Don’t let the visa fees which apply to US citizens or the sketchy public transport dissuade you from including Bolivia in your South American travel itinerary- its varied landscapes of tropical jungles and rivers, high Andean plains, glacial mountain peaks ascending into the clouds, buzzing metropolises, and the highest navigable lake and largest salt flat in the world are continually astounding visitors and bringing Bolivia into their top-ranked travel moments.
South America has a reputation of being difficult for vegetarians. Local markets boast an abundance of fresh produce and exotic fruit juices, but restaurant offerings are more limited. Sometimes, you’re simply limited to pizzas at touristic restaurants or rice served with sautéed vegetables and fries elsewhere. Luckily, La Paz has more to offer the hungry vegetarian traveler, if you know where to look.
Copacabana is one of the most visited sites in Bolivia during Holy Week, as many Bolivians travel by foot to visit its Sanctuary of the Virgin of Copacabana, Bolivia’s patron saint. 35,000 penitents are expected to walk to the Copacabana Sanctuary this year. All of them, driven by faith, depart by Ash Wednesday, in order to arrive by Holy Friday. Several thousand others will travel by car. Upon their arrival after the 2 day trip, there will be 3 days of processions, religious rites, and sermons, ending on Easter Sunday.
Carnaval is one of the largest events of the year in La Paz, with preparations beginning in advance. In Bolivia, it’s beaten only by Carnaval in nearby Oruro, which many travelers attend through bused day trips from La Paz. However, even in La Paz itself thousands of dancers brighten the streets in their folkloric attire, while many revelers spray others with water, colored flours, confetti, and more. As in other South American countries, the Catholic pre-Lenten celebration of Carnaval in La Paz is fused with ancient customs and rites.
Bolivia celebrates two new years- January 1st and June 21st. (The latter is considered the Aymara New Year.) You’ll find that the New Year’s Eve celebrations of December 31st share a lot in common with those of other South American countries.
Roast pork is the traditional dinner choice, as it represents bounty and prosperity, followed by a champagne toast. The Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes while making wishes is commonly observed, but the most important custom is the wearing of colored underwear. Yellow is for wealth and luck, and red is for love. You’ll find that underwear is a popular item for the mobile vendors on the street.
Even those who spend the evening with their
families will often choose to go out dancing after midnight. In La Paz, themed parties are popular (80s, metal, etc). However, many people do travel to the tropical yungas and Amazon rainforest or Lake Titicaca, taking advantage of the fact that New Year’s Eve coincides with summer vacation. Coroico (on the edge of the tropics) and Sun Island (in Lake Titicaca) are said to have better parties than La Paz.
However, those of you who choose to spend New Year’s in La Paz won’t be disappointed spending it with friends at Pirwa La Paz. Celebrating with other travelers is a great way to ring in a new year of adventures around the world!
