Larry Memmott's Blog

Note: This is the first of a multi-part guide to the churches. As further portions are completed, they will be linked from this post and from the Bolivia Guide Index. This is a route for exploring the beautiful churches of northern Oruro Department, including 12 which have been restored/repaired in recent years and others, which […]

The Aymara new year tradition is quite different from those I have been accustomed to in other places. Rather than celebrating the night before, culminating at midnight, the Aymara celebrate at dawn on June 21 (winter solstice here in the southern hemisphere). This morning, I was up at 4 am to prepare for the drive […]

The church in Jesus de Machaca looks quite different from other churches on the altiplano.  It also looks quite out of place for such a large and sumptuously decorated church to stand in such a small town in such an apparently poor region.  With its whitewashed facade and blocky look this church is an example of late renascence architecture.  German Ambassador […]

If you are going to Tiwanaku, you should certainly visit the town and its church.  It is certainly worth noting that most of the stone used to build the town, and all of that used in the church, was taken from the Tiwanaku ruins.  For modern sensibilities, that would be a crime, but I suppose […]

Tiwanaku is mandatory, even if you are in Bolivia for only a few days.  It is the premiere archaeological site in the country and provides an opportunity to learn about the longest lived empire in South America.  On the way to Tiwanaku, you can visit the first cathedral in Bolivia and the site of the founding of […]

The trip to Tiwanaku is a “must-do” excursion from La Paz.  The remains of the capital of the longest-lived empire in South America is something you don’t want to miss.  The ruins are impressive.  The history behind them is even more impressive.  I’m not going to get into all of that here, so you definitely […]