La Paz is simply breath-taking, and that's before you even leave the confines of the hotel. Sitting between 10,500 and 13,500 ft above sea level, la Paz makes a legitimate claim to being the highest capital city in the world. We have been at relatively high altitudes for some time now, and yet even moderate physical exertion can still leave you gasping.

The lack of oxygen might also explain the prevailing fashion statement of the local Aymara women- bowler hats. We had seen them in other areas of the country but it seemed to be almost mandatory wear in La Paz. According to legend, a shipment of bowler hats was sent from Europe to Bolivia via Peru for use by Europeans working on railroad construction- when the hats were found to be too small, they were given to the indigenous peoples (the hats didn't fit them either which is why they are pinned to the tops of their head). Apparently the tilt of the hat will also signal the marital status of the woman who are also wearing full layered skirts (polleras) in fabrics like velvet or satin over knee socks or patterned leg warmers- their hair is done in two thick braids tied together with beads. It may not be our idea of alluring but it's a very distinctive look that they have made their own.

When you're in the highest city in the world, everyone joins in on this unique claim to fame- 'the highest Irish Pub in the world' (which serves the same ham and cheese dishes as everyone else), 'the highest International Airport in the world’, ‘the highest National Football Stadium in the world’, and so on. One title which is entirely accurate is 'the highest golf course in the world'. After borrowing a canary yellow shirt with a collar (ordinary Bolivians are not playing golf so the dress code is enforced), we rented some not-so-gently used clubs. The golf course sits at 4,000 metres above sea level and the big appeal for newbie duffers like us was the possibility of driving your ball record distances in the thin air. It doesn't really help your score at all because, in addition to hooking or slicing my ball record distances, the golf course has incredibly long holes. Wheezing and puffing our way around this course did have its rewards- the 12th hole is certainly the most spectacular (and intimidating) I've ever seen. The hole intersects with the neighbouring Moon Valley and has tee box in the midst of this surreal landscape. Our golf game didn't improve at higher altitudes but we do have bragging rights when talking to golf-club-members like Don T- anyone can hit into the sandtraps at sea level.

Another thing you don't do at high altitudes is any form of biking. And you certainly don't do it on any Bolivian road system, and especially not on the one road labelled ‘Death Road' (with very good reason). It is legendary for its extreme danger and in 1995 the Inter-American Development Bank christened it as the "world's most dangerous road". One estimate is that 200 to 300 travellers are killed yearly along the road although that number is expected to drop with the completion of a bypass for the most dangerous section of the road. The road is decorated with crosses on many of the spots where vehicles have drifted over the edge.

Timing is everything, and although it wasn't particularly fair, after a bit of Coca tea (made with cocaine leaves), and during a particularly oxygen-deprived moment, I was able to get DH to see the merits of this adventure. Sometimes you just need to be taken to the top of a very steep and narrow road that hugs the side of a mountain on a day with periodic rain (just to make things slippery), get handed a bicycle that has been maintained in Bolivia, told to ride on the left (next to the cliff) because the cars/trucks get the safer side, in order to realize that there are some really stupid things you just don't do after a certain age. Apparently we haven't yet reached that age of maturity- DH was at least able to see the value of the bikes braking system, but for reasons that can only be attributed to testosterone, I felt the need to be at the front of the pack with the experienced mountain bikers (with those inappropriately tight bike outfits). What a rush!! Although injuries are common (and DH did end up with serious inner knee bruising resulting from the death grip she had on her bike), I don't know how more people aren't killed on this road (the average they admit to is 1 to 2 bikers per year and there’s a good reason they built the bypass for this 64 km section of the road). We saw terrified people who looked to be on a bike for the first time, and it's a poorly maintained gravel road full of large rocks, oncoming vehicles, and an unforgiving cliff-side drop.... maybe its just the cocaine talking, but DH wants to do it again!!

For decompression purposes we did wander around La Paz. Bolivia does offer up the more authentic cultural experience to those looking for that- very similar to where Peru and even Ecuador were some years ago. Street life was fascinating and even the somewhat over-hyped Witches Market was worth a look; llama fetuses (Bolivian families have a dried llama fetus thrown under the foundations of their house for luck), dried frogs (If you stick a cigarette in your dried frog's mouth, your chances of striking it rich will increase), armadillos (one above the entrance to your house will prevent thieves from entering), and various talismans were mixed in with tourist kitch. The fact that local witch doctors, known as yatiri, are still a key part of Bolivian life was part of the charm of the place- this very Catholic country has still managed to blend in many of the animist beliefs that existed before the Spanish arrived.

While wandering we did stumble across a packed Burger King. I only mention this because of a recent documentary that details the full retreat of McDonald's from Bolivia- never letting facts get in the way of a story, the admiring film makers put this down to Bolivians rejecting the fast and artificial food coming out of McDonald's. Check out the streets- Bolivians live on fast street food of questionable quality. With an average monthly salary under $500 Bolivians simply can’t afford the luxury of eating in McDonald's.

Even without a McDee's fix (and outside of non-stop ham and cheese), we’re really enjoying our time in Bolivia.