Saturday, January 10, 2026
The Netherlands is snowed in. Just as I was ready to leave last Monday, my flight was canceled. No trains, no flights, and little traffic. I immediately tried to rebook, like so many others. Eventually, I found a flight on Friday, which was somewhat acceptable in terms of time and transfers. After the delay due to de-icing, I finally left the Netherlands and arrived in La Paz on Saturday afternoon. During the domestic flight, I heard that the strikers and miners had blocked many main roads in the country, and certainly also in La Paz. No taxi to the city center, but the minibus to the gondola. La Paz has an extensive gondola system, and this takes me downtown. A short walk and I can check in. I immediately sense the city’s altitude of 3,650 meters. A walk, especially a short climb, is a bit more strenuous.
The nearby Plaza Murillo is surrounded by beautiful buildings, and the Christmas tree brightens up the square in the evening. The Spanish colonial style is still visible here and there, and a tour of the Basilica de San Francisco is a must. A city walk with Red Cab takes us through the colorful cemetery, where she explains local customs. The Day of the Dead, where families celebrate life together with their deceased loved ones, and more. We take the gondola up and visit the enormous market, but especially the witch market. Here they sell all kinds of items for home use, including mummified baby llamas and piglets. There are also fortune tellers who sometimes provide interpretation via a skull. In the evening, we attend a Cholita (ladies) wrestling match, which is quite humorous.
On the last day, over breakfast with Liam and Nicole, other travelers who have been stuck in La Paz for a week, they tell me that an agreement has been reached between the government and the unions and that the buses are running again. There’s still radio silence from the club where I booked. Only a few hours before departure, and after receiving numerous emails from me, do I hear that the night bus to Sucre has been arranged. So, my four-day delay turns out to be my lucky break.
Sucre is a beautiful white city. Magnificent colonial buildings, numerous churches, and a pleasant atmosphere. The hotel is located next to Plaza 25 de Mayo, a green square surrounded by beautiful buildings. I visited the Catedral Basilica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, which, like several other churches and monasteries, is full of splendor. I added a few more museums to my list and enjoyed the local cuisine. In Sucre, I took a cooking class at La Boca del Sapo. Moses, the gastronomically trained chef, explained the organic ingredients, most of which come from their own farm, and how to prepare them. Then I was put to work. It was a pleasant experience, and the result was a delicious peanut soup with salad and a Canvalito cocktail.
