178 CultureShock! Bolivia
plaza. (Alternatively, the road outside of Palca winds up
to the town of Ventilla, near the beginning of the longer
Taquesi trek.)
To measure the safety factor, I’ve done all these hikes
at least twice, in the dry season only! To do them in a day,
you must begin early. Although I’ve done it, you should not
hike alone.
From La Paz, you don’t have to go far to fi nd the rough
and primitive.
Chacaltaya, Bolivia’s only ski resort, was excluded from
this list because, at 5,100 m (17,000 ft), it will leave you
literally breathless. Says writer and ski enthusiast Gary
Rosenberger: “Even bunny runs have a way of becoming
booby traps the closer they get to outer space.”FROM HIGHLAND TO JUNGLE:
ALTERNATIVE CITIES
A comparative description of Bolivia’s other major cities will
help sort out the pros and cons of life away from the ‘Big
Agora’. Each city is outlined according to altitude, population,
climate, distinguishing features, assets and liabilities.