Street photography La Paz Bolivia
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Daily Life in La Paz

The best place to get a feel for daily life in La Paz is to walk her chaotic, often serpentine streets and see it all for yourself. As the sun rises, the streets are relatively quiet save for the growing hum of the cars, vans and buses that transport people around. By nine o’clock, the streets begin to come alive as the street vendors open up the doors of their little green stalls, bringing a burst of riotous color to the scene. Children in uniforms walk to school while men and women move swiftly to get to work. Others pass their time lounging on the stoops of a building or on a bench in the park.

I found the best way to get a taste of daily life in La Paz was to capture as many different aspects of it as possible on film. I have already posted my street photography photos on street art, women, markets and vendors. Now it is time to take a look at how people express themselves in their daily lives.

Street photography La Paz Bolivia

Singing on the streets to earn a dime.

Street photography La Paz Bolivia

Eating breakfast outdoors before opening her stall for the day.

Street photography La Paz Bolivia

Relaxing in front of God’s house.

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Produce Market La Paz Bolivia
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The Unusual Street Markets of La Paz

In my opinion, the heart and soul of a country can almost always be found on the street. Street markets can tell you a lot about a place.  There is no place where this is more true than in La Paz. La Paz’ chaotic and colorful markets are abundant and diverse. You can find anything your heart desires and bartering always ensures the best price. It is at the unusual markets of La Paz that the old and new culture of the city collides. Whether you are looking for a specific door knob, light bulb or toilet seat, you can surely find it at rock bottom prices at the Mercado Negro (Black market). Want a llama fetus to set fire as an offering? No problem. There are plenty of dead ones to choose from at the Mercado de Hechiceria (Witches’ Market). Experiencing the fabulous markets of La Paz is the highlight of any trip and is bound to be a fascinating way to spend the day.

Our hotel, Hostal Naira was located just a block or two away from the start of the Witches’ Market on Calle Sagarnaga thus we spent a lot of time walking around the area. I already posted many of my photos from the street vendors near our hotel in this post  however I found that the further up the cobblestone streets we walked, the more interesting and unusual the markets became. As the traditional street vendors known as artesanias selling handicrafts and hand-woven goods dwindled so did the tourists. We knew that we were entering the markets meant for locals as we begin to see no tourists and more unique items for sale.

Markets of La Paz Bolivia

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Street vendors in La Paz Bolivia
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The Street Vendors of La Paz

Street vendors are everywhere in La Paz adding vibrancy and culture to the already colorful, hectic streets. You can pretty much buy anything on the street ranging from beautiful handicrafts and hand-woven goods to magazines, drinks, food and anything your heart desires inside the black market.

The life of a street vendor is not an easy one. Most open up their green-colored stalls around nine or ten o’clock in the morning and close well after ten at night. The majority of street vendors are women who have no other choice but to bring their babies and young children with them for a long day and night on the street. They eat at their stalls, watch their  children play and sleep at the stalls, and spend most of the time sitting there hoping for a customer so they can make enough money to survive.

I found the life to be a hard yet was amazed at their perseverance by coming day after day to the same spot for well over twelve hours to sell what they could to feed their families. I was heartbroken by the mothers with young kids crying or sleeping at their weary feet. But in a country of high unemployment, at least these women had some income to provide for their family. And the products they sold were lovely.

The neighborhood we stayed in was located in the heart of the Witches Market, a huge tourist attraction in La Paz. I enjoyed watching some of the street vendors set up and close their stalls each day. I enjoyed taking photos of them even more.

Street vendors in La Paz Bolivia

In the morning slowly the street vendors begin to arrive and open up their green-colored stalls for the day. These stalls were right outside our hotel.

Every morning this woman would open her small stall around nine o’clock, right outside our hotel door. She had a beautiful collection of handicrafts and also sold bottled water which was very helpful. Her location couldn’t be better given the high volume of customers in the hotel next door.

Street vendors in La Paz Bolivia

Street vendors in La Paz Bolivia

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Street Art in La Paz, Bolivia
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Street Art in La Paz

I adore street art.  While some people find street art and graffiti distasteful, I truly love a good work of art and enjoying it for free on the side of a building brings more flavor and culture to a place. Like many cities in South America, La Paz has its share of street art which adds to the riot of color already surrounding her vibrant streets.

