The Badlands

Last weekend, we headed out to see some of the land beyond the confines of La Paz.  Specifically, we visited a spartan, but beautiful stretch of land known as the Valle de la Luna (I’ll let you guess the translation).  It’s reminiscent of the Badlands in Alberta.

The deep red seen in some of the hills comes from the clay in the local soil.  I’d guess it’s the same reason why the bricks used in so many of the houses in La Paz are a distinctive rich red colour.   For the motivated, there are a number of trails twisting throughout the Valley, though warnings abound about robbers in the hills.  At the very least, it’s best not to travel alone.

The most distinctive feature of the horizon is known as El Muela del Diablo (the Devil’s Molar), a forbidding chunk of rock that stands like a fortress on the horizon.  Again, the adventurous can climb the thing, and again, warnings of theft abound.  It’s a rough stretch of country in more than one way.

Still, I’m bound to report that we neither hiked nor were robbed on last weekend’s trip.  Instead, Manuela and I retired to the city with some friends to enjoy a home-cooked meal and lively Spanish banter. I understood virtually nothing, and enjoyed myself thoroughly.