Night at the Museum

Me and Naomi went to Zona del Sur and interviewed a 'famous' Bolivian drummer and bassist. The latter, Alex Turralde, belonged to a Christian rock band, but ironically, it was the drummer who was called 'Christian' Paredes and he described himself as a (non-religious) rebel and a rockstar.  

A few days later, every Museum and embassy in La Paz opened its doors to gringos and locals alike. No one charged an entrance fee (unlike in London, museums aren't usually free here). The idea of 'el noche de los museos' is to allow universal access to Bolivia's rich cultural heritage with no financial qualms. This council initiative proved popular. The streets were teaming with people and there were traditional dances and bands playing in the streets and in museum halls.

(Us outside the square with most of the museums)

We saw a wide variety of masks, devil costumes, musical instruments and paintings of Che Guevara. The most striking Che Guevara picture looked like one face from afar. But up close, you could see that his features were composed of many different people; mostly campesinos looking either desperate or inspired.


The coca museum was small but informative. Coca leaves are the raw ingredient for cocaine but are harmless unprocessed; a fact often forgotten by the international media when they demonize countries that grow the crop. Coca leaves are often used down the mines to stave off hunger or brewed in tea. 

Both coca leaves and aguadiente (strong alcohol) were both used by indigenous people to endure the oppression of colonial rule. According to 'Open Veins of Latin America,' some of those who rejected these means of numbing the pain had such a poor quality of life in the mines, digging for the conquistador's gold, that they committed suicide and sacrificed their children in order to spare them from the horror of a miner´s daily drudgery.

Even the President, Evo Morales agress that coca is a polemic issue and used to be a cocalero. Coca tea is even prescribed to gringos when they first arrive to combat soroche (altitude sickness), because it stimulates the brain to produce more oxygen.

(Above: Des tries the flourescent-looking concoction advertised as coca beer)

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The next day was the champions´ leage final: Bayern Munich vs Chelsea. We watched it in 'senses' bar and had to pick a team on entrance. Luckily, I picked Chelsea and won some free beers on the house!

But I didn't really deserve them because we weren't in the bar for more than an hour and missed a big chunk of the game. Instead, me, Toni and Naomi got bored and hungry so we went in search of something cheap to eat. We found a churreria and were presented with a huge plate of cold corn saturated with water, over-fried chicken and tuño (rehydrated potato).

Food looked up the next day though. Danny made us a feast; including chorizo, beef, kebabs, salad and some Bolivian cheezy rice. Harry prepared some brouchettes to help out and we processed behind Des, who was carrying them in foil.

I got chatting to a few of Danny´s friends who invited me to a 'guitarrada' this weekend (classical guitar jam). I also met Maddy for the first time: an NGO worker who used to work for Bolivian express. Here is a picture of her with Felipe, her Chilean boyfriend.

As night fell, the temperature dropped so we hurried home. Getting around in Bolivia is always somewhat precarious because although everything is one way, there is a high drink-drive rate and people tend to speed up if they see a pedestrian rather than slow down. Luckily, help is often at hand in the guise of zebras (homeless people who act as lollipop ladies to enable you to cross the road safely).

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