It's the little things

The little things are what define your experience in a city. It's not so much the fact of where you are as it is the twenty different street vendors I pass in the first block as I walk south along Avenida Montes from my hostel. It's the men yelling out of the open doors of minibuses and people talking into what look like landline payphones at newspaper stands. These are the things that define the everyday in La Paz.

La Paz is a place of many marches, many protests, and many traditionally dressed indigenous women. I have not the slightest clue what this march was about but traffic was blocked off so they could amble down the main avenue. 

After three or four passes by I'm pretty sure this is a feminist collective/radio station/cafe. Whatever it is, it's quite the building. It says "virgin of the desires" on the side so make of that what you will. This is on the way to Sopocachi, which is the bougie-er neighborhood where the NGO offices I've visited for my research are located. 

I also found this fellow on a wall as I walking around Sopocachi awkwardly killing time so I didn't show up to early for an appointment. I still showed up early but it was ok because a nice lady gave me two coffees and a newspaper in the intervening time. 

I quite like this lovely Bolivian hybrid truck/motorcycle that I saw roaming the streets. Things aren't often the same "correct" way you might find them in the United Stats but people find a way to get done what needs to be done. Commerce finds a way, whether it be this motorcycle-truck or the woman selling bread out of baskets on the corner. 

There were a lot of colors in this flower market and it reminded me a lot of the flower markets in London. This is also a great example of an indigenous woman wearing the classic bowler hat. They don't actually pin these on (from what I'm told) they just balance them on their heads. 

I don't like to post pictures of food. I think it's annoying. But the Bolivian exchange rate did a kind thing for me and allowed me to enjoy the kind of fine dining I would never be able to afford in the states. This restaurant Gustu, was opened by one of the chef's from Noma, a restaurant in Copenhagen that some list or ranking says is number two in the world. The restaurant only uses Bolivian ingredients and I had an amazing (albeit lonely) meal. The thing on the left was rabbit, the middle had sorbet from this fruit called tumbo, and then a cucumber and rose foam sangani (bolivian alcohol of some type) cocktail. It was awesome. 

Then Bolivia always meets you with some hilarious moemnts. Like the Jackie Chan Chinese restaurant or Micro Market Shalom. There's strange new things around every corner and I've really enjoyed spending a few hours every day just walking around and becoming acquainted with the city.