My favorite pieces of street art were of the Aymara women who are so common on the streets of La Paz. Painted in vivid, bright colors I found these murals lovely. I wondered who had painted them and how long the art had been there. Had they been commissioned or did an artist become inspired to paint it for free?

The sensational colors made my soul sing.

Street Art in La Paz, Bolivia

Street Art in La Paz, Bolivia

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Street Vendors La Paz, Bolivia
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La Paz: A Lesson in Street Photography

La Paz is one of the most colorful, vibrant places I have ever been. Ranking high on the list with such photogenic darlings as India and Cuba, the endless opportunities to take pictures makes you never once put your camera away for fear that you will miss something great. You could seriously spend a week just walking around the winding, lively streets of the city taking thousands of photos. Unfortunately I only had a few days meaning I had to take as many as possible without the correct lighting or framing of the shot. Nevertheless, I am happy with the colorful captures I was able to get despite my hasty, rushed approach.

It took me weeks to sort through and edit my collection of photos. When I finally edited the very last photo, I was elated. However, at first glance I was also a tad bit disappointed. Looking back now, I realize that La Paz taught me a hard lesson in street photography. It is not as easy or simple as it seems.

Trying to capture random pictures of everyday life without attracting too much attention is difficult. I love to photograph every day people yet there is often a fine line between asking for their permission to get a shot or just taking it on the sly. It can feel like an invasion of privacy and if you are caught you may get an angry stare or worse.

My general rule of thumb when photographing people is that if they are only a part of the scene I am taking, then I generally don’t ask. I take the photo from far away and get the entire scene.  If I want a closer view of the subject, I crop it later when I am editing in Lightroom. If the photo is exclusively of a person and I need a close up shot, then I always ask their permission. The unfortunate part is that sometimes a shot that is not candid just doesn’t turn out as well. But I’d rather be respectful and ask permission than chance upsetting someone.

Another lesson I learned about street photography on this trip is that timing is everything. I may see the perfect photo but if my camera is not ready at that exact moment in time or if a bus or car drive through the photo, then it is ruined. La Paz is a very busy place with people, cars, buses, and tourists everywhere.  Oftentimes I would try my best to get a shot when all the sudden a pedestrian would walk right past my camera as I snap. If I was traveling on my own, I could try again but I’m usually always with an impatient non-blogger who doesn’t want to spend the entire day stopping every step to take pictures!

Timing is also important when it comes to the location of the sun. When you are only in a destination for a couple of days, you just have to take your chances on the photos. The sun may be in the worst spot possible but if I really like something than I take the photo anyway knowing even if it is not the best, at least I got it.

The last lesson I learned is that to be a true street photographer takes incredible talent. I’m just an amateur photographer who loves to capture the world through my eyes. Sometimes I get lucky and a photo I take turns out really great. But I acknowledge the fact that I am no expert. If my photos aren’t perfect that is ok. As long as they show the world through my eyes and help me share what I have seen, then I’ve done my job.

The next series of my Bolivia posts will all revolve around street photography. Here is a preview of the different subjects:

Street Art

Street Art in La Paz, Bolivia

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South Kaibab trail Grand Canyon Arizona
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Exploring the Grand Canyon: A Hike Down the Rim to Ooh Aah Point

On the last day of our October visit to the Grand Canyon, I decided it was time to take a hike down off the rim and explore. After a taste of hiking down the Bright Angel Trail, I agreed with everything I’d read. Getting below the rim was the way to truly see the magical colors, depth and splendors of the Grand Canyon.

Although we had seen some families with children hiking below the rim, I personally did not feel comfortable bringing my children. Not only was it incredibly steep, there was no protection. One slip and down you go. Thus, I decided to do a short 1.8 mile hike myself, on the South Kaibab trail to the OOH AHH Lookout Point.

South Kaibab trail Grand Canyon Arizona

Start of the trailhead

My husband and kids dropped me off and away I went, elated to be doing one of the things I love most: Hike!  I had the next hour and a half to hike before they would come back to pick me up. I could hardly wait.

South Kaibab trail Grand Canyon Arizona

Getting ready to go!

