• Pickpockets, Purse snatchers & petty crime

  While La Paz is not one of the most dangerous cities in South America, tourists are often victimized by pickpockets and purse-snatchers. Thieves often work in teams and utilize a variety of ruses to separate you from your valuables. Be especially careful when strolling through crowded marketplaces.

• Zebras

  Downtown La Paz is usually choked with traffic. To help referee traffic at the busiest intersections, the city employs a special squad of Zebras

• Medical Clinics

  If you need medical attention or travel inoculations, your best bet is to go any number of of private medical clinics scattered around La Paz. The best clinic in my humble opinion is Clinica del Sur located in Zona Sur, the more affluent part of La Paz. Service is very fairly efficient and relatively affordable.

• Haircuts

  Believe it or not, you can get a haircut in central La Paz for as little $2.50USD. In Zona Sur - the upscale part of La Paz - a haircut will cost you more monies. I paid about $7.00 at a middlebrow beauty salon in Zona Sur. More upscale establishments charge even more than this!

• Altitude Sickness

  Many tourists have problems with the high altitude of La Paz, which at 11,800 feet above sea level is the highest capital in the world. You can combat altitude sickness – symptoms are headaches, dizziness, nausea and diarrhea - by drinking several cups of Coca tea during your stay.

• Cocaine bars

  Many establishments that cater to tourists are now freely offering cocaine (for a price of course) in addition to the standard array of libations and drinks. Be careful, as cocaine is still illegal in Bolivia.

• Vegetarian restaurants

  There are many vegetarian restaurants in La Paz. One of the better places for tasty vegetarian meals is Namaste Café and art gallery. One of the older hotels in downtown La Paz (forgot the name) also offers a vegetarian buffet for lunch. Cost was about $3.00USD. Very Cheap!

Like most big cities in Latin America (and around the world), you have to be very wary of pickpockets and purse-snatchers when walking around Bolivia’s capital city of La Paz, especially in the busy tourist zone. Besides the usual precautions, make yourself inconspicuous as possible – don’t be flaunting fancy jewelry, gold chains, expensive rolex watches and make an effort to conceal your valuables.

By all means leave your passport in your safe deposit box at the hotel (just carry a paper copy) and be extra vigilant when walking in a very congested area or when standing in a crowd while watching street musicians or artists.

Pickpockets and purse-snatchers target mostly tourists, but I have heard where locals (especially ladies) have also fallen victim to purse-snatchers as well. These thieves usually work in pairs or in small teams and have devised a number of clever ruses and strategies to their craft.

During my many years as a traveler, street thieves have never victimized me, but I guess there is always a first time – and my first time happened in La Paz. Here’s what happened…

I was filming some street musicians with my small videocam in the heart of the tourist zone and a small crowd started to gather around. All of a sudden, somebody bumped me and I momentarily lost my balance. At the time, I had a camera bag draped around my left shoulder – inside the bag was my Olympus 570UZ digital point & shoot camera, valued at about $380USD (new).

While I was distracted by the bump, a 2nd person - a young girl - quickly unzipped the bag (maybe I had forgotten to zip it up), reached inside and snatched my camera. A man in the crowd happened to see the robbery take place, and told me that he saw the young girl and her accomplice quickly flee the scene. No doubt, the two culprits were professionals at their craft.

Oh well, shit happens. I did not let this mishap spoil my trip. Fortunately, I carried a 2nd digital camera with me to South America as a backup.

Believe me, La Paz is a lot safer than most cities that I have been to. From what I understand, pickpockets and thieves in La Paz achieve their objectives mostly by stealth and guile without utilizing weapons or resorting to force. On the other hand in Rio de Janeiro, many tourists are held up at knifepoint.

Bottom Line – While robberies and theft can happen in La Paz, I believe it is one of the safer cities in Latin America

Over the years, I have traveled extensively to five countries in South American – Colombia (1984), Peru and Ecuador (2007) and lastly Bolivia and Brazil (2010). I must admit that I had a wonderful time in all these countries (I always have a great time wherever I go), but if I had to select only one of these countries for a return visit, it would have to be BOLIVIA.

Although Bolivia does not have any beach towns or seaside resorts by virtue of being a landlocked country, there are so many fascinating and interesting places to keep you busy for weeks on end.

On my recent trip to Bolivia, I barely scratched the surface but I managed to visit four unique and different areas - La Paz and Lake Titicaca (the Altiplano), Rurrenabaque and the lowland rainforests of the Amazon basin as well as Samaipata, a small mountain resort in Southern Bolivia.

What makes Bolivia so desirable to me as a traveler - besides being the most affordable country in South America - is that much of the country is still relatively undeveloped and has escaped from the excesses of mass tourism. Did I mention Bolivia is very cheap? I’ve been to Thailand many times, and I think your monies will go just as far in Bolivia.

Last but not least, the dogs in Bolivia are very clean and congenial (and there are many) - especially the dogs in highlands – and they have very few fleas. You’ve probably guessed by now, that I have special affinity with dogs.

