La Paz 1

La Paz seems so far away now. I'm writting this while I'm in San Francisco and it feels like a different world. But I'll try to remember. 8th of March, La Paz, let's see...
The big group got to La Paz. We got off the bus, and split into 3 groups to make it to the city and re-grouped there (eventually, it did take a while but we managed). We got a good deal in a hotel where we all managed to fit after much negotiating and looking for a place with enough room for us all. We wondered around the area in different little groups doing our own stuff for a while (internet, booking tours/buses/etc, shopping, eating, whatevering that everyone was doing) and then I went out for dinner with Ighal, Sergio, Stefi, Lucy and Nico. After that we were heading back to the hotel but on the way there met some german girls who were looking for a bar. So we decided to join them. We walked around for ages, all bars were closed or non-existant, but we finally found a quiet bar with a Frankestein look-alike waiter and really bad drinks. Ighal's "Bible" drink was the worst by far: milk and red wine. WTF?!?!
9th of March: wonderful fruit juice for breakfast (we became addicted to this), followed by chicken for lunch. I then left on my own, my goal: to get into San Pedro gaol. San Pedro is a very unusual gaol. Some quick facts: Male. 2700 inmates, mostly remand. They pay for their cell and associated facilities, of course different prices mean different commodities and luxuries. Their families (children included) can live with them, and just come and go every day to work/school. There are no guards AT ALL inside the gaol, the guards are at the gates and perimeter towers, but only go inside when required (searches, and riot/to solve problems basically). Inside there's supermarkets, restaurants, they buy/sell stuff to each other, money is used. It's like a small town, a community on its own. Of course with it's own codes and internal rules. Fascinating concept! More than enough reason to make me want to get in and see how it all actually works!!
For a long time tours for tourists had been organised into the gaol: some say off the radar, unofficially, others say authorities knew about it and of course were getting a cut of the inflated entry fees tourists were charged. I lean towards believing the second option:) Whichever the case, when getting off the bus at La Paz someone told me these tours had recently been stopped- the existence of the tours came out publicly, big media involved, huge scandal, authorities denied knowledge, tours got cancelled- officially that is. But I wasn't gonna give up so easily, so that's why I decided to go and investigate the issue. So first stop: the gaol. After researching on the internet, I had read groups used to congregate at the park in front of the gaol. So I got there, chatted to some tourists who said they just walked near the gaol and were told by guards with machine guns to keep moving and not even stand near the perimeter walls. I talked to locals at the park: nothing, no info, no tours. I approached the guards: chatted, asked questions, no tours they said. I said I was interested not in a touristic visit (cause they never actually happened of course, right?!?) but in a professional visit. Was eventually told to go around the block and talk to the gaol boss. Did that. Boss not in until 2:30pm. It was 1pm. I chatted with the guards there. They said it wouldn't be allowed, that visists had to be approved by the National Director. They were very nice and helpful, advised me to go to the National Directorate. Taxi there. The National Director won't be in till 2:30pm. It was 1:30. I walked around the area, since I was up on a hill at least I had a view of the city, but there wasn't much more to do. But I waited for an hour. After all, I had the National Director's name and all I had to do was talk to him. I went back. Got through the main desk. Past the second set of questioning. And I was just one door away from him when his secretary asked why I wanted to see him. And that was it. It became a bureaucratic issue instantly. A formal written letter required. Photocopy of my ID. And etc etc. I did it all. I submitted my application, with my reasons, my request, my ID. They said it normally takes 48 hours for approval, they said I should have an answer by Friday. I said I leave on Friday so was requesting the visit for Thursday. They processed it as "urgent" and asked me to call back Thursday morning. I left, satisfied by my progess via the official channel, but still wondering about the unofficial tours channel. Tried some travel agencies with no luck at all, until I spoke with a guy from a travel agency who gave me a lot of information. He is a law student, has been in San Pedro gaol many times, his tour company used to do the tours, and he could guarantee me they were definitely cancelled now. Not being done at all. I trusted his response. He was awesome, we spoke for more than 2 hours, he gave me so much information about the gaol and answered all the questions I had about how it works, we spoke about Bolivia and social issues there. He was a real interesting person to talk to and we both wished we could change the world:) So, despite a definite NO on the non official way I had an amazing day and got back to the hotel in a great mood. Met up with Stefi, David and Adrian. We went out for dinner and a few minutes later the rest of the gang arrived, very funny. So we all had dinner together, then went back to the hotel and had a wonderful night, chatting and laughing non stop on the rooftop for hours, and then some of us went to a reggae party with a live band. What a great day!
Story to be continued on the next post.

La Paz parece tan lejana ahora. Estoy escribiendo esto en San Francisco y parece otro mundo. Pero voy a tartar de acordarme. 8 de Marzo, La Paz, a ver…

El gran grupo llego a La Paz. Nos bajamos del bus, y nos separamos en 3 grupos para llegar a la ciudad y re-encontrarnos ahi (finalmente, costo un poco pero lo logramos). Conseguimos buen precio en un hotel donde logramos entrar todos despues de mucho negociar y buscar un lugar con suficiente lugar para todos. Salimos a dar una vuelta por la zona en distintos subgrupitos hacienda distintas cosas (internet, reserves de buses/tours/etc, shopping, comiendo, lo que sea que cada uno necesitaba hacer) y despues fui a cenar con Ighal, Sergio, Stefi, Lucy y Nico. Despues de cenar estabamos volviendonos al hotel pero en el camino conocimos a unas chicas alemanas que estaban buscando un bar. Asi que decidimos ir con ellas. Caminamos anios, todos los bares estaban cerrados o no existian, pero finalmente encontramos un bar tranquil con un mozo que parecia Frankestein y tragos bien malos. La “biblia” de Ighal fue por lejos el peor: leche y vino tinto?!?!

