Hello to Bolivia, Bolivar and Sucre

A new country, a new guide, and my interest in things historical has been renewed.  What a difference a guide makes!  I have been in Bolivia now for 6 days and the contrast is striking.  Definitely less in your face tourism, the air is fresher due to lower altitude and less pollution from cars, the cities are better planned and protesting workers are organised and well behaved.  The streets are nearly as clean and the setting in the Andean mountains is just as breathtaking. Little evidence of police presence in the cities although there were a number of stops on the journey here where the bus was checked for drugs.  So far we have visited the two capitals ... La Paz and Sucre (the old capital, now only the judicial capital). .... Sucre reminds me of Arequippa in Peru.

La Paz

In Sucre, farmers are protesting because the government won't give them a central market place to sell their Christmas wares, and the bus drivers are all striking because they want the council to allow ticket prices to go up from the equivalent of 15p to 20p!  Firecrackers are going off all over the place (that is nothing unusual in South America) and workers are marching all day round the centre of town; everyone seems to be supporting them.  Wonder if it even made the news in UK?  The central square is certainly a hub of activity.

In all the cities I visited in Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, two names stand out: Simon Bolivar and Antonio Jose de Sucre.  I have become accustomed to the central square in each capital city honouring the first person to rebel against parliament and Spanish rule in the 19th century (they are not that prominent in revolutionary history as they were quickly disposed of by the ruling elite) but I couldn't quite understand why Bolivar and Sucre have streets named after them in every town as well as having their own statues in most.  It's obvious really (if only I had watched the dvd a thoughtful colleague gave me back in July!).  They were the leaders of the revolution from Colombia down to Bolivia and as such have a strong presence in all 4 countries as well as in their home country, Venezuala.  I was amused however that Bolivar ended up a bit of a tyrant - autocratic and unloved - too long in power.  Now where have I heard that one before?  Wonder what happened to Sucre?

Off to the museums to try and gain a better understanding.

Part of death road

Ps not sure I want to own up to this but I did cycle down "death road" .... It really wasn't that scary.  Just be prepared to use the brakes!  Recommended.

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