By all means, check out the video below. Entitled Poco Picante, it captures some of my most memorable and outlandishly amusing moments in Bolivia. ENJOY!

I heard from some fellow travelers, that ‘free’ cocaine was being offered by a number of tourist-oriented bars in La Paz, Bolivia. I was ready to dismiss these reports as being just hearsay until I was offered to snort some cocaine by the bartender at a popular bar in the tourist zone of La Paz. After finishing my beer and ready to head out the door, he suggested I go into the back room of the bar and do a line or two.

From what I have read, the bars pay off the local authorities in order to sell cocaine to their mostly tourist clientele.

Even though I am not averse to snorting cocaine every now and then, I really wasn’t tempted to indulge even if the bartender’s offer was sincere. After all, there was always the possibility I could be walking into a trap – as a tourist in one of the poorest countries in South America, I represented somebody’s big payday. In Bolivia - like everywhere in the world - Cocaine is against the law!

Who knows - after accepting his hospitality maybe the bartender would be calling one of his cronies in the police department. Then I would be faced with paying a heavy fine/bribe in order to avoid possible imprisonment. Personally, I would not want to take that sort of risk.

Furthermore, I did not travel to South America to fool around with drugs – not my sort of trip.

Wouldn’t you know it but while I was staying in the small mountain resort of Samaipata in Southern Bolivia, a fellow tourist also told me about a “hip local bar” (forgot the name) that was offering cocaine to its customers. I told him, I would pass on that one.

I understand these Cocaine Bars are a relatively new thing in Bolivia, having started sometime in 2009.

When I was in La Paz earlier this year, I looked for a medical clinic where I could receive my 3rd and final inoculation for rabies. I received my first two inoculations in the USA prior to my departure. Not too many travelers bother with preventive shots for rabies when traveling to Bolivia (or other countries, where rabies is prevalent), but the CDC in USA recommended that all travelers to Bolivia (and Brazil) get the 3 part inoculation, so I decided to go by “the book.”

La Paz has a number of private medical clinics that cater to expats as well as tourists. The first clinic I went to was Clinica Alemana (The German Clinic) located not too far from the busy downtown area. What a total waste of time! The small clinic was severely understaffed; it seemed there was only one doctor and nurse on duty - she doubled as the receptionist. As the nurse couldn’t administer the rabies shot, I asked her how long would it take before I could see the doctor, but she couldn’t give me a definite time frame. Even though there were only two other people in the waiting room, I figured I was in for long wait, so I decided to walk out the door.

Upon recommendation from somebody at the hotel front desk, I decided to go the Clinica del Sur, a medical clinic in an upscale neighborhood in Zona Sur. Service was fast and relatively affordable (about $45USD), and most of the staff had some facility with English. On the way out, I met some young bloke from Holland who had broken his leg when his bus toppled over on the perilous Yunga pass.

The other alternative for travel inoculations is to have a doctor pay you a visit at your hotel. Most hotels in La Paz have access to these private, mobile doctors who specialize in travel inoculations – a little more costly, but very convenient.

In hindsight, I am glad I went to the Clinica del Sur as I had the opportunity to see the more affluent neighborhoods of La Paz. Highly recommended!

I am not an avid birdwatcher, but I really enjoy watching birds in the tropics, as there are so many different species. In particular, one of my favorite birds are the Kingfishers. These medium sized birds typically live along a stream, a slow moving river or a pond.

In tropical America, the number of Kingfishers species living along the same riverbank can sometimes be three or four. Even though their habitats overlap somewhat, each species of Kingfishers are very distinct, have different habits and occupy their own specific niche.

On my most recent trip to South America (Bolivia and Brazil), I went to two locales where Kingfishers are readily observed – Rio Beni and Madidi National Park of Bolivia’s Amazon Basin, and the Pantanal, a very large expanse of marshlands located in western Brazil.

Funny thing - along Rio Beni, I saw only one Kingfisher – I believe it was a Amazon Kingfisher - however while I was staying in the Pantanal, the Kingfishers - in particular the Ringed Kingfisher - was by far the most commonly seen bird along the river. I guess you could say they were so common that they were a dime a dozen. They are very vocal birds, and when disturbed they will often take flight across the river.

I would have liked the tour guide to just park the motorboat somewhere not far from the river bank and just sit there quietly for an hour or so, where I could watch the Kingfishers go fishing. They are so fun to watch.

Truly one of the most memorable highlights of my trip happened while staying in the Pantanal. My tour guide took me out on a late night boat ride along the Rio Miranda. Shining his high beam searchlight across the riverbank, apparently he spotted some creature in the trees. As he quietly parked the boat near the riverbank, he pointed with his flash flight - on low beam of course - into the tree canopy. Lo and behold, I saw a Amazon Kingfisher sleeping on a tree branch about 8 feet from the ground level.

The creature was truly startled from his slumber by the two human intruders, and he made a quick beeline into the nearby bushes. The memory is absolutely priceless!