9 de Marzo: jugo de fruta delicioso de desayuno (nos hicimos adictos), seguido de pollo para el almuerzo. Despues me fui por mi cuenta, mi objetivo: entrar a la carcel de San Pedro. San Pedro es una carcel muy inusual. Algunos datos rapidos: Hombres. 2700 presos, la mayoria porcesados. Pagan por su celda y cosas, por supuesto distintos precios significan diferentes comodidades y lujos. Sus familias (hijos incluidos) pueden vivir con ellos, y van y vienen todos los dias de la carcel al trabajo/colegio. No hay NINGUN guardia adentro de la carcel, los guardias estan en las puertas y en las torres del perimetro, pero solo entran a la carcel cuando es necesario (para hacer requisas, y cuando hay motines, para resolver problemas basicamente). Adentro hay supermercados, restaurants, compran y venden productos entre si, se usa plata. Es como una pequenia ciudad, una comunidad. Por supuesto con sus propios codigos y reglas internas. Un concepto fascinante! Mas que razon suficiente para hacerme querer entrar y ver como funciona todo!!

Por mucho tiempo, existieron tours para turistas par air a la carcel: algunos dicen que sin que las autoridades sepan, extraoficialmente, otros dicen que las autoridades sabian y por supuesto ligaban una parte del alto precio que le cobraban a los turistas. Yo me incline por creer la segunda opcion:) Sea cual fuera el caso, cuando me estaba bajando del bus en La Paz un pibe me dijo que habian cancelado los tours hace poco- la existencia de los tours se hizo conocida publicamente, salio en los diarios, gran escandalo, las autoridades negaron tener conocimiento, los tours se cancelaron- oficialmente eso es. Pero yo no me iba a dar por vencida tan facilmente, asi que por eso decidi ir e investigar el tema.

Asi que primera parada: la carcel. Despues de investigar en internet, habia leido que los grupos se solian juntar en la plaza en frente de la carcel. Asi que llegue, charle con unos turistas que me dijeron que ellos pasaron caminando por al lado de la carcel y los guardias con ametralladoras les dijeron que sigan caminando y no se paren cerca del perimetro de la carcel. Hable con locales en la plaza: nada, ninguna informacion, ningun tour. Me acerque a los guardias: hable, hice preguntas, no hay tours me dijeron. Les dije que no estaba interesada en una visita turistica (porque de hecho nunca existieron en realidad, no es cierto?!?!), pero en hacer una visita professional. Finalmente me dijeron que de la vuelta manzana y hable con el jefe de la carcel. Di la vuelta. El jefe no llega hasta las 2:30pm. Era la 1pm. Charle con los guardias de ahi. Me dijeorn que el jefe no me iba a permitir entrar, que las visitas debian ser aprobadas por el Director Nacional. Muy amables y me ayudaron mucho, me dijeron que vaya a la Direccion Nacional. Taxi hasta ahi. El director nacional no llega hasta las 2:30pm. Era la 1:30. Di vueltas por la zona, como estaba arriba de una colina aunque sea tuve vista de la ciudad, pero no habia mucho mas que hacer. Pero espere una hora. Despues de todo, ya tenia el nombre del director nacional y solo tenia que hablar con el. Volvi. Pase el control del primer escritorio de entrada. Pase el segundo set de preguntas. Y estaba a una puerta de distancia del director nacional cuando su secretaria me pregunto por que asunto queria verlo. Y fue. Instantaneamente se convirtio en un tema burocratico. Una carta formal de pedido era necesaria. Fotocopia de mi DNI. Y etc etc. Lo hice todo. Prsente mi aplicacion, con mis rezones, mi solicitud, mi DNI. Me dijeron que normalmente tarda 48 horas en ser aprobado. Me dijeron que deberia tener una respuesta el viernes. Les dije que me iba el viernes y por eso solicite la visita para el jueves.

La procesaron como “urgente” y me dijeron que llame el jueves a la manana. Me fui, satisfecha con mi progreso por la via official, pero todavia no convencida sobre la via no official de los tours. Probe algunas agencies de viaje sin suerte para nada, hasta que hable con un tipo de una agencia de viajes que me dio un monton de informacion. Es un estudiante de Derecho, estuvo en la carcel de San Pedro muchas veces, su compania hacia los tours, y me garantizo que definitivamente no se hacian mas los tours. Para nada. Le crei. Un maestro, hablamos por mas de 2 horas, me dio mucha informacion sobre la carcel y contesto todas mis preguntas sobre como funciona, hablamos sobre Bolivia y temas socials del pais. Un tipo muy interesante para charlar y los 2 deseando ser capaces de cambiar el mundo:) Asi que a pesar de obtener in definitivo NO en cuanto a la posibilidad de la visita no official, pase un dia buenisimo y volvi al hotel de re buen humor. Me encontre con Stefi, David y Adrian. Salimos a cenar y a los pocos minutos cayeron el resto de los chicos al mismo restaurant, muy gracioso. Asi que todos cenamos juntos, despues volvimos al hotel y tuvimos una noche spectacular, hablando y riendonos sin parar por horas en la terraza del hotel, y despues algunos fuimos a una fiesta reggae con banda en vivo. Que buen dia!

Perdon, la historia continuara en el siguiente post.