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Presidential Palace
Killi Killi
Landscape
An old Dodge busgetting the perfect haircut
The best thing about La Paz is the vast array of markets ranging from produce to cooked foods to witchcraft items. My favorite place to grab a place to eat was at the far end of Plaza San Francisco. It was so full of energy and the women running them were so aggresive to get you into their respective places. Normally, this bothers me but for some reason, they seemed good natured about it and it was so inexpensive it was worth trying a couple, even in one day! Long trips have disadvantages; these can be as mundane as needing a haircut. I've had some funny experiences with this grooming concern from Brussels to Katmandu, and my recent trip to South America was no exception. I found myself in La Paz five weeks into my trip looking a little ragged. I noticed about 20 barbershops near the hostel I was staying at. They were smallish affairs, some with as little as one chair. I inquired in one for a price and though I was expecting it to be inexpensive, I was shocked to hear five bolivianos (eighty cents) come from the proprietor's mouth. Everyone leaving the place had nicely kept hair so I ventured in and waited my turn. There were two chairs full and two other men before me. I figured I'd be out in a half-hour or so but soon realized just why everyone in La Paz seemed to have such nice hair. They are fastidious about it! The barbers were perfectionists and even with their attention to detail, the customers never seemed satisfied. One even came back after being out of the shop! Finally after an hour, it was my turn. I jumped into the chair after showing the barber a photo I noticed on the wall with an approximation of the style I wanted. With my limited Spanish, I wanted to have all the help I could get. He had me looking great in no time but kept clipping little bits off here and there. He must have worked on it for a 50 minutes before asking if it was okay. He showed me if from the back and sides with a mirror. It was by far one of the best haircuts I had got in my life. I felt embarrassed to pay him so little so rounded it up to a dollar and he seemed ecstatic, thanking me enthusiastically. I walked out of the shop and onto the La Paz streets, knowing that if I lived there, I would be just like the locals. I would have freshly cut hair every week or so even if it took hours. I just hope I wouldn't become so picky about it.
