La Paz Metrópolis Skyline: 2012

Por: Marco A. Ayllon Bueno Nautilus News Noviembre 6, 2012 En la ciudad La Paz la primera metrópolis de Bolivia recientemente desde hace unos años atrás emergió un nuevo estilo de edificios, donde en el ultimo nivel de el edificio, en el "Pent-house" esta construida un hermoso Chalet moderno con sus dependencias y bastante cómodos. Usualmente son de 4, 5, o mas pisos llamado Arquitectura Chola. En su mayoría están edificados en la ciudad de EL Alto y en diversos barrios de la ciudad de La Paz. Sus propietarios no escatiman la inversión con vidrios Rayban, y con techos con Shingles traídos de Estados Unidos. También sus pisos son de maderas exóticas del Amazonas. En su interior sus “Finished Mouldings” o sus decoraciones de paredes, techo y ventanas, nos muestran un nivel alto de estilo victoriano o moderno. Aquí en la decoración interior de sus paredes nace un estilo llamado: ‘Cohetillo’, mostrando la felicidad de los dueños, con espejos, luces, spots, con diversos colores y diseños de fantasía. El precio de estas construcciones empieza desde unos $US 280 mil dólares, 370, 570, hasta 1.5 Millones o más. El estilo de arquitectura Chola nace gracias a los diseños e ideas de inteligentes experimentados profesionales constructores, albañiles, técnicos, arquitectos y dueños de propiedades, quienes fusionan estilos contemporáneos, modernos y Aimaras. Muchos de estos constructores tienen compañías a lo largo de la republica Boliviana. Los edificios también llaman la atención porque en ellos funcionan diversos negocios desde servicios, educativos, entretenimiento, hasta talleres de microempresarios. Por ello, no es extraño ver un restaurante junto a un instituto de educación o un salón de fiestas además de departamentos y oficinas. “Una de las razones principales de este tipo de construcciones es el aprovechar al máximo el área comercial de las instalaciones para financiar la continuidad de las obras,” afirmo el arquitecto Randolph Cárdenas, También es curioso ver que muchas de estas construcciones exhiben completamente el acabado de un chalet en la azotea y los locales comerciales en la planta baja, mientras al medio están cuatro o cinco pisos sólo con lozas y columnas, a la espera de que los hijos del propietario prosigan las construcciones cuando hereden su respectivo piso. El director del Postgrado en la Facultad de Arquitectura de la Universidad Mayor de San Andrés de La Paz, Gastón Gallardo, comenta que un chalet sobre un edificio no es algo que se vea en otras partes del mundo y no hay dudas de que el origen del estilo está en la ciudad de El Alto, si bien ha comenzado a expandirse a otras ciudades del país y podrían comenzar a aparecer en casas de los inmigrantes bolivianos en países como en España, Brasil, Estados Unidos, y en la Argentina. Los propietarios participan activamente en el diseño de sus fachadas y compiten por presentar los diseños más originales y suntuosos que sus vecinos con la seguridad de que eso aumentará su prestigio social, aunque algunos parecen haberse inspirado en las casas de muñecas o en mansiones vistas en revistas o televisión.

By: Marco A. Ayllon Bueno

La Paz Metropolis in western Bolivia is located along the La Paz River. La Paz is Bolivia's largest city, as well as the country's administrative capital and the capital of La Paz Department.

The city sits amid by the Andes Mountains and is about 3,625 m (about 11,900 ft.) above sea level, making it the highest large city in the world. Also, with in this city if you travel in a SUV for about 45 minutes to the east you can reach Los Yungas which is another bureau or town (about 60 ft.) by the sea.

The weather in this region is 30 to 38 F. degrees hot all round year such as Puerto Rico in US. In Los Yungas you can find palm trees, oranges, cherimoyas, tumbos, mangos and diverse jungle animals such as: jaguar, and exotic parrots and giant butterflies.

If you visit La Paz metropolitan city, the weather ranges from 45 F. degrees to 78 F. degrees. depending of the season; you can travel from the city about another 50 minutes to the west and you will enjoy one more world marvel which is the largest and the highest lake in the world called Titicaca.

Near this famous lake you can enjoy delicious fish main courses adjoining the marinas one of the biggest and delicious and unique in the world fish called "Titicaca Golden Trucha."

European tourism arrives to La Paz Bolivia in more organized groups than from USA. Europeans take vacation and travel two times per year and they travel more if they are retired.

Thus, all around the year in this city disembark more educated tourists to see La Paz city buildings, futuristic towers and its marvelous skyline; also, tourists have challenging learning aspirations and later on their photos, they will share their new experiences on the summit of renowned high mountains and enhance their resumes showing tenacity and character.

Well, hundreds of executives and managers from all around the World take advantage by keeping a Video or a photo in their offices after conquering the snowed apex mountains such as: Illimany or Guayna Potosi famous Andean mountains.

I would recommend to visit Metropolis La Paz if you like hiking, mountaineering, trekking, extreme biking, and skiing; this city is surrounded by tallest famous mountains with snow such as Illimani, Huayna Potosi or Chacaltaya.

La Paz is linked by railroads and highways to cities in Peru and Argentina and to Arica, Chile, the nearest port on the Pacific Ocean. It also has an international airport and 12 minors.

Although, in La Paz Bolivia is rich in silver, copper, gas, oil, lead, wood, raw materials, and other commodities. Recently, in Apolo area scientists discovered huge gas and oil fields.

The most valuable banks with liquid capital and assets are located in La Paz city and the “paceños” (La Paz citizens) with their savings and investments create more borrowing power for small and in development cities such as Cochabamba or Santa Cruz.

The principal La Paz city Metropolis industries process food and manufacture textiles, clothing, shoes, and chemicals.

