The Aymara

https://www.google.com/search?q=aymara&oq=aymara&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOdIBCDU2NTRqMGo3qAIPsAIB&client=tablet-android-samsung-nf-rev1&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8

I'm hoping that link will work because I can't possibly tell you everything we have found out about the Aymara people. Have you ever heard of them? We certainly hadn't!  They live in the high Andes, where they are proud descendants of generations before. Self sufficiently,  self-governing (within the state), and so remote that nobody bothered them much, at official level, e.g. the Conquistadors. So they are happy in their own skin.  They are not poor, although to look at them with our "western" eyes we might think they are. They are farmers and traders. Their city in Bolivia is called El Alto, and it has now merged with La Paz, as La Paz grew up the hills to meet it. Driving along the streets, the thing that struck me was that in otherwise unfinished buildings, there was always a highly decorated large gate, with a smaller door for personal access. But the decor! Then, some of the houses had very elaborate facades - from Art Deco to Power Rangers. 

 

Photo taken from a cable car. Note contrast with the surrounding buildings.

In El Alto we boarded the cable car for our descent into the city of La Paz. At the cable car station, there's a viewing platform. 

 

The city grew up out of the valley. One million inhabitants, although it looks bigger.

The cleanliness and efficiency of the cable car station made me sit up and challenge my prejudices about this country. Despite the appearance of poverty, I have been struck many times by the dignity of the people.  There are no beggars here. This station could have been in any developed country and it would have been grimy, littered and graffiti-strewn. Not here.

Because La Paz is on two levels with 600m difference in altitude the city came up with the idea of a cable car system to link them. There are 13 lines in the system. It's amazing!

Although I don't like heights, I had no option but to embrace yet another challenge! Down we went, me with my back to the city below! 

 

A lower section of El Alto.

On our descent we "flew" over the cemetery. Land is scarce, so the remains are stacked in walls. This cemetery is enormous.  I couldn't get it into one photo.

 

Part of the cemetery of La Paz. 

Remember the crucifix on the shaman's mat? Our guide told us that when the Spanish tried to convert the Andean people to believe in one true god, they had so many other gods that they just accepted the god of the Spaniards and included him in their gallery.

So, what I'm getting to here is the next story of the blending of faith systems. The Aymara people exhume the skull of the deceased, and bring it home. The skull is brought out for all family celebrations, and on the 8th of November each year, the skull is brought to the cemetery for one big party!! We're sorry to miss it tomorrow. Have a look at the next aerial photo of the cemetery.

 

No hang-ups here about death!

We had dinner in the Green Tower, not a very original name! It's the tallest building in Bolivia, with 40 storeys. We skipped the nearby Hard Rock Cafe in favour of Nita's more local menu,  in the Tower.

 

The Green Tower