La Paz

Leaving town in the morning so I thought I would sling up a little bit of street photography from here in La Paz. The city is a very different place to the quieter towns and pueblos of the mountains and altiplano that I’m used to, I found it a very busy and visually confusing place so didn’t really make a concerted effort with any kind of photography beyond some snaps while walking around. Instead I just concentrated on enjoying the excellent cake and icecream on offer in anticipation of returning to the austerity of the altiplano; La Paz is very much an island of relative abundance within Bolivia. I noticed a great deal that had changed since my last visit – most notably the prices, but a great deal that hadn’t. It’s an interesting, colourful place well worth a few days. I stayed on a little longer than originally planned such that I could catch up with two-wheeled friends, @highluxphoto, @beinghana, @mikesteegmans for a few beers and so on. The altiplano can be a lonely place on two wheels so the opportunity to spend time with like-minded “viajeros” is never to be missed if possible. There was also work to be done…

One thing that hasn’t changed about La Paz .. these old Dodge short wheelbase buses. They’re very polluting so I shouldn’t like them, but really I do. So much character.

From here I’ve plotted a route west across the altiplano to the Sajama volcano. It’s about 270km away. There are a couple of tiny villages enroute but not much else beyond dusty trails. The wind looks it’s going to be a bit of a devil, it howls from the west at this time of year, the forecast is for 60km/hr headwinds all the way. With soft tracks, climbing, and that wind i’m hoping I can do it in 5 days… From there I’ll cross into Chile for a bit.

Anyway, a few snaps from La Paz that hopefully might give a little sense of the texture of the place.

La Paz
La Paz
La Paz. The tall glass and concrete skyscraper in the background is president Evo Morales’ controversial new presidential palace… it cost tens of millions of dollars and is, by all accounts, rather luxuriously appointed. It did not go down well with the country as a whole…
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz – that cabling!
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz
La Paz

 

4 thoughts on “La Paz

  • you are a master of shadows…
    No plans for the downhill road to Coroico, “la carretera de la muerte”? 15 years ago (or thereabouts) it was good fun…

    • hey, no plans. it’s hot, sweaty and buggy down there in the Yungas, and besides I’d have to ride all the way up again…

  • Is the light really casting such strong shadow or are you just really really into chiaroscuro? I imagine the altitude makes for some really interesting light characteristics.

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