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Today was our first day without a guide or schedule so we decided to form our own itinerary. Our first port of call was Walisuma, a native Andean shop which had been recommended to visit. However, it was approximately 8km away and situated in Low La Paz, and as there was no way I was getting into a local taxi or minibus, we did the best option available, we took the cable car route. Several years ago there were only 3 of these routes around La Paz, now there are seven, including ones that go up to El Alto and one to lower La Paz. As we had scoped out where and how it all worked yesterday, we simply walked straight to the station and caught the Celestial Line which then connected to the Green Line. All up, 5 BOB ($1.25AUD). Very clean, easy, cheap and it kept us away from the hordes of humanity and the minibuses.
Lower La Paz is more sane that the upper part and we found ourselves walking next to embassies and private houses, and then next to a coffee shop, which had to be sampled, and this is where the coffee artist created the cat in the froth. Good coffee too. The shop was only several blocks away and I found something for Sue (not saying what in case she reads this!). Back on the Green and Celestial lines back to the hotel for lunch.
Charlie wasn’t feeling well so he stayed in bed while Fran and I went exploring for one of the museums we had missed yesterday, because, as the guide has said, “Museum is closed on Monday.” Except it wasn’t! It was closed half a day on Monday and ALL DAY on Tuesdays!!! Ok, new plan, visit the metallurgical museum. No, buy ticket up the road. Hand over passport or ID. Luckily Fran had a picture of her passport on her phone and they let us in. Interesting museum. A lot of it was pottery, bronze and stone items and then we found the door. It was about 10” thick and part of a safe. Through the safe door and down some stairs we found the gold items that had been discovered in this area. There was a lot of headdresses, bracelets, and a lot of items which would have been sewn on to an important persons clothing. Explains the safe door.
We went back to the Witches Market to pick up a couple of t-shirts as well as book a restaurant for dinner. It wasn’t bad, but at the end we had to pay in cash. Whoops!