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Havana Cuba cars
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Colossal Cuba

Wednesday’s shocking news that President Obama had brokered a secret deal with Cuba to restore full diplomatic and trade relations with Cuba after over fifty years took the world by surprise. Last year while I was in Cuba on a “people to people” cultural tour, one of the only legal ways for Americans to visit Cuba, Obama was secretly meeting with Raúl Castro in Canada and already in the midst of negotiations. The news has angered many who believe it only rewards Castro’s repressive regime yet others believe it is about time we open the doors to Cuba.

Whatever your views are and whatever ends up eventually happening I am glad I was able to go before the floodgate of tourists arrive. Only 90 miles off the shore of the US, Havana is an inviting place. It is the once forbidden fruit that will soon be open for more Americans to see. Will it change for the better? Will it help or hurt the people? These are questions that only time will tell. Like Nick Kristof, a rather liberal New York Times journalist, I believe that allowing the free flow of goods and people into Cuba will help. Will it topple the repressive Castro regime? No. But still, I believe democracy is a good thing and allowing the flow of ideas, people, goods, and cash will eventually help and hopefully lift many Cubans out of poverty. At least the Cuban people will be able to buy desperately needed goods and the shelves on the stores won’t be mostly empty. I remember giving out deodorant, tooth paste and a hairdryer to my Cuban maid before I left Havana and she cried. I thought about the Target store at home where  I purchased them in. Aisles and aisles of every brand of deodorant under the sun. Overwhelmingly stocked with everything your heart desires. It made me sad.

I looked through my pictures again from last year and it made me wonder. If Cuba does open up for Americans, what will it look like in ten or twenty years? Will these photos be relics of the past just like the old cars that are so common on the streets of Cuba today? Or will it be a land overwhelmed with McDonalds and Starbucks? And most importantly of all, will life be better for the Cuban people? Only time will tell.

Street Photography Havana Street Photography Havana Street Photography Havana Street Photography Havana Street Photography Havana Building renovation in Old Havana Cuba Building renovation in Old Havana Cuba Vintage American cars in Havana

View of Havana

Evening view of Havana

Cuban Street Photography Cuban Street Photography Vintage American cars in Havana

Old Havana

A morning walk in Old Havana

Havana Cuba

Crumbling, decaying buildings, a reminder of Cuba’s glorious past, line the streets of Havana.

Vintage American Cars in Havana

Pre-Revolutionary American cars are quite common in Cuba and a reminder of the isolation imposed on Cuba after the US Embargo.

Cuban propaganda

Cubans are highly patriotic. There is also a lot of propaganda.

Cuban worker

This young man was taking a break from work.

Cuban book market

The Cubans love their fiery Revolutionary past. Che and Fidel are on everything ranging from key chains,to posters and old books.

Cuban bar life

Having a mojito in a gorgeous Cuban bar is a daily necessity.

Cuban propaganda

Old magazines for sale

Old Vintage cars in Havana Vintage cars in Havana

Old cars in Havana

Given the age of the cars, many break down and have to be refurbished with new parts.

Cuban cigars

Cuban cigars are everywhere and everyone smokes them.

Paseo del Prado, Havana Cuba Paseo del Prado, Havana Cuba Paseo del Prado, Havana Cuba The Malecón Havana

The Malecón Havana Cuba

Starting from Old Havana, it is a lovely walk along the Malecón with lots of sights to see.

The Malecón Havana

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La Paz, Bolivia
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My Fascination with La Paz

I landed in Bolivia after a grueling overnight flight from Miami in El Alto, the highest international airport in the world at a dizzying altitude of 13,323 feet (4,061 m). Coming from the flat land of Minnesota at meager 830 feet (264 m) above sea level and a restless night’s sleep, I felt exhausted, unbalanced and elated all the same to finally be in Bolivia.

A driver from our hotel picked us up and drove us the short 8 miles or so down into the heart of La Paz. As we left the bustling run-down city of El Alto and meandered down the impossibly steep, colorful streets of La Paz I looked around me in fascination. In all my travels around the world, I had never seen anything quite like La Paz. Built within a giant bowl-shaped canyon with streets as steep as ski hills, there she laid before me:  A metropolitan area of over 2 million people densely populated within the sheer rocks that surround La Paz and lead to the majestic, snow-capped Andes.

