Introduction to today's journey
Today's journey introduces me to a new tour group and takes us through La Paz City, exploring the moonscape near the bottom of the city, and a spectacular lookout over the city. I then head to the very brightly coloured Witches Market for the afternoon as I continue to acclimatise to the very high altitude.
Today's Journey
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I awake to a bright and clear morning whilst still gasping for breath here at about 3640 metres above sea level. Here I meet a new tour group who I will be travelling through Bolivia and Peru with. |
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High cloud starts covering the sky as we head to the bottom of the city at 3400 metres above sea level to this amazing moonscape of eroding glacial moraine. Although this is the lowest part of the valley, it is the same elevation as the summit of Mount Fitz Roy in Patagonia. |
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The big pillar cap is one of the formations of this crumbling landform. Nearby behind me are the wealthy suburbs of La Paz. The richer people live in the lower elevations where the thin air is slightly thicker. This is very different to most other cities around the world where the rich live on the hilltops. |
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Returning to the city centre, we find this lookout over the entire city sitting in a bowl. Only three of these buildings are earthquake protected. It will get very messy here if there was a huge earthquake. |
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View to the spectacular Mount Illimani towering 6438 metres high - 2800 metres above the level of the city. |
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Back in the bustling city centre. It is quite modern here and I am now starting to get used to the altitude, harsh sunlight and very cold shady areas. |
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There is a parade in the city centre today. We watch as the different groups pass. |
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I head up to the Witches Market behind the city centre. Here many tightly packed stores like this sell their very brightly coloured wares. |
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View along the narrow Witches Market with all its shops, tourists browsing them, and a few beggars sitting in the gutter. |
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Heading a bit further behind the city I find a local market where farmers have come into the city to sell their produce under red plastic umbrellas. |
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