Sucre - the white city

Nestled between hills and mountains in a valley east of the Altiplano lies Sucre, the white city and constitutional capital of Bolivia. The city is already located at an altitude of 2800m, which we have noticed on more than one occasion.

We instantly fell in love with the beautiful colonial city with its white buildings. It is very lively but with a relaxed atmosphere and very friendly people. The only downside is the heavy traffic that squeezes through the beautiful streets, forcing pedestrians onto the rather narrow sidewalks. Since breathing is already a bit harder due to the altitude, it is not pleasant to also inhale copious amounts of smelly diesel fumes.

We spent a long time strolling around, visiting the market and admiring the interesting selection of special vegetables and fruits. As a special treat for Mirj, we enjoyed freshly squeezed fruit juices. And not just any juice, but without having to take any preventive Bioflorin beforehand and – more importantly – without having to visit the bathroom more frequently than usual. Not even a cow's snout is needed, which seems to be offered as a delicacy here.

Sucre is an elegant city with many modern and stylish shops, cafes, and restaurants. In general, what we have seen of Bolivia so far does not really match my expectations. I imagined it to be much simpler and less modern, but of course, the stories I heard from people who have been here are already a few years old, and progress is being made. It is definitely comfortable.

The city is particularly beautiful at dusk, when the white buildings and the surrounding mountains are bathed in a special light. Even in the evening, the streets are bustling with activity, and it is absolutely safe to move around after dark. For dinner, we stuck to the Bolivian menu and did not regret it. Bettina's quinoa casserole was particularly delicious, tasting similar to a coarse-grained polenta with cheese. By the way, they have outstandingly tasty cheese here.

Perhaps it's the jet lag, the journey, the lack of sleep before the holidays, and certainly the altitude, but we were so exhausted at 9:00 p.m. that we had to skip the nightlife for once. Hasta mañana.