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COCHABOMBA,(See Map) was founded by a group of Spanish colonizers who settled in the Kjocha-Pampa valley in the late 1500's. After some decline in the late 1700's it gained back its position as the nation's granary. Currently, Cochabamba is a progressive and economically active city of 490,000. Cochabamba is in a fertile valley at 8000 feet altitude and is surrounded by the Tunari hill, the Alalay lagoon and the San Sebastian hill. Its weather is mild and pleasant. It is considered the best in the whole country, with warm-sunny days and cool nights. the average temperature in winter is about 61F, in summer 78F. Tourist points of interest. El Cristo de la Concordia is an immense statute of Christ. It is actually higher than the Christ statue in Rio de Janeiro. A great overviews of the city is offered from the top of the monument. Palacio Portales provides proof of the great wealth of tin baron Simón I. Patiño. Currently is is an art museum and cultural center. The Cathedral: Located in the Plaza 14 de Septiembre, this cathedral was built in 1571. It houses original frescos and paintings. LA PAZ , (See Map) is in a valley high in the Andies. It has a median temperature of about 35-65 degrees year round. It is either very dry and dusty and windy, or very wet and muddy and windy. The summer months (November and December) see highs in the 60's. Still the nights are very cold and heaters are not used (and sometimes not available) at night. La Paz is the capital of and is located at the unlikely altitude of 12,500 feet, its airport is appropriately called El Alto meaning "the high" at over 14,000 feet.La Paz is below the airport. The road corkscrews into an immense bowl like canyon. It's a big city of but dwarfed by its setting at the foot of Nevado Illimani. The traveler will see the tremendous differences in the people and buildings that are a result of 's economy, the poorest in South America. From adobe huts to glass skyscrapers, it is a contrast that leaves a profound impression on the traveler. Actually founded in 1548 as the "city of peace" its history was punctuated by various revolutions and wars and in the 1809 gained independence from Spain. La Plaza de los Españoles, that today is the Plaza Murillo, is the location for government buildings and the main cathedral. Today La Paz is a vibrant city, growing and expanding in all directions. with a population of more than a 1,500,000million. Climate Within La Paz there are different climates according to each zone's altitude. The average temperature in winter is 59F and 72F in summer. In the summer, rain falls on most afternoons. In the winter, days are slightly cooler, but the sky is mostly clear and sunny. Taxis are plentiful and not expensive although some are of dubious ancestry. The city of La Paz is best "walked" to appreciate the changes that have occurred in the establishment of the city. There have been, historically, three 'city centers' and the influence of each, helps you appreciate what we see today. Again a guide makes these areas come alive. A word of caution. The extreme altitude dictates flatlanders take it easy especially for the first few days. You may want to take along some medication to help you cope. Main Attractions Presidential Palace: Also known as the Palacio Quemado (Burnt Palace) due to repeating fire episodes the building endured in the past. The Cathedral: Built in 1835, the cathedral is an impressive building worth seeing. It is located in the Plaza Murillo next to the Presidential Palace. Mercado de Brujas (Witches' Market): Merchandise sold here includes herbs, remedies as well as other ingredients used in Aymara traditions. Tiahuanaco: This ruins, built over 1,000 years ago by the Tiahuancu people, are one of the most exciting places to visit. Some details Now La Paz is a relatively safe city but like all big cities the traveler should be prudent in the areas visited and display of jewelry or cash. The electric currency is, as in most of South America, 220 volts most better hotels have converters you can borrow or rent. The currency is the no which exchanges for the USD at about 8 to one although as in the rest of the world, bank money machines are pretty easy to find. Spanish is of course the main language and except for the more upscale commercial areas and hotels English is not often found. ORURO
(See map) was founded on November
1st, 1606. During the 17th century, Oruro became the largest city in the
Alto Peru region. After becoming a ghost town in the early 19th centruy
it has grown to almost 200,000 inhabitants. POTOSI,
(See map), Potosi
was founded by the discovery of ore in silver-rich Cerro Rico (rich hill)
in 1544. Large-scale mining began immediately and the first of the silver
was sent to Spain. In 1672, a mint was established to coin silver and water
reservoirs were built to fulfill the growing population's needs. Then more
than eighty six churches were built and the city's population increased
to nearly 200,000, making it one of the largest and wealthiest city in
Latin America and in the world. In 1987 (in Paris, France), the UNESCO
declared the city of Potosí a "World Heritage Site" in
recognition for its rich history and its wealth of colonial architecture.
