Underneath the Andes

The Municipal Zoo of La Paz is located in the area of Mallasa, in the city’s deep south. This part of La Paz is scarcely inhabited; as a result, the zoo layout is extensive, the enclosures are big and the distances among them large. Unluckily, it is also the richest part of the city, meaning that all the food and snacks available are much more expensive than in downtown. The place is just 3100 meters above the sea level, much lower than the rest of La Paz and El Alto, thus visiting the zoo can provide a much needed break during the acclimatization process.

Reaching Mallasa

Mallasa can be reached with bus 11 from El Prado, the main avenue in downtown La Paz; as well, every minivan with a sign saying "Mallasa" is good. Once in Mallasa, the zoo cannot be missed due to the big esplanade by its entrance, after crossing the Mallasa neighborhood’s center.

The zoo is open every day, the entrance fee as of the end of 2008 is 3.5BOB, roughly half American dollar.

Snacks

Being small, the zoo lacks cafeterias, restaurants and kiosks. A long row of kiosks is next to its entrance, while a line of restaurants parallel to them is across the road. If leaving the zoo for a snack, do not forget to get a lion stamped on your hand before exiting the gates, otherwise re-entry is not permitted. The kiosks sell also food for the fish in the big pond inside the zoo.

Nearby Attractions

A visit to the zoo can be combined with a visit to the Moon Valley. The last is between Mallasa and Calacoto; it can be seen at the left side of the road, just before reaching Mallasa. All the public transport reaching the last stops at the Moon Valley.

Another point of interest is a rock formation called the "Devil’s Tooth;" it is next to the zoo. Visible from most of La Paz, here is the best place for studying it, though it may be a bad idea seeing it after a visit at the dentist.

Choosing a Path

Big zoos resemble labyrinths, getting lost in them – or missing exhibitions – is a real danger. This is not a probable outcome in La Paz. A circular path – rather wide for most of the way – leads between the enclosures and cages. The best strategy for a visit is thus advancing along it and leaving it – sometimes to the left, others to the right – for close inspections of the nearest denizen.

Condors’ Dome

Zoos are a quite repetitive affair and thus not high in my list of priorities while visiting a city, unless they feature some special attraction. That’s the case with the pandas in Beijing or the white tigers and komodo dragons in Singapore.

The biggest attraction in La Paz is the condors’ dome. It can be seen from far away, its shape plays joyfully with the surrounding cliffs. However, from nearby it is more impressive, maybe due to the fact it resembles very little the idea most of us have of a birds’ cage. Made of iron bars arranged in rather big rectangles and put in two concentric layers, it is possible to pass a small camera inside the cage and take unobstructed pictures of the condors.

Condors are a ubiquitous symbol in Bolivia; they are featured almost on every official item. Yet, they cannot be easily seen in the wild. Despite extensive trips on the Andean High Plateau and adjacent areas, I have never seen one in the wild. The zoo in La Paz provides thus a golden opportunity to see them. Despite its size, the dome is not large enough for these big birds; in two long visits, I have never spotted one trying to fly. Sitting on a small mountain of rocks, they take care of their wings or lazily pick on food.

Two species of vultures in the Americas are called "condor," one of them inhabits the Andes Mountains. These birds are the largest in the Americas and are related to falcons, hawks, and eagles. The Andean Condor wingspan is around three meters, while the body length can reach 1.35m; an adult male can weight 15kgs. The adult plumage is black, with the exception of white feathers surrounding the neck’s base; condors have distinctive bare heads. The last is flattened and in the male is crowned with a caruncle or comb, while the skin of his neck lies in folds forms a wattle. The condors are carrion-eaters and can live fifty years or more; they mate for life and the male is larger than the female, unlike in other birds of prey. Nowadays, the Andean Condor is an endangered species.

Tapirs and Camelids

The zoo collection is a good exhibit of the fauna in the various Bolivian habitats. Being a varied country – it features Amazonian Basin, high valleys, altitude desert and other climatic zones – the collection is fascinating. The fact that it is not a comprehensive one makes the visit a light one, suitable of a lazy afternoon in the highlands. From tapirs to llamas, the zoo covers all the Bolivian fauna highlights.

The main Amazonian attraction is the tapir; resembling a pig with a prehensile snout, it inhabits the Bolivian Amazonian Basin. They can weight up to 300kg, though most of the specimens in the zoo are much smaller. The Bolivian type features a black fur.

