La Paz and Valle de la Luna

June 3-4, 2016

We arrived in La Paz in the morning after flying out first thing from Uyuni. We grabbed a taxi to our hotel, and then spent the rest of the day shopping in the Centro.

Llama knit everything, brightly colored scarves, blankets, hats, and bags were everywhere. Taryn found a sweater, I found a thimble for my collection. I also ordered a custom made coat from a little shop we found tucked away in a courtyard. They didn't have the combination of size and color I wanted, so I arranged for one to be made to pick up the next day.

First clothing shop I've been in where there's bolts of fabric waiting to become a jacket

We found the witches market, where dried baby llamas hang outside shops between herbs and souvenirs. Inside, soapstone carvings mix with aromatic oils, herbs, cure-all potions, and incense.

wut. the. fluff.

So fluffy!!

In downtown there were dancing zebras helping everyone cross the street. I'm not sure if it was for safety, or to encourage following the traffic signals or what, but they were fun.

The next day we went to el Valle de la Luna, the Valley of the Moon, 45 minutes outside town. Weathering and erosion has turned the valley into something fantastical which was excellent to walk through.

On the way back we hauled our butts up to Kili Kili mirador, for a fantastic view of the whole city.

La Paz in the late afternoon sun

Illimani in the background

That evening we had a nice dinner of llama steaks, much better than the ones in Uyuni. Verdict: not quite beef but I still can't put my finger on the difference. Very tasty when properly cooked.

There was also hot chocolate and pie...

I picked up my new coat, which David finished sewing as I watched.

It fits beautifully.

With just one day left in Bolivia, we headed for the hotel to get a good rest before our journey to Lake Titicaca the next morning.