Visit the La Paz Witches Market for Everything You Need to Cast a Spell
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Wikipedia - Nuestra Señora de La Paz is the seat of government of Bolivia, as well as the departmental capital of the La Paz Department, and the second largest city in the country (in population) after Santa Cruz de la Sierra. It is located in the western part of the country in the department of the same name at an elevation of roughly 3,650 m (11,975 ft) (the city is built on steep hills) above sea level, making it the world's highest de facto capital city, or administrative capital, with Quito being the highest legal capital.
While the official capital of Bolivia is Sucre and it is the seat of Justice, La Paz has more government departments, hence the "de facto" qualifier. The city sits in a "bowl" surrounded by the high mountains of the altiplano. As it grows, the city of La Paz climbs the hills, resulting in varying elevations from 3,200 to 4,100 m (10,500 to 13,500 ft). Overlooking the city is towering triple-peaked Illimani, which is always snow-covered and can be seen from several spots of the city, including from the neighbor city of El Alto. As of the 2008 census, the city had a population of 877,363. La Paz Metropolitan area, formed by the cities of La Paz, El Alto and Viacha, make the most populous urban area of Bolivia, with a population of 2.3 million inhabitants and surpassing the metropolitan area of Santa Cruz de la Sierra. |
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Witches' Market
Wikipedia - The Witches' Market, also known as El Mercado de las Brujas and La Hechiceria, is a popular tourist attraction located in Cerro Cumbre, a mountain clearing in La Paz, Bolivia. Merchandise sold in The Witches' Market, run by local witch doctors known as yatiri, includes potions, dried frogs, medicinal plants like retama and armadillos used in Bolivian rituals. The yatiri can be easily identified by their black hats and coco pouches containing amulets, talismans and powders that ensure luck, beauty and fertility. Most famous of all the items sold in The Witches' Market are the dried llama foetuses. These llama foetuses are buried under the foundations of many Bolivian houses as a sacred offering to the goddess Pachamama |
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Local ladies sell flowers at the huge outdoor market in La Paz, this market is located near the Witches' Market
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Teresa the Traveler visits the La Paz Witches' Market...
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Excerpt from the book Soul Searching in South America from the Teresa the Traveler series.
After my friends left for Peru I thought I would be all alone in La Paz, but that was not the case. A girl from Germany who I had met at the Flying Dog Hostel in Arequipa had just arrived in town and sent me a message on Facebook inviting me to visit the Witches Market. Witches Market, what the…? I did a little research and discovered that the market, which is also known as El Mercado de las Brujas, was not only popular with the locals it also attracted tourists from all over the world. Located on Calle Jiminez and Linares between Sagarnaga and Santa Cruz, this is the place to go if you are looking for potions, dried herbs and seeds, soapstone amulets, dried snakes and frogs, aphrodisiac formulas and dried llama fetuses. Yes, you read that right, they sell a large assortment of dried llama fetuses. These are purchased by the poor as an offering to the goddess Pachamama (Mother Earth) and buried in the foundations of new construction. The wealthier Bolivians are expected to sacrifice a live llama. It is estimated that 99% of Bolivian families have a dried llama fetus thrown under the foundations of their house for luck. To ensure success in a new business venture, a dried llama fetus is burned on a plate of sweets and herbs, to strike it rich one should stick a cigarette in the mouth of a dried frog, if you place a dried armadillo at the entrance to your house it will prevent thieves from entering. An amulette d’amor will ensure you get hitched while a naked ceramic couple will improve your sex life, cure impotency and increase fertility. |
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As we wound our way through the bustling narrow streets, we came across a number of stores selling soapstone amulets unfortunately we had no idea what they were for until we found a store with signs posted in English explaining the significance of each one.
Two of the amulets jumped out at me: the sun which was for happiness and prosperity and the love amulets so I purchased a sun and a couple in a lover’s embrace. After I had already paid, I noticed a different love amulet - a happy couple arm in arm with a heart between them. I looked at the two carefully to determine which kind of love I really wanted. The lovers amulet was one I was all too familiar with. Heaven knows I have had my share of steamy relationships where the sex was great but after a short time it fizzled out. The happy couple was foreign to me, I don’t ever recall being in that kind of relationship. They looked so secure and happy….that was what I wanted. Before I left I quickly tossed the lovers back into the basket from which they came and placed the happy couple into my backpack. Realizing I had a number of single friends who also wanted to be part of a happy couple, I returned the next day and bought love amulets for all and also picked up the lovers amulet for myself deciding that I wanted it all: passion and contentment. |
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For tips on visiting Bolivia CLICK HERE
For tips on visiting South America CLICK HERE
For general travel tips on what to pack and how to plan ahead CLICK HERE
For tips on travelling on a budget CLICK HERE
For tips on visiting South America CLICK HERE
For general travel tips on what to pack and how to plan ahead CLICK HERE
For tips on travelling on a budget CLICK HERE
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Hotel Osira
La Paz, Bolivia Av. 20 Octubre #1494 Plaza Mariscal Sucre (San Pedro) Tel: (591) 2-2492247 ventas@hotelosira.com www.hotelosira.com |
How To Get There - Fly into La Paz, it has an international airport.
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