However, an animal linked to Bolivia as much as the condor is, is the llama and its relatives. A bit confusing at the beginning, there are four types of camelids in the country; it helps to remember them in pairs. The alpaca looks very much like a small llama, while a guanaco is a small version of a vicuña.

The llama is by far the best known of these animals. It was used as a beast of burden by the Inca, and now it is used mainly for its wool and meat. A llama can reach 1.8m height and 200kg weight; they are herd animals and are known to spit whatever they have in their mouth (usually a mix of grass and saliva) whenever they feel threatened, so that pointing at them from nearby is not recommended. The alpacas are their smaller relatives and are known by the extraordinary amount of fine wool they produce.

Unlike the llama, the vicuña is a wild camelid, known by its very fine wool, which is produced in small quantities (it is shorn only every three years). They can reach 1.6m height and a weight of up to 70kg. Scarves prepared of vicuña wool are one of the main souvenirs sold to tourists in the country. They can be differentiated easily from the llama: they are slimmer, feature long, thin necks and are exclusively brown, while llamas have wool of different colors. The guanaco is similar t the vicuña but much smaller.

Placed in a central enclosure of the zoo, the camelids are very much at home in this altitude desert and are much ignored by the locals, to the delight of travelers from far away lands.

Timing

Despite La Paz being a relatively cold city, the radiation at such an altitude is extreme. That means that being under the sun in the couple of hours before and after noon is not recommended. Visiting early in the morning or after a healthy lunch at one of the open restaurants by the entrance is the best option.

Sagarnaga Street could be compared to Khaosan Road in Bangkok, to Thamel in Kathmandu or any other backpackers’ center around the world; however, the street lacks the spicy ambience of those. It is too small with too few establishments catering for the travelers; moreover, tourists suffering from mild altitude sickness concentrate on surviving the street’s wild slope and slippery cobblestones and have little stamina left for turning the street into a lively place.

Altitude Slopes

The street is quite steep; during rainy days it is dangerous (I have seen a bus slipping down without control, it hit a metal post and stopped there; no further damage was caused). Walking it upwards during the first days of a stay in La Paz is almost impossible, unless having arrived acclimatized to the altitude. Thus it is recommended to explore it downwards, from the Illampu Street (also very popular with travelers) towards the San Francisco Church. The alleys perpendicular to it are easier to walk and offer an impressive concentration of souvenir shops, including a number of shops specializing in Bolivian music instruments.

Internet and Phones

Being the most popular spot in town for tourists, kiosks offering internet and international phone services abound. It must be said that all the phones are in fact VOIP (Voice over IP) and that the internet equipment and connections in this area are of low quality. Thus, it makes sense walking down El Prado Avenue (see that entry in this journal) to the UMSA University. Nearby, on the Iturralde Alley, are the best internet kiosks in town. Using Skype – or any other similar software – allows making international calls at a fraction of the price offered on Sagarnaga while enjoying a better quality.

Nearby Attractions

Nearby, on the junction between Illampu and Santa Cruz, is the "Witches Market", where everything ranging from coca leaves to llama fetuses can be purchased. At the corner on its lower end is the San Francisco Church, one of the main churches in town; built in Mestizo-Baroque style it is worth a special visit.

Nearby Markets

The Graneros Market, on the street of that name, is one of the largest clothes markets n the city; it is parallel to Sagarnaga and can be reached trough any of the several alleys connecting both of them. Despite those being of low quality, it is worth visiting, since few such open markets still exist. Rows of blue-painted stalls cover the steep slope of the street.

Mercado Lanza is near the San Francisco Church, though by the end of 2008 has been temporarily moved a bit upwards due to the construction of a new structure aimed at housing it. This market specializes in food and house ware and is a good place for tasting the local "destilado" coffee; other foods are not recommended since there is no refrigeration in Bolivia; salmonella and trichina (in the case of meat from trash-eating animals, donkey meat sold as beef is a regular problem) are real dangers.

Best Souvenirs

Markets designed for travelers are a tricky affair. Most of the knickknacks are useless and at times difficult or even impossible to transport. What would I do with a dried out llama fetus? How can I explain it at the airport? The same goes for oversized ceramic cartoons of indigenous villages and activities. Tin and silver are common in Bolivian handicrafts, but the items are usually bulky and may cause problems at the customs.

