Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia

 Today I had lunch at Restaurantt Japonés Kenchan that is famous for delicious and authentic Japanese food. The menu includes a broad range of Japanese dishes, such as sushi, ramen, gyozas, and teishoku (set meals). The dishes were reviewed as having the delicate preparation and flavor you would find in Japan. I ordered WAGAMAMA BENTO (握り寿司トルーチャカルパッチョ, 90b, $7) that included Pollo sabor teriyaki, Karague de pollo, Shumai frito de cerdo, Tempura de Camarón y verduras, Sashimi de trucha, pulpo y palta, Tamagoyaki, ensalada de papa, tsukemono y gohan (arroz blanco). It came with miso soup. I couldn’t finish the bento and took home the leftover for dinner. I agreed with the reviews and like the food. Too bad that I don’t have time to go again.

 I walked to 4.2 km to Mirador Villa Litoral to see the city and the majestic Illimani mountain from a different perspective. It is more of a local attraction rather than a major tourist hub, but it is known for its quiet, romantic atmosphere. On my way, I ran into a street vendor and got my quinoa drink for breakfast (2.5b). I have been trying to find it but I went in the streets too late and they were mostly sold out. Quinoa drink is highly beneficial due to its dense nutritional profile, rich in protein, fiber, and essential minerals, which supports weight management, heart health, and digestion. A traditional Andean hot quinoa drink is a nutritious and creamy beverage, often spiced with cinnamon and cloves. In Peru, it's widely known as quinoa con manzana (quinoa with apple) and is a popular breakfast staple. In Bolivia, a similar version is a common street food, particularly on cold mornings. The consistency of the drink can vary from a thinner "juice" to a thic...

I went back to the Bolivian Popular Food for the second time for fine dining today, and I was seated on the bar again with another traveler who was there for his third and last visit before leaving La Paz today. The restaurant changes the menu every week.  This time I ordered (1) soup Lawa & Jarika Quipa (a cream soup made with blended yellow maize, meat, Ají Colorado, dried onions, orengan, parsley, and spices), (2) Trout La Romana (similar to the Spanish dish Merluza a la Romana which involves coating the fish in a flour and egg batter before frying), and (3) a highlydeclarated Strawberry Dessert. I also included the photos of the dishes of the other traveler (1) Pollo Dorado, which translates to "golden chicken" in Spanish, is a dish of pan-fried or roasted chicken seasoned with spices and lemon juice, and served with vegetable declarations. (2) A churro dessert of fried dough from Spanish and Portuguese cuisine, made with choux pastry dough piped into hot oil with a p...

 There are 10 cable car lines and 30 stations connecting various parts of La Paz, I took the Red Line yesterday to reach El Alto, and then k the purple line today to reach another overlook. The cable cars (Teleferico) run Monday to Saturday 6am to 11pm, and Sunday 7am to 9pm. The purple line connects La Paz and El Alto perpendicularly.  I walked along a green park strip to check out some of the Cholets in El Alto. The primarily Aymaran community that resides in El Alto are true entrepreneurs, building successful businesses buying/selling imported goods from China. The Nouveau Riche of El Alto turn to El Alto native Freddy Mamani to design their houses, the so- called Cholets. These colorful buildings are inspired by native Aymara architecture, festival chola clothing and the Transformers cartoons. Freddy Mamani Silvestre is the architect responsible for the now more than 70 “cholets” (buildings) scattered over the city with extravagant designs and bold contrasting colors. Whil...