Central Bolivia

The following is a very general overview of the situation in Bolivia, so that you may understand the circumstances and context under which I travel:

Bolivia is living in times of deep socio-political divisions. Racism and discrimination, a product of colonialism, is entrenched in Bolivia, and continues to divide. The eastern departments (states), known as the half-moon, have recently been seeking 'autonomy' from the government. At times these divisions have expressed themselves violently. During the recent autonomy votes, considered illegal by the government and international community, spot fires of skirmishes have broken out. In an extreme, and disgraceful example of this division, in Sucre, on May 24, a group of 40 indigenous-campesinos were beaten and humiliated in the central plaza - this during the day, with the police nearby - and under the observation of the locals. The term 'civil war' is alluded to at times.

The journey of a backpacker is characterised by brief stops and continuous movement. Rarely does the common traveller find reasons to stay longer than a few days somewhere. I had arrived in Sucre on Sunday, 1 June, after a hellish bus ride, as you may recall from my last post. I lodged in a pleasant hostel known as Pachamama. The ambiance, and company, where cause to extend my stay for that extra bit. The residence was like an oasis in the centre of a city: a quiet, ample garden, and friendly people that induced long chats. Time was non-existent, the general mood was nonchalant. It provided the perfect scene to convalescent.

Sucre, the capital of the department Chuquisaca, was formally known as Charcas, La Plata, and Chuquisaca; but after the independence war was named Sucre, in honour of the liberator, and second president, Antonio Josè de Sucre. It was the original capital of Bolivia, however, towards the end of the 19th century, after a civil war, the capital was moved to La Paz. Sucre is still the juridical capital, where the supreme court, and constitutional tribunal convene. Today, the right-wing is trying to bring the capital back to Sucre.

The city is characterised for its conserved Spanish colonial arquitecture - endless white buildings with terracotta roof tiles - and its tranquil streets. The mood in Sucre was not what I had expected, especially after the events of May 24. I was surprised that it was described as a quiet place by many. During my one week stay there were no racist gangs roaming the streets, no loud anti-government protests; instead, there was the annual university-entry parade, which lasts three nights, and runs into the early hours of the morning (regrettably, I got no photos of this).

Due to my easygoing mood during the week, I didn't get along to any museums or many tourist sites, apart from the general cemetery, which I just got to. Instead, I visited the local gringo bar (where only gringos, and rich bolivianos go) for the big screen TV to watch the European cup (football) - unfortunately, I was unable to find an average bolivian bar to watch these games. Ironically, Sucre hosted the 'International Film Festival for Human Rights Week', which I attended occasionally. Thankfully, the presenters took the opportunity to address the recent events.

A national strike of transport workers had blockaded the roads, so for about a week there was no exit or entry into the city. This was fine by me as I was in no rush to leave. However, on Friday, June 6, the strike was lifted, and the roads were open. Subsequently, there was an exodus from the hostel, with many travellers that I befriended taking the opportunity to leave. This was the catalyst for me to leave as well, and on Sunday, June 8, I left in the direction of Cochabamba.

It's a 12 hour bus trip to Cochabamba, but I decided to break this down and stop at a small town called Aiquile, about halfway. It proved to be a wise choice, because my good fortune with bus trips continued: the bus ride was uncomfortable as the twists and turns made me a bit lightheaded (yes, poor me). Aiquile was tiny, and there wasn't much to explore, so I decided to continue along to Cochabamba. I had purchased a trip in a van, and after getting use to the accelerator-happy driver, and the way he takes those blind turns on the barely twin lane road that hugs the side of the precipiced mountain, I was able to enjoy the amazing scenery of the trip.

Cochabamba (indigenous name meaning plain lake) is a crowed city, with over 1.5 million habitants, it is known as the city of valleys. It is usually skipped by many tourists, as superfically it doesn't have much to offer. But in the central plaza beats the heart of the city, and what drew me here: the plaza is a meeting spot for the city, the people, a place to come discuss and debate a gamut of topics - politics, culture, religion, etc. I was astonished, and still am surprised, by the amount of people this plaza draws in.

Those that are organised here are the 'activists of the plaza'. One of the prinicipal groups is 'Red Tinku', whom I had contact with prior to arriving, and am currently a participant of. Ramiro, the coordinator of Red Tinku, and other compañeros, have been very helpful and shown me around the city (giving me the Tinku tour), taking me to cultural events, political meetings, and introducing me to a range of people. I also help setup the informative panel, which contains the day's news with critical captions, that the plaza people read. Also, I help staff the stall that has alternative books, etc, and collect signatures for the referendum of the corrupt departamental governor, whos father helped capture Che Guevara. A typical day usually concludes in the late evening with an open-meeting of the plaza activists, to discuss the day's events, news, and plan ahead.

It has been a very busy week, but extremely interesting. However, in the next few days I may travel to La Paz, the capital, and explore that part of the region. It is my intention to return to Cochabamba in a few weeks though, a compañero has offered me a spare room that will become available then. I hope to stay here in Cochabamba for a while and participate further in this process of change.

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Photos:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=42310&l=de322&id=732774973