La Paz Bolivia

[the_hefay]

I had to make a trip out of Peru to renew my tourist visa. So I took advantage of the excuse and met a friend in La Paz for a day. Next time I'm going to spend so more time there, but here's a couple of shots from the trip. El Alto is a separate city from La Paz and is located on the high plain above La Paz. The yellow and red trams connect the two cities. The poppies were at on of the view points.

[sury]

The first two shots remind me of India, the population and housing density.
The third one is a nice one contrasting the blue of the sky, Jeff.

Sury

[Birma]

Great pictures Jeff! Amazing scene of the town from above, and I also love the poppy colours against the blue sky.

[the_hefay]

thanks Sury and Andy.

[aster]

.

Hi Jeff;

The first two are very striking for their story; the cables overhead, in the first one, are so intensely interwoven over the street width, giving in to no gaps were what drew my attention the most. And what goes on under them is also very intensive...
The second and the third are nicely taken visuals. Enjoyable and informative.

Thanks for sharing,

Yildiz

[the_hefay]

Thanks for the comments Yildiz.

[the_hefay]

The first is just a small sample of what walking in La Paz can involve. The second is taken with the sweep-pano feature. It's a feature that seems to be hit and miss, and of the 4 shots I took using it from this location, this is the only one without any major stitching flaws that I could see. Perhaps you will see some.

[sury]

The stairs is very dizzying Jeff. Not for those suffering from vertigo.
The pano is very nice showing the high density of the city. I am curious
how the civil infrastructure (water, sewage, power etc.) is in place.

Sury

[the_hefay]

I am curious how the civil infrastructure (water, sewage, power etc.) is in place.

Sury

Well with roughly 1.5 million people between El Alto and La Paz, it's pretty stretched. There's a really nice brown river running through town that one of the locals told us was full of sewer. Although the population of La Paz has actually slightly decreased, the population of El Alto is growing very rapidly (30% growth between 2000 and 2012) which makes it difficult for any of the infrastructure to keep up from sewer, to water, to electricity, to communications, etc.

[Dusty]

I was in La Paz in '83 - Easter weekend - while renewing my visa for Brazil. There was no skylift then, and I only recall a sleepy village close to the airport above La Paz.

Stayed at the Hotel Americano ($2/night, until exchange rates jacked it up the $4!). It wore me out walking the 4 blocks uphill from the Burger King to the hotel, and this was after 2 weeks in Arequipa!

I also got to know a American girl and her British boyfriend who proved that the world is indeed small! Oh, and one of the prettiest little Kiwi women I ever saw!

Dusty

P.s. It's also where I saw the Gandhi move for 85 cents! A the time Bolivia was so cheap to live I suggested that my Dad retire there.

[the_hefay]

Well my hotel was inexpensive but was still quite a bit more than $4/night.

Here's some shots that I hope convey the steepness of the streets and a another shot of some of the stairs for those on foot.

[sury]

Wow. Amazing. People live there and walk/ride (motorbikes) day in and day out.
Must be one of the fittest population around. The steepness very nicely captured.
The second one is really made me dizzy.

Sury

[Birma]

Dizzying heights indeed! Love the last picture with the additional "evidence of the photographer" .

[the_hefay]

Thanks, Sury and Andy.