way made by car.

It is better to attempt the task after acclimatizing a bit to the altitude of La Paz, though due to the short distance climbed, it is doable without that as well as long as some simple rules are observed. The statistics favor the last option: one of the members in our car felt bad and vomited, but all the others felt great. While climbing be sure to keep well hydrated and avoid running; there is no way the scarce oxygen would allow such a feat.

Reaching the Hut

The tourists' minivan reaches the Alpine Hut at 5300 meters and from there, the visitors walk to the summit the remaining ninety-five meters. The event looks insignificant, but most visitors arrive without a proper acclimatization and thus can barely accomplish the task.

Approaching the Chacaltaya by foot or rented car is tempting due to its closeness to El Alto. However, gangs occupy the nearby areas and the experience is not recommended; apparently part of the experience relatively steep fee goes as protection money.

Surroundings

The beautiful Huayna Potosi, 6088m, is close enough almost for touching; the visit is a good opportunity for inspecting the eastern path leading to its top. Treks of three days leading to its summit are available from La Paz. The magnificent Illimani and the headless Mururata mountains can be seen in a clear day, the last one revealing its duo of strangely flattened peaks, which are only hinted from the city. Beyond the Huayna, the impressive Condoriri and Illampu mountains can be seen in humble side views.

A Coffee for Champions

The hut was the ski service centre in the past but nowadays it just charges the entry fee (10BOB, almost $1.5 as of the end of 2008) and offers hot drinks at a quasi-improvised cafeteria. From the hut a nearby summit with a cable tow is clearly seen; this is the false summit at 5375m. Behind it and out of sight is the real summit at 5395m; for reaching the real one, the false summit must be reached and from there the left side of the fork in the path must be taken take.

The cafeteria at the Alpine Hut is rather basic, small tables and simple chairs are all the visitors can find there, except of course for the awesome views. I did try also the coffee and the hot chocolate (one before climbing, the other after). The coffee was of the soluble type and acceptable only due to the unusual conditions of the place. The chocolate was prepared in Bolivian style: very fat milk diluted with water and with a bit of chocolate powder; the views outside the window made it acceptable.

Is this the highest coffee shop in the world?

This is a tough question. The highest coffee shop in the Everest area is at Gorak Shep, a stop nearby the Everest Base Camp at 5200 meter. The Chacaltaya Alpine Hut is a hundred meters above that; I have not heard yet of a higher shop.

Down in the Deep South

A couple of visitors I entertained in La Paz were surprised to find the richest part of the city is in the southeast; at their home the parallel was on the northern side. "Zona Sur" (South Zone) in La Paz is a synonym of "rich." Understanding the topography explains that; the Andean High Plateau breaks down in this area and La Paz was constructed on the narrow valley descending from the plateau. El Alto, which is the nearest city, was built just next to on the plateau north of La Paz. The rich built homes in lower – and thus slightly hotter – areas south of La Paz. One of them is Calacoto – also known as San Miguel – were many of the embassies and best restaurants in town are. Among them is Café Beirut.

Setup

Café Beirut offers a large sitting area, divided into a semi-open area facing the street and another one placed well within the establishment. Despite this area being substantially lower than downtown La Paz, the climate conditions are still harsh; sitting inside is the natural option.

The decoration is based on traditional Arabic motifs, including a wall covered with colorful "shisha" smoking filters and a real size belly-dancer painted on one of the walls.

Lights on or off?

Early in the morning, I sat in a remote inner corner, away from the street, the light and the noise. Soon a waiter appeared from nowhere and while approaching me hit a hidden button. A strong spotlight – with almost the power of a mild super-nova star – blinded me.

Do you like the lights on? was his first question.

Following my answer and his subsequent action, I could see again and picked up the menu.

This was a colorful booklet printed atop a black background. Café Beirut Breakfast was my natural choice. I wanted to see their best, and at $4 it was their most impressive option.

Toilets

While waiting for the food, I inspected the toilets; they were spacious and very clean, even the gender signs were stylized in Muslim motifs. Few establishments in La Paz display facilities of such high quality.

Juice or Salad?

The breakfast included fruits in the form of juice or salad. I asked the waiter which fruits did they have and got a long list; the tropics in Bolivia produce an awesome variety of those. Wanting a though test for the establishment, I chose the peach juice.

Peaches in Bolivia are small; before being consumed they are usually dehydrated and used for the preparation of a drink known as "qhisa." Thus getting a proper peach juice is difficult; especially since it is custom to dilute all the fruit juices with too much water. To my absolute surprise, I got a perfect tall glass of peach juice, with no ice and the absolute minimum of water added.

Omelet

The omelet was served with fresh, flat pita bread cut in four triangles; Beirut not being (yet) in the list of cities I have visited, I am not sure this is the type of pitas consumed there. Being dryer, they are less pleasant than the pocket-type ones.

The huge omelet included generous amounts of ham, tomato, parsley, onion and cheese; a mint leave had been joyfully placed next to it. It was served steaming hot and was with no doubt the best omelet I had in South America. It was thick and the ingredients have been cut into small pieces, so that the blending of savors was perfect. The only thing that prevents me of expanding the superlative was the fact it had astonishing amounts of salt that made me thirsty for hours.

Beirut’s Coffee

The Arabic coffee was served here in two variations. The simplest one included cardamom, while the "Cafe Beirut" added to it a bit of lemon. Intrigued about this creative touch, I asked for the second.

The coffee arrived in an attractive cup, though I was expecting one of those small metallic kettles traditionally served to the table; they seem to contain the very romantic essence of the Arabic desert. A nearby wall covered with "shishas" (nargilas) caused me to expect that; but it was not only that, another wall depicted a belly-dancer in action, the owners were speaking Arabic, and soft Arabic music was being played in the background; I took the kettle as granted and got a bit disappointed at the sight of the small cup.

I smelled the cardamom immediately and took a small sip. The lemon could not be tasted and the cardamom had been added as powder, it was not cooked with the coffee as custom in the Middle East demands. The difference is substantial; cooking it leaves a stronger aroma and taste. Yet, with the distance, some compromises can be forgiven.