Cochabamba Bolivia

Where to begin, perhaps with my first impressions.

I took a bus from La Paz to Cochabamba, and it was a long slow journey.  Although portions of the trip were at 80kph, for the most part the bus was going closer to 55 than anything faster.  There was some construction along the way, but for the most part the slow speed was due to the terrain, making for a steep and twisty road.  The road itself was decent well paved and smooth.

Arrival at the terminal was in the mid afternoon, and the place was quite busy.  I had gotten used to being in areas where there are a fair number of tourists, and this was suddenly not one of them.  The number of non-Spanish people in the depot was..... well it was limited to me, near as I could tell.

Stepping out of the terminal, it was onto a busy area of the city with what looked like a market close by along with a few hotels across the street.  I booked into a hotel for 2 days, just so I could rest, orient myself and find a cheaper place.

The next few days, I wandered around, finding a hostel that was cheaper, but still a little pricey, and finding that most of the hostels were quite busy and that hardly anyone spoke English.  The areas easily walked to included the financial district and a major park, Plaza 14 de Septiembre.  And wow do I like that park.

Here are a few pics.

The only thing that was odd, in terms of other places I have been in Latin America, is that when I sat down and read, I was not interrupted by people wanting to chat.  There were a couple wandering vendors selling stuff, and I had to deal with about one every twenty to thirty minutes but I have been used to locals seeing if i want to chat, and that did not happen at all.

North of the plaza, the city takes on a more modern and perhaps developed feel.  It still has a very strong Spanish colonial influence in its architecture, but there are more moderate high rises, and fewer street vendors.

Walking on the city streets feels safe, and for all that it is one of the poorest areas of Bolivia, it also seems to be one of the cleanest and the buildings painted and finished the nicest.  There is graffiti but not lots, and some street art inspired by graffiti.

The restaurants and cafes are numerous, and I found a great Italian place where the pasta is made on site and the staff are great.  The street food needs to be seen to be appreciated and it seems over half the city eat at the cheap places in the the market every night.

There is not a lot for a tourist here, in terms of ruins or museums, but in terms of getting to know the locals, in terms of wandering around and enjoying life, people watching and feeling welcome, this place is unmatched.