La Paz city, The No.1 Metroplis in Bolivia and is the principal export center for the mineral and export country commodities.

Would you like to go to an ancient expedition to Tiahuanaco?

Bolivia's pre-Columbian history predates the establishment of the Aymaras and Tiahuanaco civilization, founded around in the first century BC by the shores of Titicaca lake. Later of course disembarked the Spaniards armed with astuteness, trickery, and boldness. They were looking for more gold and the hidden El Dorado golden city. They debased the Aymaras, and made them their slaves.

Spaniards stole Bolivian silver, gold and shipped these precious metals to Spain. Bolivians said: “With the stolen silver we should build a mighty and the longest bridge from Bolivia to Spain made of pure silver.”

In Tiwanacu you will see a destroyed mighty temple called "Puma Puncu," in which the ancient builders applied better architectural stone interlocking technologies than the Egyptians implemented on their pyramids in Egypt. (Please if you want to know more about this topic, in Youtube.com type: 'Puma Puncu Tiwanacu, Bolivia.')

After more than 300 years of colonial rule, in 1825 Bolivians gained their independence from Spanish rule and subsequently pursued a journey towards democracy. Along the way, each generation of Bolivians had left evidence of its persistence and wisdom.

There are many vestiges of ancient history in La Paz city which provide wonderful opportunities for visitors and further exploration. In Tiahuanaco you will find many Aymara temples and stone palaces, temples, such as: Calasasaya, Moon, and Sun Door 'Puerta del Sol.'

If you like museums, mummies (Chullpas), there are many prehistoric pale-ontological remains about cretaceous time, and old Aymara culture which they knew how to work with the stone (the same way as sculpting clay, or implementing extra-terrestrial technologies) building monolithically statues and temples.

Did you know there is an English culture and stile established in La Paz?, in the early 1910’s many English companies such as Bolivian Railway Co. Established business building rail roads from east to west, and from north to south; so most of the fashion and Scottish cashmeres and materials were imported from England and blended with the local Chinchilla, Alpaca, Vicuña wool and emerged a traditional English-Spaniard fashion.

Famous Panagra Airlines in 1910 used to bring American tourists to the exotic Bolivia, Panama, Colombia, and Peru in those years.

The “paceños” (La Paz citizens) among each other started to share the “tea time” accompanied with delicious cakes and baked goodies around 4:00 p.m. Paceños they love to drink a good whiskey, and you will find at the liquor stores the best brands. The main Bolivian liquor is made of white grapes which is called “Singany,” is thick and silver transparent color and strong as whiskey; it taste as grapes perfume and one hundred times better than Colombian Aguardiente or Perubian Pisco. In this metropolis individuals wore Borsalin hats the same as in London.

People in La Paz are very courteous, honest and they like to dress to impress.

In La Paz started the first Bolivian “Carnivals;” which is a feast-parade and holiday for two weeks at the end of January. In this parade dance hundreds of associations, hand craft cooperatives, and organized small business owners to participate and dance. If you like to appreciate costumes, masks and dance choreography, you must visit “La Paz Carnivals” and “El Señor de Gran Poder Parade.”

Bolivian government trough it’s different powers manages Bolivia from La Paz. Although Sucre is the official capital of Bolivia, Metropolis La Paz has been the actual center of government since 1898. With the exception of the national Supreme Court, all government functions are centered in La Paz.

It is also the site of the University of San Andrés (1830), the Catholic Bolivian University (1966), the National Museum, the presidential and legislative palaces, and a cathedral (completed in 1933) with a capacity of 12,000.

La Paz was founded by the Spanish in 1548. It flourished because of its economic power, and strategic location on the trade route between the Potosi city, and other Bolivian silver mines and the Pacific ocean ports. (Did you know? There is a main river in Buenos Aires, Argentina called; "Rio de la Plata" 'Silver River' and can you guess from where this silver came from, and in millions and millions of tons shipped to Spain? Because in Argentina did not produced silver and gold in those years, and the Spaniards use this river to export and ship to Spain.! Of course this silver and gold came from Potosi Bolivia, and it was extracted, purified, stolen and taken to Spain via this river to the Atlantic ocean.)

From 1809 to 1824, the city was headquarters for the first revolutionary movement against Spanish rule.
Population (1990 estimated) 1 million 250. There are almost 3 and half million people lives in La Paz city to day, and the city continues growing more and more blending with its neighbor El Alto, which is an industrial city.

At El Alto city about (1.5 million population) 3,925 m (about 13,900 ft.) above sea level you can find different market fairs, you can purchase cars, furniture, clothing bargains, computers and gadgets.

In conclusion, La Paz Metropolis city offers different attractions to aggressive tourists which ones they looking for challenging outdoor activities and learning more about nature and tasty Bolivian food.

Also, for those which enjoy organic fine dining, dancing, music and meeting interesting people you must visit La Paz Bolivia which is truly a fascinating capital to vacation. With its spectacular scenery, varied climatic zones, plethora of flora and fauna, diversity of peoples, and interesting history, this country that stretches from the Andes to the Amazon, provides many opportunities for the business, student, or vacation traveler.

Among the main native Bolivian cultures there are major groups such as the Quechua (descendants of the Incas), Aymaras, and Bolivian Gauchos as well as many smaller bands such as the Uru-Chipaya, Chiquitanos, Ayoreos, and Mojos.

In addition, Bolivia is a land of immigrants with significant populations of Spanish and other Europeans including Germans and Eastern European Jews. There are Dutch (Mennonites), Lebanese, and Japanese immigrants as well as newcomer Koreans.

American Alpine Institute: http://www.aai.cc/programdetail/bolivia_trek