The city of La Paz is set in a canyon created by the Choqueyapu River. It is in a bowl-like depression,surrounded by the high mountains of the Altiplano. Overlooking the city is the towering, triple-peaked Illimani whose peaks are always snow-covered and can be seen from many parts of the city. At an elevation of roughly 3,650 m above sea level, La Paz is the highest administrative capital city in the world and is home to the largest urban cable car network in the world.
We woke up to our lovely room in a lovely hotel which we had not appreciated last night. The rooms have beautiful hand made material murals, bed heads and accessories. There is a courtyard outside and the themes are extended throughout the hotel.
We went out for a walk and found the streets very busy with traffic and very hilly. They are lined with stalls and people sitting on the pavements selling their goods.
We went on a tour this afternoon of the moon valley, the cable car system and the city. We were the only two so Juan our guide took us in a taxi to the moon valley. Natural rock formations over 50 million years old can be seen and we walked around some of them. It is named Moon Valley because Neil Armstrong visited and remarked that the moon’s surface was the same.
We then went for a ride on 4 of the cable cars which connect with each other above the city. We had wonderful views but were very close to some of the houses on the hillsides. It is a very efficient way of getting round the upper districts and down into the city.
Once we were down in the city we walked through some of the streets and to the plaza where we saw the changing of the guards at the Presedential Palace and also saw them lowering the flags for the night. We walked to San Francisco church with it’s beautifully carved pillars. Inside it was very ornate as we have seen previously over here. We walked back up the steep streets to the Witches market where herbs, potions, llama foetus and other trinkets were for sale.
After the exhausting day we were ready for a meal and bed.