El Alto, Sucre, and Potosi

El Alto is great. It is located on the plain above La Paz. It is something of a native American nation; important politically and something new in the world. I think that officially El Alto is considered part of La Paz.



I believe that Sucre is elegant and comfortable. I suspect that I could live well there. It is the constitutional capital of Bolivia.



I haven't been to Potosi, but suspect that there are facts about it that you can find interesting. Below, I've sketched a few of them for you:

~ You might say that it was built by European energy and initiative, motivated by European greed.

~ Its high. I'd guess that it is over 13,000 feet above sea level.

~ It's located at the foot of Cero Rico. It has been said that with the silver taken
from that 'hill,' a bridge from Potosi to Madrid could be built. I suspect tat it did fiance much of the latter part of the European Renaissance.

~ In 1650, Potosi may have been the most populate city in the world. In that year I believe it had a population of over 160,000 inhabitants. How many people lived in London that year?

El Alto

I'm still in Bolivia and am back in La Paz in the Radisson hotel. It's the biggest hotel I've been in on this trip. I should have slept well last night, but drank coca tea yesterday afternoon and it kept me awake.

I may nave mentioned that the president President here, Evo Morales, is the first native American president. The large indiginess population is, of course, proud and have high expectations. Monied intersts here, some associated with U.S., have been adding to his problems by supporting movements toward greater autonomy. Greater autonomy for the verious states is not all bad, but is a very difficult to work out. A significant portion of the Indian population take the movement as an unjust opposistion to self rule by native Americans.

Spellcheck is still in spanish.

El Alto is a large city on the plains just above La Paz. In fact it was once call El Alto de La Paz, but is now an independent 'municipio.' It is also Evo's greatest support center. As a step toward heading home I plan to take a room at hotel Alexander in the center of El Alto today.

Took an interesting and informative guided tour of Tijuanaco yesterday.

It's cold, clear, and beautiful here.