Shopping for souvenirs is thus a difficult task. Luckily, the camelids of the Andean Plateau provide not only fetuses, but also wool. The fine alpaca wool appears in several colors, while the extra-fine vicuña one appears only in brown. The first is used mainly for big items, like sweaters, while the finer vicuña is usually saved for gloves and scarves; both make an elegant and easily transportable gift.

Two other items of interest are also related to textiles. Awayo is the name of the colorful clothes used for carrying babies and luggage by the indigenous population. They can be found near Sagarnaga on the upper part of the Graneros Street market, which runs parallel to it. The second are the wool head and ears covers; they are very typical of Bolivia, are easy to carry around and make a funny souvenir.

Travel Agencies

Many travel agencies occupy the street, some of them offering also internet and international phones services. The most basic tour combines Tiwanaku ruins with the Lake Titicaca and Copacabana, while the more extravagant options are biking down the Death Road, climbing peaks on the Andes, or trekking along Inca trails.

Shopping Malls

It is difficult to speak of shopping malls in La Paz; except for the smallish "Shopping Norte" there are none. Close enough, "galerias" are shops arranged within a house – usually a colonial one – in a crowded, long and narrow line. Sagarnaga Street features several of those, each one a reflection of the nearby street, hosting many souvenir shops and travel agencies. At the very bottom of the street – in front of the San Francisco Church – is the "Galeria La Republica" which is being opened as of the end of 2008 within a beautifully restored 19th century European styled building featuring a spiky dome. Apparently this one would be the most upmarket place in downtown la Paz.

On the cliffs connecting La Paz with El Alto and almost at 4000 meters above the sea level is Munaypata, one of the residential neighborhoods of La Paz. The views are awesome, the whole city of La Paz can be seen; at night is a river of light flowing through the narrow mountain valleys. Resembling an amphitheatre, the city leaves the stage to the Illimani Mountain, an isolated colossus reaching 6500 meters. Few people on Earth can claim to such views from their home, but that’s not all. Northwards are impressive cliffs leading to El Alto. The edge of the Andean High Plateau can be seen for a few miles; houses hang out at odd angles and sometimes dangerously. A few years ago a hailstones storm destroyed many of them. The setup is strange, nearby, the city of El Alto offers perfectly flat surroundings at accessible prices; the point is that most of these houses were built before El Alto was founded in 1985. As a rule of thumb, La Paz neighborhoods can be dated through their altitude, the lower the neighborhood is, the older. Fairly high, Munaypata dates from the 1960’s.

Name and Culture

The name is of Quechua origin and means "Hill of Love." Most of the population is of Aymara origins and is bilingual in Aymara and Spanish.

Location

Munaypata enjoys a key location, just below the Portada Junction, from where the Ballivian and La Ceja entry points to El Alto can be reached. That means that most of the public transport reaching El Alto from downtown La Paz, passes near Munaypata. However, the best way of reaching it is with the buses or minivans marked "X," since the final stop of that line is on Florida Avenue itself.

Feria and Markets

Another point of consideration while planning the visit is the market days. The biggest Feria is on Saturday’s mornings, on other days it displays a low level of activity. This feria is an open market in traditional stay, selling everything from Lake Titicaca fish to fruits and vegetables. The merchandise is arranged on the ground, below basic plastic covers. The permanent, covered markets of Santiago de Munaypata and San Jose are small and of no interest.

Setup

One main avenue splits the neighborhood; in a typical Spanish fashion it was (mis)-named Florida (flowery) though it is surrounded by barren ground. The rest of the neighborhood is scattered on the surrounding slopes.

Few entry points give access to the neighborhood, many of the convoluted streets have dead ends, forcing thus the visitor to walk on the very few open paths crossing the area. A new park was recently inaugurated; the only point of interest is the fence surrounding the grass; that’s the only way of protecting such a wonder in La Paz.

The houses are typical of La Paz; most of them are made of bare bricks, with others of adobe. Bricks are often left uncovered since the municipal taxes are higher otherwise. Thin windows within a metal frame and metallic doors complete the picture. Most streets are cobbled; others use even simpler stones, not even the main avenue is asphalted, an honor kept to Lima Street, which runs perpendicular to the main avenue, Florida. Again, asphalted streets raise the neighbors’ taxes and thus are not favored.

Atop the nearby hill, a cross can be seen this is the "Calvario." Most Bolivian hills have been transformed into one of those; special attention should be paid to the dangers. These points are often the center of pagan rites, including the sacrifice of animals. Signs of that can be seen if visiting during the day; visiting at night is definitely dangerous.

