La Paz, Bolvia

Hi all, So, it's now La Paz, Bolivia now, and it's already the final night before we're off elsewhere and soon on to Cuzco where we embark on the Inca Trail to Machupichu (Lou and Cesca, thanks for your words of warning, but after all the treks we've done, well... I'm a professional mate, don't really like to talk about it mate! :-) La Paz is a crazy place, and more dodgy than Rio De Janiero, with the first night bringing out the locals to greet us gringos as we got money out of the ATM and hands quickly feeling around pockets to see what they could get. The highlights of the place, have defeinitely been Valle De La Luna (Yes there's one here too as well as San Pedro De Atacama), and the never ending markets. Of particular interest is the witches market which has everything from aphrodisiacs, llama fetuses (ooh tempting! :-), stuffed frugs, to dead armadillos, wildcats and condors, to do what with? Well I'm not sure about the condors, but if you bury the llama in your backyard or under your front door step, it brings eternal peace and well being, so good idea I'm sure but I'm not sure I'll get one back into Oz without hassles. Other than that, did I mention the locals are friendly, a little bit of Spanish goes a long way and Latin Americans are never short of conversation. I get the feeling La Paz is never without it's dramas from time to time, as Bolivia is afterall a very politically active country, and I got to experience a bit of social upheaval first hand in my wanderings around the city. At the markets, a shop was robbed by an Argentinian guy whom the police later caught and with around eight officers marched him through an angry mob of around 150 Bolivians to the awaiting policia car, and the mob turned sour by pelting him with rocks and garbage and wacking him with sticks before rocking the police car as it drove off. So, for a few minutes it was quite a site I captured on video, and so did the local news by the look of it. Even earlier in the day a woman was wrestling guys on the street in a fit of rage, who were reposessing her market stall as she'd not fronted up the deniro's for the every day bills that come with running a stall around here. But she got lucky, and after nearly getting herself run over a few times and wrestling violently with police, they unloaded her stuff and drove off, so a warning to those wanting to sell dead llamas and condors in Bolivia, pay your bills and don't steal! Prior to La Paz and a brief visit back to Potosi, was a stop at Uyuni, which was our base to seeing the salt flats, which were stretched over a vast 12,000 sq km's and a great sight. Sunglasses are a must, as you can easily get snow blind. The intense white of the salt, stretches endlessly into the distance, and cuts off suddenly to meet the blue sky for a fantastic contrast to an amazing place, especially at sunset. Whilst out at te salt flats, we visitd fish island for a trek over the coral covered island that was once underwater, then some BBQ'd llama for the first time, that had a beefy flavour and was very tender you hardly needed a knife. For now, it's making the most of the last night in La Paz, so must rush, it's dinner at this hotel tonight, can't remember the name, wait I remember, it's The Ritz :-) Cao! Adam