I really didn’t know what to expect when I traveled to Bolivia’s capital city of La Paz, which at 11,900 feet above sea level makes it one of the highest cities in the world. I was somewhat concerned about the high altitude, however two years earlier I visited Cusco in Peru - another high altitude city at 10,900 ft above sea level – and I managed fairly well. I must admit that I felt a little dizzy and short winded my first day or so, but I seemed to adjust fairly well – thanks in part to drinking several cups of coca tea every day.

It was only when I had to hike uphill to my hotel in Isla del Sol at nearby Lake Titicaca did I really begin to feel the altitude – I guess you could say that I was really sucking for air. Of course, the altitude there was a good 1000-1600 feet higher than La Paz. The summit at Isla del Sol is 13,450 feet (4100 meters) .

The topography of La Paz is very extreme – the city lies in a deep canyon surrounded by the high mountains of the altiplano, and the altitude of the greater metropolitan area ranges from 13,300 feet (4060 meters) at El Alto to 10,200 feet (3100 meters) in Zona Sur, the relatively affluent suburbs. In most cities around the world, the wealthier people live in the hills. Not so with La Paz – the people with monies live in the lower elevations of the city in the suburbs of Zona Sur while the poorer people live in shanties scattered on the slope of the mountain or in high elevation El Alto.

During the winter season (and at nights) it can get fairly chilly and uncomfortable in La Paz especially if there is a stiff breeze. When you consider that the climate is considerably warmer in the lower elevations of La Paz, it is understandable that the wealthier people have chosen to live in Zona Sur.

The difference between central La Paz and Zona Sur is a difference of night and day. Besides the more agreeable climate, Zona Sur is considerably more modern with wide tree lined streets, fancy boutiques, chic restaurants and trendy clubs. In comparison, central La Paz is somewhat worn and frayed around the edges with narrow congested streets and many older buildings as well as remnants of Bolivia’s Spanish colonial past.

Have you ever had a dog as your tour guide? Well it happened to me on two separate occasions. The first time was in Thailand, when Som - she of Malee’s Nature Lodge’s fame - volunteered to take two German tourists and myself for a hike through the forest.

The 2nd occurrence happened while I was visiting Bolivia this past May. I was in the small mountain resort of Samaipata when I decided to join two young European blokes on a hike to the mirador (lookout point) overlooking the village of Samaipata. The distance from town to the mirador was about 3 miles, with an elevation gain of about 1000 feet.

Along the way, a friendly yellow and rather large dog decided to accompany us. I nicknamed him Senor Perro, which in Spanish means Mr. Dog. Senor Perro bounded gleefully ahead of us and took the lead, wagging his tail like a metronome. He seemed to be very familiar with the rather rocky trail up the mountainside. Occasionally he would look back over his shoulder to make sure we were following him.

Senor Perro and the two Euros hiked fairly swiftly up the jagged trail, while I lagged behind because of a bad “right wheel” (leg). Well, I finally made it to the top of the mountain where I was greeted by Senor Perro and the two young men. Resting there for awhile, we admired the spectacular panoramic views of the valley and nearby Samaipata.

About a ½ hour later, Senor Perro indicated it was time to return as he started getting restless. So we proceeded to follow the large yellow dog back to civilization. Upon reaching the roadside, we bade him farewell as he trotted to his master’s house.

To be honest with you, I would not have been able to make this somewhat arduous hike if it wasn’t for the company of Senor Perro and the two young Euro tourists.

Like most large Latin American cities, Bolivia’s capital city of La Paz has horrific traffic jams in the downtown area. In order to referee traffic at some of the busiest intersections, the city deploys Zebras to act as Traffic controllers. As far as I know, this is the only city in the world that uses Zebras in this fashion. No, these are not real Zebras – but some guys (or gals) dressed up in a Zebra suit.

They are actually quite entertaining to watch as they go about their routine – prancing across the intersection, making some comical gestures while they interact with drivers. They are downright zany! These Zebra suited people seem to have a real good time while they perform their job.

I understand that the CITY started the “Cebra Voluntaria” (Voluntary Zebra) in 2001 and it has been a resounding success. Many young people who are reformed druggies have been recruited to work as Zebras.

BRAVO! What a novel way of utilizing human resources.

As a traveler, I meet many different people – of many different nationalities and ages (young and old) during the course of my travels. I have met people from all over the world – from Sudan to Korea to Kazakhstan. Of course, despite our diverse backgrounds, the common denominator is that we are all travelers.

As travelers, we share our experiences of travel on the road – the highs and the lows - and sometimes we lose all our inhibitions and go completely wild. While I was staying in Bolivia’s Amazon Basin far away from civilization, I met a small group of young travelers at San Miguel de Bala Lodge – a young couple from England and from Switzerland/Spain as well as a young lady from Korea.

As sort of tribute to yours truly, the two young blokes – Henri (from England) and Eunico (from Andalusia) went off the deep end and created an outrageous new dance style called “Do the Papa Mono”. The Papa Mono dance promises to be the biggest thing to hit the dance floors since the Lambada. Check it out and pretty soon, I guarantee that you will soon be going ape too. PURA VIDA

P.S. I would like to apologize to all our loyal subscribers for our disappearance during the last 3 months. However as you can see, we have returned bigger (and better) than ever!