Apr 30th, 2013 at 9:00AM: I'd never heard of a shaman until my first class on my first day of college. I'd signed up for "Magic, Witchcraft, & Religion" as an elective on a whim. It turned out to be one of my favorite undergrad classes and has been highly inspirational to my work as a travel writer.
The instructor was a short, plump woman of a certain age. She'd lived on a Hopi reservation while working on her ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
LaPaz posts
A Visit To A Bolivian Medicine Woman
Apr 30th, 2013 at 9:00AM: I'd never heard of a shaman until my first class on my first day of college. I'd signed up for "Magic, Witchcraft, & Religion" as an elective on a whim. It turned out to be one of my favorite undergrad classes and has been highly inspirational to my work as a travel writer.
The instructor was a short, plump woman of a certain age. She'd lived on a Hopi reservation while working on her ...La Paz's Museo De Coca: A Historical And Cultural Look At Bolivia's Most Controversial Crop
Apr 19th, 2013 at 11:00AM: "Hoja de coca no es droga." "Coca no es cocaina." You'll see these sentiments, which are indeed accurate, on T-shirts displayed throughout La Paz's tourist ghetto, which is centered on Calle Sagarnaga.
I should preface this post by saying I'm not a fan of recreational drugs (no judgement; I do live in Colorado, after all), so my recent trip to Bolivia had nothing to do with that. It's ...International Adventure Guide 2013: La Paz And Southwest Bolivia
Apr 17th, 2013 at 11:00AM:
Bolivia is the least expensive destination in South America, yet it has an increasingly efficient tourism infrastructure. Going now, especially to the remote southwestern part of the country, means faster, easier, more comfortable travel than in the past (although you'll still have to be prepared for your share of bus rides on rutted out, unpaved roads, depending upon where you're headed). In ...Layover Report: Where To Eat At Miami, Lima, And Bogota International Airports
Apr 13th, 2013 at 11:00AM: I just returned from three weeks in Bolivia and Paraguay. In that time, I had 12 flights, five of which were required to get me from my home in Colorado to La Paz. Now why, you may ask, in this age of expedited air travel, does it take so many connections to travel 4,512 miles (or nine hours by air)? Budget, baby.
I'm also horrifically flight phobic, so for me to fly various Third World ...La Paz's Urban Rush Introduces Rap Jumping To South America
Apr 3rd, 2013 at 1:00PM: Australia and New Zealand are generally accepted as having cornered the market on bizarre adventure activities, especially in urban areas. Unsurprising, then, that Alistair Matthew, the Kiwi founder of La Paz's ginormously successful, groundbreaking Gravity Assisted Mountain Biking, has brought a bit of the Antipodes to Bolivia's capital city.
A year ago, inspired by a similar enterprise in ...How To Eat Bolivian Street Food (Without Shame)
Apr 2nd, 2013 at 12:00PM: There's a certain breed of traveler who will, often to their detriment, go to extreme lengths to avoid looking like a tourist. I know, because I'm one of them. Whatever spawned this phobia is anyone's guess, but I really, really, really dislike standing out in a crowd, especially if that crowd is foreign, and I'm eating.
While I also sneak looks at maps and guidebooks on the DL when I'm lost, ...Photo Gallery: La Paz's Mercado De Hecheria
Mar 21st, 2013 at 4:00PM:
When I left my hotel yesterday morning to go investigate La Paz's famous Mercado de Herchería (also know as the Mercado las Brujas, or Witch's Market), I didn't know what to expect. Would it be covered, dank and creepy, like the one in Quito? Would it sell freaky and endangered animal parts (please, god, no)? Would anyone kick my ass if I took stealth photos?
As it turns out, the ...Why Bolivia Should Be Your Next Travel Destination
Sep 11th, 2012 at 4:00PM: Before traveling to Bolivia, I received mixed opinions on whether the country was a worthwhile destination to add to my itinerary. Because I wanted to find out for myself firsthand, I – thankfully – made sure I did. Now, Bolivia is one of my favorite travel destinations on the planet. Here's why:
It Offers One-Of-A-Kind Adventures
Where else can you bike the world's most ...Relaxing At The World's Highest Beer Spa In La Paz, Bolivia
May 17th, 2012 at 12:00PM: At 11,975 feet above sea level, the city of La Paz in Bolivia is pretty high. In fact, it is the highest "de facto" capital city in the world. Because of this, it's not uncommon to experience some kind of reaction to the altitude. To help your body relax, backpackers can enjoy the world's highest beer spa at The Adventure Brew Hostel.
This hostel has many opportunities for experiencing ...How To Survive Bolivia's Death Road
May 3rd, 2012 at 3:00PM: "This is the most dangerous road in the world. Don't become part of the landscape," advised Oscar, a biking guide from Vertigo Biking Co. Bolivia.
