| Bolivia ~ An Historical Background
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| | contributing to the diversity of Bolivian
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| To completely appreciate the nature of
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| | culture. The highlight of any Bolivian
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| Bolivia's political climate and social
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| | tour should begin with a visit to Lake
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| structure you have to take the time to
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| | Titicaca, the second largest lake in
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| review the fairly complex history it
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| | South America and highest in elevation,
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| shares with most of South America. Long
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| | it is still one of the most densely
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| before the arrival of the Spanish to the
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| | populated areas in South America.
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| South American continent, the Bolivian
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| | Bordered by Peru and Bolivia, the
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| Highlands shared the Andean culture with
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| | southern end of this 120 mile long body
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| its neighbors on all sides. The Andean
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| | of water boasts the ancient community of
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| region is said to have been inhabited for
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| | Tiahuanaco, an ancient settlement
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| over 13,000 years, but it was only around
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| | containing ruins from pre-Incan through
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| the second century BC that civilization
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| | Incan society. Tiahuanaco is considered
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| began to flourish around the southern end
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| | by many archeologists to be the world's
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| of Lake Titicaca, the highest
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| | most ancient city. One of the four major
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| commercially navigable lake in the world,
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| | Incan administrative areas, Kalasaya, as
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| with a surface area of 8,372 square
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| | it was known, was the home to the Aymara.
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| kilometers. The southern end of the lake
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| | As discussed earlier, the Aymara were
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| was the center of the Tiwanakan culture,
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| | known for their advanced architecture and
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| which had developed an advanced
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| | agriculture. The Sun Gate is the apex to
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| understanding of architecture and
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| | this magnificent temple city. This
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| agriculture until its disappearance in
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| | immense 45 ton piece of stone contains a
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| 1200 AD.
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| | riddle carved into its surface,
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| The demise of the Tiwanakan culture
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| | confounding scientists, archeologists and
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| created a vacuum that led to the advance
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| | visitors alike, as they try to decipher
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| of the seven kingdoms of the Aymara, a
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| | its purpose. It is said the carvings
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| belligerent mountain people who created
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| | represent an ancient calendar dating back
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| fortified hillside towns from which they
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| | to 16,000 BC. The Incan ruins of
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| governed both the highlands and the
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| | Tiahuanaco are rivaled in terms of its
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| lowlands, accomplishing the latter by
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| | archeological value only to Machu Picchu
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| colonizing local tribes. By controlling
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| | in Peru. It must be noted that
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| both regions and irrigating their
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| | Titicaca is 12,507 feet above sea level,
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| agricultural areas, they were able to
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| | which leaves many visitors gasping for
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| harvest highland and tropical crops,
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| | air. For those who have visited Cusco,
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| providing their people with ample food
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| | Peru (11,500), on the way to Machu
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| stocks.
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| | Picchu, you know that a two to three day
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| Despite their success at developing the
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| | visit does not afford you much time to
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| region, the Aymara could not contain the
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| | acclimate to the altitude, so plan on
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| encroachment of the third ethnic group to
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| | drinking copious amounts of cocoa tea
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| dominate the area, the Quechua,
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| | and, if you suffer any breathing issues,
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| originally named for their language, but
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| | bring portable oxygen. The risk in
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| who became known as the Incas. The
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| | altitude sickness comes from not having
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| Bolivian Highlands developed into one of
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| | sufficient times to acclimate to the
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| four Inca administrative regions and
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| | elevation. Flying directly to high
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| became known as Kalasaya, although
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| | altitudes should be accompanied by a few
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| immediate control remained under the
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| | days of light activity and getting used
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| Aymara. The ability to retain their
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| | to the oxygen deficiency.
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| culture and autonomy eventually led the
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| | Bolivia's administrative capital is La
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| Aymara to rise up against the Incas;
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| | Paz. Founded in 1548, La Paz contains
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| however, the Inca were able to solidify
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| | over 16% of Bolivia's population and
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| their hold on the territory by the
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| | serves as an excellent starting point for
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| beginning of the 16th century. Although
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| | many of the tours around the country.
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| the Inca were ultimately conquered by the
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| | Amboro National Park is a protected
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| Spanish in 1532, evidence of their
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| | wilderness representing all four of the
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| influence can still be found in the
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| | different geographical zones of Bolivia,
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| number of Quechua speaking Indians
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| | covering almost half a million hectares,
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| currently living in the highlands (2.1
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| | or roughly 1 ¼ million acres. There are
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| million, c2001). Meanwhile, the Indian
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| | extensive tours available through
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| tribes of the Bolivian lowlands who were
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| | Amborotours To see the beginning of
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| able to resist Incan control also managed
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| | ancient Incan origins you can take a 2
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| to survive beyond Spanish domination.
