EL Alto in La Paz

 Four of us took cable cars to EL Alto to check out the Mercado 16 de Julio that opens every Thursday and Sunday taking up most of the La Ceja district selling pretty much everything you could think of. Some of the more notable items include car parts, sports equipment, illegal copies of dvds and computer software, second-hand clothing, fake ipods and used medical equipment.  This huge open-air market (estimated five square kilometres) is considered to be Bolivia’s largest. After about 1.5 hour walk, we had fast food for lunch, then walked about another 45 minutes. 

They three went cable car ride passed over the center Cementerio Ajayuni and Chualluma (one of the most colorful La Paz sights). The walls around the cemetery with glass panels in front that almost look like hundreds of tiny apartments. Typically the dead are buried or put in a crypt, but then cremated and ashes are put in one of these spaces. Then families will decorate these spaces with plaques, flowers, quotes, and mementos to remember the deceased by, making the cemetery quite beautiful to walk around. There are some famous Bolivian people buried here. The cemetery was not busy with people this Sunday so I decided not to get off the cable car to visit. 

Under the government-funded program 'My neighborhood, my home', Chualluma was transformed from a cluster of drab faded orange boxes into a vibrant veritable open-air museum.  Professional urban artists adorned the houses with beautiful murals depicting the community and elements of their Aymaran culture. I didn’t feel safe enough to walk in the hilly neighborhood by myself, so I didn’t visit the neighborhood but only viewing from above on the cable car. 

They three went back to the hostel directly, yet I got the fed that the Estación Central / Taypi Uta to walk to a few other markets to buy groceries (e.g., apples, bananas, cucumber, bread, etc. at Mercado Rodriguez) and souvenirs (at Mercado de las Brujas). I walked by a street full of stalls selling halloween customes.  

Mercado Rodriguez is partly undercover but mostly outdoors, and I saw a few foreigners treasure trove there this Sunday afternoon. They purchased huge bundles of fresh vegetables.  Taking the time to actually shop at Mercado Rodriguez, rather than just walking through it once for a photo, can give much of an insight into Bolivia, and how cholitas form the backbone of it, as almost any other activity.

I was planning to eat dinner at Mercado Lanza, but found super cheap pork noodles in front of San Francisco square. Another fun day.