A Glimpse of La Paz

For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out of my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it. ~Isaiah 55:10-11

Since I was a child, God has utterly captivated me through the splendor of His creation.  I confess that I rarely travel anywhere without a camera...I'm afraid I'll miss something spectacular!  (Yes, I'm THAT tourist.)  It has been agonizing living here in La Paz for two weeks with few photographs to show for it.  

The beauty of this city and its surrounding landscape is truly unparalleled.  Wherever you turn, the Andes rise in the distance.  At this altitude, the sky changes constantly, and it can feel like three different seasons in one day.  (You learn to never travel anywhere without an umbrella.) Sometimes the clouds are so low that they cover the tops of the mountains like fog.   

Ominous clouds in the distance

My favorite time of day is early in the morning during my 15-minute taxi drive to school.  The sun has just begun to creep over the peaks and fall into the valley.  Smatterings of rectangular red and brown houses at the highest points are illuminated.  The steady rainfall during the summer months has cloaked the entire landscape in emerald green, an unusual sight in a dry climate.  At this time of the day, most of the city is just waking up.  At bus stops along the way, it is not uncommon to see gatherings of Bolivian women in colorful peasant skirts and bowler hats.  The drive takes you through the residential neighborhood of La Zona Sur and up into the mountains.  Sometimes I marvel at how our small taxi can climb such an incline.  The school is situated on a plateau above the busiest parts of the city in an area called Mallasilla.

On the way to Mallasilla, here is a view of the valley.

When it rains, this dry red clay will wash down the mountain and into the streets.  If the rain is heavy enough, it makes driving  very challenging.

    Early morning view from the soccer field at the school