La Paz, the capital of Bolivia, is the ultimate detour spot!

Buenos! (Hello in Spanish)
Suddenly, do you know the capital of Bolivia?
Many people might think of the Uyuni Salt Flats when they think of Bolivia, but actually, the capital 'La Paz' is also full of charm!

What kind of place is the city of La Paz?

La Paz is about 3600 meters above sea level, equivalent to the summit of Mount Fuji.
The entire city is bowl-shaped, with the wealthy living in the lowland center and the poor residing in the highland suburbs.
Also, throughout South America, you often see brown brick-built cities.

This is because they are easy to build and resistant to earthquakes.
Being quite urban, there is a lot of traffic, and the air feels a bit gassy.
If you are sensitive to exhaust fumes, bringing a mask might make it a bit more comfortable.

It's like the world of Harry Potter! Witch Street

If you stray a little off the main street in the city, you'll suddenly find yourself in a world with a different atmosphere.
This place is commonly known as Witch Street, and its official name is Linares Street.

It's called Witch Street because, as the name suggests, many items that seem to be used in witch rituals are sold here.
Items sold include llama taxidermy, medicine to heal ailments, perfumes that attract the opposite sex, and herbs and starfish used in rituals, among others.
Just walking around, you'll see many items that you've never seen in Japan.

Llama taxidermy is still used in fortune-telling today.
The actual fortune-telling method involves placing colorful candies and llama taxidermy on a plate.

Next, you burn this on the land where you want to build a house.
If the ashes turn completely black, you can build a house there, but if they turn completely white, you need to look for another piece of land.
In Japan, there is a custom of praying to the gods when building a house, but Bolivia's customs seem like something out of a fairy tale, which is also charming.

Let's take the cable car that runs throughout the city to see the night view

As mentioned earlier, La Paz is a bowl-shaped city with significant elevation differences, so a cable car system called Mi Teleférico runs throughout the city as public transportation.

The lines are distinguished by the color of the gondolas: red, yellow, green, and silver.
Among these, it is recommended to take the red gondola when going to see the night view.

La Paz is a city full of vibrant people.
I liked Witch Street so much that I wandered around for over three hours, buying souvenirs. Haha
Be sure to stop by.
Well then, ciao!