Drunken men in small groups abound around the main street corners, especially those with grocery shops. They and the heavy presence of the police, which is heavily armed, create a slightly uncomfortable ambience.

Churches

A remarkable point is the number of churches in this small neighborhood. There are more than ten, including two Roman Catholic, a Lutheran, a Baptist, several Pentecostal churches and others.

Food

Despite the large market and feria, there are few opportunities for eating in Munaypata. A few restaurants are scattered around Florida, but they serve only local fast food, especially "almuerzos" (set meals served at noon) and fried chicken during the evenings.

Dogs

Most of La Paz suffers of packs of wild dogs roaming free on its streets. Munaypata is not different. Dogs should not be approached; if one of them shows signs of turning violent then raise a stone from the street and hold it high, they know the move and would walk away.

Typical Sights

Such locations are wonderful for watching local life. The most typical sights in La Paz are people carrying small gas balloons on their shoulders and people standing below a house and throwing little stones at its windows. Simply, there are many thieves, so that houses are never left empty and people do not carry around their keys. The heavy metallic doors do not allow placing bells in a solid fashion – at least not easily – thus people announce their arrival by throwing stones. Another result of that is that cars do not park in the streets; all of them are ceremoniously put into garages. Look out for hanged puppets; they are a reminder for thieves that they would suffer the "Communitary Justice" if caught. That is legal in Bolivia, and more often than not means a public lynch. Rarity of western faces make tourists very visible, more than in Asia and thus the chance of being targeted is real.

Few avenues have a more confused name, even fewer Bolivians can tell the name of this short avenue at a given spot, it changes every few blocks; instead, everybody refers to it as "El Prado," which can be translated as the "Mall."

All the Roads Lead to El Prado

The avenue is the lowest point in downtown La Paz; it was built over the now covered Choqueyapu River. Finding it from everywhere is easy: just walk downwards.

It flows from the San Francisco Church to El Estudiante Plaza and despite being short is the heart of the cultural and commercial life of La Paz, providing the best walking space in the whole city. However, it is also the main transport artery in the city, which means that during the day the air is polluted and crossing the street is a task for Greek Heroes.

Despite the setup being somewhat unattractive, no other place compares to it when it comes to the offer of coffee shops, restaurants, cinemas and other activities apt for a traveler searching for a short break. Along its center is a wide sidewalk featuring little gardens and monuments.

Plaza del Estudiante

Built on a slope leading to the southern and lower parts of La Paz, the avenue reaches its lowest point at the Plaza del Estudiante, or the Students Plaza. Despite its name, the plaza features a sculpture of Sucre riding a horse (generals on horses are the favorite theme of South American plazas) set amidst palms. The monument was placed in 1926 and was prepared by the Italian Tadolini, who contributed works also to Caracas and Lima. By far, the main attraction is the palms growing well over two miles above the sea level and enduring snow during some years.

Six streets converge here, thus crossing the avenue at this point is not recommended, the most secure option – if wanting to cross the plaza – is walking one block downwards. Just after the UMSA building, there is a bridge allowing a comfortable and safe crossing. The UMSA building is one of the biggest in the city and features indigenous motifs from the Tiwanaku period; the building was opened in 1947 and at the time was the tallest in the city. It is the largest university in the country; it is also the second oldest in the country, after the San Francisco Xavier University in Sucre. A point of interest is a huge portrait of Che Guevara in the garden facing the street; it has well over twenty years.

Between the plaza and the university is the Iturralde Alley that offers the best internet connections and equipment in town.

Monumento a la Madre Patria

The oldest monument along the avenue represents the motherland, and is shaped like a woman; at first I thought it depicted Justice or another Greek goddess. It was prepared by the French sculptor Allouard and placed in 1901. The fountain beneath it does not work anymore.

Monumento a Cristóbal Colón

Strangely for a country amidst an indigenous culture revival process and with the first Aymara president in its history, one of the main monuments along this avenue is dedicated to Columbus. It was placed in 1926 and was done by the Italian sculptor Graciosa. Less strange is the fact that is the main target of graffiti vandalism.

Monumento a Simón Bolívar and Poste Restante

Two generals on horses adorn El Prado. The second one is of Bolivar; it is located upwards from Sucre and looks at the opposite direction; if it wasn’t for the sculpted names at the statues bases it would be impossible to differentiate between them. Two blocks upwards is the General Post Office of Bolivia, where Poste Restante services are offered. While picking up an item a fee is requested; the fee varies according to the clerk and there is no way of getting a receipt for it.