Its current population is close to 125,000. SANTA
CRUZ de la Sierra, (See map),
was founded in 1560. Presently it boasts the second largest population
in Bolivia with almost 1,000,000, it is located 50 km east of the Cordillera
Oriental foothills. SUCRE,
(See map)(currently 170,000 inhabitants)
was originally founded as the city of La Plata in 1538. Its foundation
was a result of mining activities overseen by Gonzalo Pizarro, of Peru
fame. During the 17th century, La Plata was the legal, religious, and cultural
center of the area. It was here that the first cry of Independence in the
Americas was heard in 1809. In 1825 independence was declared and the Republic
of Bolivia ewas created named after the liberator Simón Bolivar.
The name of the city was changed from La Plata to Sucre in honor of Mariscal
Antonio José de Sucre, who fought along with Bolivar. UNESCO declared
the Historic City of Sucre a "World Heritage Site" in recognition
for its rich history and its wealth of colonial architecture.
TARIJA,(See
map), was founded on July 4th, 1574
as Villa de San Bernardo de Tarija.Tarija chose to become part of Bolivia
which won its independence and formally established as a Republic in 1825.
Currently the city of Tarija had a population of 130,000 inhabitants.
TITICACA and COPACABANA, (See map) the cradle of Inca civilization, is the second largest lake of South America (after Maracaibo). It is reputed to be the highest navigable lake in the world (about 12,500 ft. above sea level), extending from southeastern to western Bolivia. The lake is 122 miles long with an average width of 35 mi. The lake has waves, testament to its size and not surprisingly the waters are cold and deep, over 1,200 feet. At that altitude and fed from snow-clad Andes the lake does not invite swimming. It is the remnant of an ancient inland sea and the blue waters make a beautiful contrast to the parched altiplano. Lake Titicaca is the world's highest lake navigable to large vessels. The Totora reeds that
grow on the banks of Lake Titicaca have been used for building ships by
inhabitants of this region for centuries. After failing in attempts to
cross the South Pacific, Thor Hyerdahl came to Lake Titicaca to hire the
expert reed boat builders native to this area. After cutting the reeds,
they're dried in the sun for about two weeks, then intricately woven to
build their boats. TRINIDAD,(See
map),
(La Santísima Trinidad, the Most Holy Trinity) was founded in 1686
by Padre Cipriano Barace on the Mamoré river In 1769, disease and
floods caused the city to be relocated on the shores of Arroyo de San Juan.
Trinidad is the capital city of the department of Beni. Trinidad has about
78,000 people.Trinidad has a tropical and humid climate, as you would expect
for a city near the equator that is close to sea level it is hot all year-round
( from 75F to 85F). The heaviest rains are in the summer.
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Some important notes: Reservations are handled by Inversiones Paso Chico, S.A.C. phone 51-1-421-9667, fax 51-1-421-3416 a fully licensed and accredited travel provider at Av. Alvarez Calderon 155, Suite 301, San Isidro, Lima 27, Peru. Email us at reservations@bolivias-hotels.com. If you prefer to make your reservation direct or would like more information please call toll free 1-866-843-4740 from the USA, from other countries call 51-1-421-9667, fax 51-1-421-3416.The reservation center is open 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM East Coast USA Time, Mon to Fri. WE HATE SPAM, therefore we pledge that your email address will only be used to correspond with you about specific hotels you have requested from us. It will never be given to any other company and remains confidential. Also there are no cookies of any sort on this site to gather any information about you. If you would like to give us comments about the Bolivia hotels site, or would like to advertise please contact George Massie. For free reciprocal links click here. Notice: This page including gifs/jpgs, text and design copyright SAIH, Inc, December1998, reproduction of any elements, or design is strictly forbidden without expressed written permission |