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Peering out the car window and over the edge of the road—down into the deep gorge that houses La Paz—you can’t help but feel butterflies fluttering in your stomach. The Bolivian city of nearly 800,000 sits 13,300 feet above sea level—a sprawling metropolis clinging to steep hillsides. Temperatures can vary by as much as 50 degrees from top to bottom, but the palpable energy remains constant. Prepare yourself: La Paz is loud, colorful, and—to be fair—a bit chaotic, in the most charming way. Represented by more than 36 different native groups (indigenous people constitute more than 60 percent of the population), Bolivia is simultaneously dynamic and rooted in a traditional way of life. One of South America’s still-underdeveloped countries, it has lagged behind neighboring Brazil and Chile on the creation of tourism infrastructure. In recent years, however, the country has evolved into a desirable destination for travelers, with La Paz seeing a 40-percent increase in visitors between 2014 and 2015. Overall, the lack of development—coupled with the preservation of cultural heritage—means that the city is still largely untouched by international tourists. Don’t expect to lounge in the lap of luxury in La Paz. It is at once gritty, rugged, and beautiful—the ideal destination for the audacious traveler seeking intimate interaction with locals, deep cultural immersion, and traditional foods made with plant-based ingredients culled from the regional bounty. Begin your 72-hour La Paz adventure at a local marketplace and then soar high above the city on public transport. Be sure to leave room to feast on all the regional vegan specialties. Day 1: Market mania With its unique geography—nestled in a valley between the Andes, Lake Titicaca, and the Bolivian Yungas rainforest—La Paz offers an abundance of year-round local produce, much of it organic. If native to Bolivia, it is grown without GMOs as dictated by 2012’s Law of Mother Earth. Whereas other South American countries export their goods, Bolivia preserves its natural resources, and the markets boast a vast variety of heirloom foods. Start your first day by exploring on foot, beginning at the open-air Mercado Robert Rodriguez—the largest food market in the city—to experience Bolivia’s edible bounty firsthand. Though open every day, buying and selling hits a fever pitch on Saturdays when block upon block bulges with stalls offering towers of tropical produce in every color of the rainbow. Expect to see tubs packed to the brim with peanut butter ground from nuts plucked in a nearby jungle, and towers of spices hand-ground on the spot. Running the show are the cholitas— local women dressed colorfully in the traditional costume of pleated skirts, leg warmers decorated with llama patterns, bright sweaters, and thick braids spanning the length of their backs. Some arrive as NEW 100% Pure New Vegan Lipsticks Most of Bolivia’s colorful produce is organic and non-GMO. Bolivia is home to the stunning Salar de Uyuni, the world’s largest salt flat. 100PERCENTPURE.COM GET 10% OFF CODE: FULLVEGANLIPS Coupon expires on 3/31/17 VEGNEWS.COM VegNews 63
vegvacation early as 4am to prepare for the market’s 5am opening, and it’s not uncommon to spot a sleepy cholita napping among her wares. “Que quiere?” they ask quietly as you pass by while ogling pyramids of avocados the size of softballs, with flesh so creamy it spreads like butter. One can be yours for about a dollar. Rows of bins display the 200 varieties of potatoes native to the region, including the bright orange and purple sweet ones that resemble witches’ fingers. The bins also boast chuños—freeze-dried spuds displayed like precious gems, and the hairy, potato-like yuca sliced in half to show off its blinding white flesh. Wandering the foodie’s dreamscape takes you past mounds of grains like millet, quinoa, and its cousin, kañiwa. Save room in your travel bag for the luxury superfoods available at a fraction of the price you’d pay in the United States— among them Brazil nuts, cashews, almonds, maca, and chia seeds. Hungry in La Paz? Want to eat like the locals, but do it vegan? Here are some of our favorite eats from the Bolivian city. Api A deep-purple, hot beverage made from maiz morado (purple corn), this staple beverage is spiced with cinnamon and cloves, and reminiscent of mulled wine. Sandwich de Palta This simple avocado sandwich is a typical snack for Paceños; be sure to ask for it sin queso y mayonesa (without cheese and mayo). Jugos or Batidos Sold just about everywhere, fresh fruit juices and smoothies should be ordered sin leche and con agua purificada (without milk and with purified water). Handicraft markets merge with Mercado Rodriguez on the side streets, exhibiting the vibrant and intricate textiles often hand-woven by the mamitas themselves. Cholitas spin yarn or weave patterns right on the sidewalk, in deep meditation as their fingers fly over the looms like concert pianists. Stacks of neatly folded fabrics stand several feet high, a colorful delight to the eyes. On one end, Mercado Rodriguez eventually morphs into the lively Witches’ Market, where the superstitious Aymara people sell a variety of herbs and folk remedies to appease the spirits, while Yatiri (witch doctors) pitter around with their coca pouches and dark hats offering fortune-telling services. If the market has left you with sensory overload, the time is right to step into Namas Té, a cozy vegetarian restaurant ensconced among the market vendors and auto repair shops. Namás Té offers a wide range of comfort foods ranging from international cuisine to traditional Bolivian meals, veganized. Order the four-course vegan menu of the day for a taste of typical Bolivian fare like sajta, customarily made with chicken. This meat-free meal starts with crispy quinoa patties topped with slivered red onion and diced tomato, accompanied by the dried and starchy chuño—a steal for less than $5. The intention behind the restaurant has always been to provide affordable, healthy food to everyone, and the majority of diners are resident Paceños, or La Paz residents. Saucy mushroom sandwich at Red Monkey Patio (left) and nap time at La Senda Verde wild-animal rescue (right) Day 2: Take flight In the residential Sopocachi neighborhood, yellow and green cable cars glide silently overhead, ferrying passengers to the neighboring El Alto district. Opened in 2014, the Mí Teleférico cable car system has done wonders to alleviate street congestion and ease the burden of an overcrowded public transit system. For a bird’s-eye view of the city, walk to the nearest Mí Teleférico station and soar over the cliffs and jagged rocks of La Paz for the 20-minute ride to Zona Sur. For less than one dollar for the one-way journey, you can marvel in awe at the homes clinging precariously to the mountainside, and at the serpentine roads that carve through the city like a labyrinth as the tram plunges deeper into the canyon. The wealthy flock to this chic neighborhood brimming with cafés that serve real coffee (only Nescafé is available in most establishments) and upscale boutiques. It’s here that you’ll also discover Red Monkey Patio, the first restaurant in La Paz to use the word “vegan,” and which is, in fact, 100-percent plant-based. The popular lunch spot serves simple dishes made with ingredients grown either in the restaurant’s garden or sourced locally. The Forbidden Black Rice Burger ($7) comes topped with grilled tomatoes and velvety cream cheese, while the colorful Tofu Pesto Sandwich ($7) is served with bright-green cilantro sauce—a sharp visual contrast to the tofu, which has been stained an intense shade of orange from the Photos courtesy Red Monkey Patio and La Senda Verde 64 VegNews JANUARY+FEBRUARY 2017
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