Plaza Obelisco

At the junction of El Prado with Camacho Street there is a small obelisk which doubles as a good landmark. In front of it is the Monument to the Unknown Soldiers of the Chaco War (1932-1935). There are two versions of it; in one the soldier is standing and defiant, in the second is lying dead. The first replaced the second in 1979, but since 2007, the dead soldier sculpture was restored to its historic place.

Restaurants

Several of the restaurants I have reviewed in the past for La Paz are along El Prado, or near it. It is hard to imagine a dinner in La Paz in any other location; with the exception of the restaurants along El Prado, most of the city businesses close early. The leading options for dining out are The Plaza Hotel, La Terraza and Alexander coffee shops, and the Dumbo and Brosso restaurants that are oriented toward families with children.

Upper El Prado

The upper part of the avenue is connected to the plaza in front of the San Francisco Church and Sagarnaga Street, thus a visit to those locations can be combined with a walk along El Prado.

The finest place for experiencing Colonial La Paz is Jaen Street, which hosts also a big part of the city’s museums. The short street can be crossed by foot in less than three minutes, but the structures and museums act as a magnet, leaving the traveler there for at least a couple of hours.

Reaching Jaen

The street’s location is a bit uncomfortable. The best way of reaching it is by foot from the upper part of El Prado Avenue. Any of the tourists maps of La Paz have it well marked. The exercise is recommended after a few days of acclimatization to the altitude, despite the street being very close to downtown.

Colonial Narrowness

This very narrow street is cobbled and all the structures along it are colonial. The most graphic event showing the street narrowness is the fact that the shadows of buildings on one side of the street fall on their counterparts across it despite all of them being low adobe structures. Narrow wooden balconies, featuring careful carvings loom over the street and add an unusual angle to the visit. Another dimension of the street’s charm is the fact that its narrowness and the overhead balconies do not allow seeing the rest of the city, effectively transferring the traveler into colonial times. Houses are painted in a wide range of pastel colors, giving the street a kaleidoscopic ambience.

An Old Market

The original name of the street was Kaura Kancha; it was the llamas and other camelids market in the 17th century. People from adjacent settlements arrived here for the trade of these ubiquitous denizens of the Andean Plateau.

Restaurants

Jaen Street is not the place for a snack. Two or three restaurants are along it, but they are old, bad kept and not known for their menus. The most famous is called Soho (where is Hollywood here?), which apparently caters mainly to Bolivian writers. The best option for a snack or a meal is returning to El Prado Avenue.

Museo de Instrumentos Musicales de Bolivia

This museum contains a wide collection of musical instruments typical of the country; these are mainly wind-instruments. The most popular Bolivian musical instruments are the charango, quena, bombo, ronroco, hualaycho, zampoña, huancara, reco reco, chiapya box, pinquillo, tarka, toyos, moseño, pututu, and sheep hooves shaker’s. Most of them are rather unusual and are better seen than described.

Casa Murillo

The Murillo House was the residence of Pedro Domingo Murillo, who was one of the leaders of the failed revolt against the Spaniards in 1809. It was declared a national monument. It is a low colonial house built around a central yard featuring a colorful well. He gave the name also to the nearby plaza around which the main government buildings in Bolivia are located.

Museo Costumbrista

This museum is dedicated to the culture of La Paz, and is centered on the clothes used in different periods since the foundation of the city. It is located around the corner of the upper side of Jaen Street, on Sucre Street, next to the Riosinhio Plaza.

Museo del Litoral

"Litoral" means "shore" in Spanish; the museum of this name is dedicated to the War of the Pacific that Chile won against Bolivia and Peru at the end of the 19th century. As a result, Bolivia lost access to the ocean. This museum and the Abaroa Plaza are the main memorials to the war in modern La Paz. The museum includes items brought from the battlefield.

Museo de Metales Preciosos

This museum displays a collection of gold and silver artifacts dating to pre-Colonial times. It also displays the history of the precious metals extraction in Bolivia, mainly of silver in the Cerro Rico mine in Potosi.

On Equality

The actual semi-socialist government – the first one led by an Aymara – has done a lot to minimize discrimination in the Bolivian society. However, one of the forgotten corners is the museums. Systematically, they charge higher fees from tourists. Why? I asked several times and never got an answer.