Valley of the Souls (La Paz)

 I went hiking the Valle de las Ánimas with two hostel mates without a guide. To get there, we were supposed to take a public bus from Saint Francisco square to its final stop in Chasquipampa, then walk up towards the valley. But one of us chatted with the bus driver to switch to a different bus to get closer, yet the 2nd bus driver misunderstood us to let us get off at the lake of Ánimas. Anyway, we took a third bus to get close enough to the entrance of the Valle de las Ánimas. 

The Valle de las Ánimas (Valley of the Souls) takes its name from the towering forest of rock formations that jut up like the departed of this world. Covering some 25 sq km (9.6 sq mi), the valley has a number of hiking trails, each with a variety of distances and difficulty levels. The valley features a stunning and mystical landscape of tall, slender rock formations and jagged cliffs sculpted by erosion, which locals say look like petrified spirits or warriors

At an altitude of 4000m (13,325ft), even the easiest walk can be challenging., especially one of us is still sick. So we didn’t walk the typical 4-hr trail but turned back early. We saw one hiking group cooking on the hillside, and may reach the valley ridge later. 

Our return trip only included one bus ride in a big new bus that passed via much wealthier neighborhoods than those on the way to the Valle.  The round trip bus cost should be just 5b, so we saved the tour fee of 110b per person. We got back town already 3:00 pm. So I went to the local market to had late lunch, brought some groceries (avocado, bread, water), and went back to hostel to shower and rest. I also bought a replacement watch (35b, $2.75, 1/4 of the price I would have paid in Taiwan), since the one I used for 4-year has a broken belt. I travel with a watch so I don’t look at my smart phone as much (to minimize to risk of robbery in countries like Brazil). It is a pity that it is not cheaper to buy an iPhone or laptop in Bolivia than in the USA. Due to factors like currency exchange rates and import costs, highend electronics are generally more expensive in Bolivia.