Bolivia: Tiwanaku Walls

The walls surrounding presumed temple buildings at Tiwanaku are not quite Incan in their scale and stonework, but they're impressive nonetheless, and beautifully colored by age and lichens. The orange-red stones against the deep blue skies could inspire wonderful paintings.

Bolivia: Tiwanaku Temple Walls

The carved heads embedded in the walls of what was probably a temple are one of the most striking features of Tiwanaku.

Bolivia: Tiwanaku Monoliths

Great god-figures loom over the Tiwanaku landscape.

Bolivia: The Road to Tiwanaku

On Day 2 of our tour of Bolivia, we drove from La Paz to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Tiwanaku, the ruin of a pre-Inca culture near the southern shore of Lake Titicaca. Today's set of photos is intended to convey the colorful emptiness of the Bolivian countryside as one leaves urban or historical sites.

Bolivia: La Paz Open-Air Market (3)

Bolivia: La Paz Open-Air Market (2)

Bolivia: Open-Air Market (1)

To end our exploration of the streets of La Paz on the first day of our tour, we walked through a large and colorful open-air market. To avoid overload, I'll divide the photos into three posts.

Bolivia: Plaza Murillo in La Paz

Despite (or because of) its large population of pigeons, Plaza Murillo is a favorite gathering place.

Bolivia: Quiet Scenes in La Paz

A miscellany of places that caught my eye as we walked through neighborhoods of La Paz.

Bolivia: Government Buildings in La Paz

Two views of Parliament, the President's Palace, and the front of a nearby church. One can only imaging the panic such an unattended red suitcase would cause in the USA or Europe. Here in Bolivia, no one seemed to pay it any notice.

Bolivia: Scenes in El Alto

Vendors, a monument, and a couple of friends are seen near the "Yellow" aerial tramway station.

Bolivia: Views of La Paz from El Alto

From El Alto, one can look down into La Paz, which lies in a deep bowl formed by the Choqueyapu River.