La Paz, Bolivia

Leaving the high plateau of El Alto, I got the first real view of La Paz below and was stunned.

La Paz Bolivia

If ever you get lost in La Paz, simply head downhill. You are bound to find yourself again

And then I saw her in all her glory and was awestruck. La Paz seemed to go on forever into the distant altiplano, the highlands for which this part of Bolivia is known for.

La Paz, Bolivia

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Woman in La Paz Bolivia
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Bolivian Street Photography: The Twinkle in her eye

Bolivia has the largest indigenous population in South America with an estimated 60% of her population claiming indigenous descent. In La Paz, the most prominent indigenous culture is the Aymara who are known for their rich, highland culture and colorful handicrafts.

Walking down the streets of La Paz, the landscape is awash is brilliant colors of tapestries, handwoven scarves, hats and sweaters, and tiny little street side shops and stalls run by the local Aymara women. Cholitas dressed in wide, layered skirts, a brightly colored handwoven blanket along the back and an English-style brown bowler hat atop their head, line the streets waiting expectantly for a sale.

I saw her alone, seated next to a small street side shop and a bucket of colorful dolls. I knew I’d have to stop and say hello and maybe purchase a doll for my daughter.

Woman in La Paz, Bolivia

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El Alto Bolivia
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Getting to Bolivia

When I checked in my bags at the airport on November 25th, I let out a huge sigh of relief. Unless the plane broke, I was going. It seemed like some kind of minor miracle after all we’ve been through trying to plan this crazy one-week trip.

A year ago, our trip was booked and planned. We had our plane tickets, hotel reservations and trek booked for October however our trip had to be placed on hold indefinitely while my dad battled cancer. Fast forward a year later, he thankfully recovered and got himself back into tip, top shape. We rebooked our trip and were overjoyed that it was finally going to happen.

Then came the issue with my passport.

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Bright Angel Trailhead Grand Canyon
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Grand Canyon’s Bright Angel Trail

One of the most well known trails below the rim of the Grand Canyon is the Bright Angel Trail. Meandering steeply 19 miles into the depths of the Grand Canyon, the Bright Angel Trail is not for the beginning hiker. There are warning signs everywhere advising to take serious precautions while hiking down into the canyon. Even the relatively short hike down 1.5 miles to the resthouse is not for the faint at heart.

Bright Angel Trailhead Grand Canyon

A snapshot of what your hiking options are below the rim on the Bright Angel Trailhead.

Since we were with our children, we only walked ten minutes or so down the Bright Angel Trail holding on tightly to our kids hands. I had heard that the best way to experience the canyon was to go into it thus we thought a short, safe walk would be worth the views. We noticed lots of people doing the hike, even some families with children, but we didn’t feel comfortable taking our kids very far. It is a long way down if you slip and fall, and there are no safety railings to stop you.

Here are a few shots I took during our short walk into the Bright Angel Trail. Although we didn’t go far it made me realize that I needed to add a hike down to the bottom of the canyon onto my every-growing bucket list. A stay at the Bright Angel Camp would be amazing!

Bright Angel Trailhead Grand Canyon

Start of the Bright Angel Trailhead

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Condoriri trailhead Bolivia
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Gone but not forgotten in the Bolivian Andes

Over the past week, I’ve been off the grid so to speak, in the high Andes of Bolivia. My blog has been quiet while I spent four days sleeping at 15,400 feet at the foot of Condoriri Mountain (5648 m) in the Cordillera Real Range of Bolivia.

It was quite an adventure to say the least. One that I will never forget and one that I am still recovering from. My dad and I managed to climb two mountains in two days, the first at 16,899 feet (5152 m) and the second at a whopping 17,698 feet (5396 m). I still am in awe at the beauty of it all.

In honor of today’s photo challenge here are some photos of where I was. Many more will be coming soon as I play catch up and sort through all my colorful photos from Bolivia. Here is a sneak peak of a few unedited ones that capture the imagination of such a remote, spectacular place.

Condoriri Mountain Bolivia

Setting out to our destination: The foot of the Condoriri

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