On a sunny Wednesday right outside of La Paz in Bolivia, I found myself adorned from head to toe in cycling gear, standing at the summit of a 40-mile downhill road. While technically called Old Road, the path is more commonly known as Death Road, ...Visiting The Devil's Tooth In La Paz, Bolivia
May 2nd, 2012 at 2:00PM: When loud, traffic-heavy, protest-passionate La Paz gets to be too much, one way to escape while not even leaving the city is to visit the Devil's Tooth, or Muela del Diablo. While this may sound scarier than ingesting smog and crazy drivers, seeing the site on horseback is actually quite serene.
Devil's Tooth is an inactive volcano that is approximately 492 feet high. According to our guide, ...Video: Witches' Market, La Paz, Bolivia
Mar 24th, 2012 at 3:00PM:
Bolivia is an exciting adventure travel destination offering challenging mountain treks, interesting dishes like roast guinea pig and mysterious ancient ruins.
One of the most popular, and certainly the strangest, attraction is the Witches' Market in the capital La Paz. Here you can find mummified llama fetuses, aphrodisiacs and herbal remedies. Many of the spells are based on the ancient ...
Finding the Holy Spirit in Baja: Darwin would be proud
Jun 21st, 2010 at 2:00PM:
Imagine an uninhabited island with clear bays of turquoise water edged with rocky cliffs. Sea turtles, blue-footed boobies, and sea lions make their home on its shores. The surrounding waters contain giant manta ray, shark, dolphin, orca, and the mighty pacific gray whale. This island boasts one of the most biologically diverse bodies of water in the world, so you might think we're describing ...Ten outdoor destinations with everything!
Mar 19th, 2010 at 2:00PM: Who says you can't have it all? For many travelers vacation time is limited. Those in search of adventure want to maximize that short window of travel time. Here are ten cities where adventure-seekers can expand their options with a range of heart-pounding choices.
Buena Vista, Colorado
Buena Vista translates to "beautiful view." It's easy to understand why the name stuck. Nestled into the ...Drug tourism and cocaine bars
Aug 21st, 2009 at 6:00PM: What fun is travel without a little excitement? Rest and relaxation is a given, but excitement? That you have to look for, and it appears excitement for many is found in drugs.
I came across an article yesterday that made me cringe. The world's first cocaine bar, it read. And while I have to admit it picqued my interest, I must also say the thought of sitting in a bar with nearly everyone high on ...Strange New Year's traditions around the world
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Dec 31st, 2008 at 10:00AM: Unlike many holidays, where celebrants are bound by tradition or religion, New Year's is a holiday that allows each individual to choose his own method of celebration. Some revelers will soak themselves in alcohol, boozing it up with copious bottles of champagne. Others choose to make the evening a quieter affair, settling in for a movie and an early night in bed. However you personally choose to ...Amazing Race 13, episode 3: La Paz, Bolivia, where a taxi can make or break you
Oct 14th, 2008 at 10:00AM: The competition is heating up on the Amazing Race. Season13 has hit its stride. When the teams landed in La Paz, Bolivia, each team sped or wobbled along depending upon their ability to deal with the altitude.
Although most teams seem to be trying to win the race by just doing their best without creating drama between them, Starr has decided she doesn't like Kelly and Christy and is out to do ...Bodyslammed in Bolivia - the female wrestlers of El Alto
Aug 25th, 2008 at 12:00PM: Our friends over at Intelligent Travel pointed us to this awesome video slideshow feature on female wrestling in Bolivia, put together by the team at National Geographic. Lucha libre, for those who are not familiar, is a style of pro-wrestling popular in Latin America. Its popularity extends all the way to South America, where in Bolivia, a feisty group of women have adopted the sport as their ..."Bizarre Foods" on the Travel Channel: Season 2, Bolivia
Apr 2nd, 2008 at 7:24PM: Location: Bolivia, highest and most remote country of South America. Home of naturally freeze-dried potatoes, the Andes, llamas galore, and a fondness for cooking EVERY part that's at all edible.
Episode Rating: 4 Sheep Testicles (out of 4) using Aaron's system from last week's recap. Summary: My immediate response to this "Bizarre Foods" episode was "Yep, Bolivia is definitely on my go-to ...Biking the world's most dangerous road
Jan 25th, 2008 at 9:00AM: A backpacker in Peru I met has been spending the last half year or so bumming through South America. He told many thrilling tales, but the one that really stood out being his biking trip down the world's most dangerous road, right outside La Paz, Bolivia. In the Youtube video below, you'll see what appears to be a not-too-wide bike trail. In fact, buses and trucks routinely drive--and pass each ...
