La Paz and finals thoughts on Bolivia

La Paz:
Its a 3.5 hour bus ride from Copacabana to La Paz. Other than having to hop off and on the bus while a ferry takes the bus across the lake, its a reasonably uneventful trip.

Impressions:
- Walking around is tiring. The city is built in a bowl-shaped valley at an altitude between 9,951 and 11,930 feet and there are very few flat areas.
- Anyone who has lived in or visited India will feel right at home in La Paz. Between the noises, the buses, the traffic and the street vendors, there is so much controlled chaos.
- Like Copacabana, its cheap. We ate at the nicest restaurant in town; 3 course meal with wine was $9/person. A haircut was a $1.40, and spanish lessons are $3/hour. One could fly/stay here as a tourist and take lessons for 6 weeks, and it'd still be cheaper than taking lessons at Berlitz in New York.
- Saltanos - La Paz's answer to the donut: Take the pastry crust of an Indian Samosa, the filling of an Argentinian empanada and a little green chili. Sooo good, and it only costs about 40 cents.
- Crime is increasing: Check out what the US State Department and French Government websites say about Bolivia. While Marie felt reasonably safe, I was, at times, rather uncomfortable.
- Like many South American cities, shoe shine boys in the street are plentiful; however, La Paz's purveyors have an interesting twist: they all wear ski masks.


About Bolivia:
- Political Instability: Since its independence in 1825, Bolivia has nearly 200 different presidents. The latest, Evo Morales, is the first indigenous leader and a former coca leaf grower. Like Hugo Chavez and many other South American leaders, he is moving the country strongly towards the left, taking control of the petrol fields and other businesses.
- Modern, low-cost housing in Bolivia is often times constructed of bare brick and cement. Most westerners will think the buildings are unfinished (needs plaster, paint, etc.). But, the locals seem to like it this way.
- Global Warming: No country is more a victim of global warming than Bolivia. Much of the Andean glaciers, which supply the country's drinking water, and 80% of its electricity, have melted away. By 2009, scientists predict the demand will exceed supply. Doesn't help that its a landlocked country. While the rest of the world debates the effects of global warming, and the percentage of human contribution, this place is living it.