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| | day tour aboard a catamaran from La Paz
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| After multiple expeditions to South
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| | to Sun Island, legendary birthplace of
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| America in the early 1500's, the Spanish
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| | the Inca Empire. It covers the Ekako
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| Conquistador Francisco Pizarro led an
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| | Underground Museum, the Titicaca Reed
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| expedition to Peru with his brothers
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| | Shipbuilders display centers and many
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| Hernando and Gonzalo and
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| | more cultural exhibitions, including an
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| second-in-command, Diego Almagro, in
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| | unspoiled Titicaca village that has been
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| 1532. At this time in Incan history
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| | preserved in the traditional lifestyle of
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| Huayna Capac, the reigning Emperor had
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| | the ancients.
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| just died of smallpox and one of his
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| | The period before lent is celebrated
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| sons, Atahualpa, conquered his brother,
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| | widely in South America. While Carnivale
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| Huascar, to take control of his people.
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| | tends to be associated primarily with the
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| However, the Incan empire was still in a
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| | world's largest celebrations in Rio de
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| state of disarray from Huayna's death and
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| | Janeiro and Pernambuco, Brazil, many
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| Pizarro tricked and captured Atualpa,
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| | South American cities also celebrate
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| ultimately killing him despite being paid
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| | Carnival before lent. On the Sunday
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| an incredible ransom of four rooms full
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| | following Ash Wednesday, a post Carnival
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| of silver and ¼ room of gold for his
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| | fiesta in Phujllay is an Independence
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| release.
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| | Celebration commemorating the battle of
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| Pizarros' conquest of South America with
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| | Jubati, in which the Spanish were
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| Diego de Almagro resulted in the region
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| | defeated by Indian soldiers on 12 March
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| being split into a northern territory
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| | 1816. Held in Tarabuco, this all night
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| under Pizarro's control and the Southern
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| | fiesta features the traditional
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| region under Almagro. A civil war broke
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| | instruments, dances and dress of the
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| out between their respective forces,
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| | Aymara and Quechua, attracting thousands
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| ultimately culminating with Almagro's
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| | of campesinos, or farmers, from around
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| defeat and execution by Pizarro in 1538.
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| | the neighboring communities. During your
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| When Pizarro was assassinated by Almagro
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| | celebration you will undoubtedly be
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| supporters three years later, his brother
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| | offered some form of Chicha, which is
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| Gonzalo took over. However, before long
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| | usually a reference to the traditional
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| Gonzalo became embroiled in a rebellion
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| | Chicha de jora, or fermented corn brew,
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| against the Spanish Crown, which ended
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| | but can actually be any form of fermented
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| with his execution in 1548.
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| | beverage.
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| During this period Bolivian silver mines
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| | In the fertile Cochabamba Valley lies the
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| produced vast quantities of the precious
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| | city of Cochabamba, whose spring like
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| metal that soon filled the coffers of the
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| | weather earned it the nickname "City of
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| Spanish Crown, but over the next three
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| | Eternal Spring" is considered to have the
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| centuries Spanish taxes and a policy of
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| | best climate in the country. The third
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| selling imported goods to the Indians at
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| | largest city in Bolivia, with a
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| inflated prices was almost as lucrative
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| | population of over 800,000, Cochabamba
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| for the Spanish throne. By the late
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| | boasts La Cancha, the largest open air
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| 1700's the Criollos, or purebred
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| | market in South America. The Cristo de la
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| Spaniards who were born and raised in
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| | Concordia is the largest statue of Christ
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| South America, began to resent Spanish
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| | in the world, despite claims that the
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| domination and the seeds of discontent
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| | Christ the Redeemer in Rio Janeiro is
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| lead to a proclamation of Independence in
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| | larger. Visitors can climb up to the arms
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| 1809. Despite the proclamation, it took
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| | of the statue for a tremendous panoramic
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| 16 years of continued fighting before the
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| | view of the city. There are several parks
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| republic was born and named for its
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| | for outdoors people and La Recoleta, for
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| favorite son, Simón Bolívar, in 1825.
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| | those who desire to enjoy the nightlife
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| In the 19th century Bolivia made
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| | of the city.
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| tremendous social and economic strides
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| | The City with Four Names, Sucre, La
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| under the leadership of Andres de Santa
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| | Plata, Charcas or Cuidad Blanca, is more
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| Cruz. Santa Cruz managed to unify Bolivia
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| | than just a charming colonial city
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| with Peru in the Confederacion
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| | blending ancient traditions with a
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| Peru-Bolivia, between 1836 and 1839.
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| | thriving economy. It is also a major
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| Perceived as a major economic threat by
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| | Bolivian agricultural center that
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| its neighbors, beginning with a
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| | supplies the altiplano, a fairly barren
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| disagreement over a wheat tariff, the
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| | area of mining communities in the upper
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| federation fell apart when the War of the
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| | plains. In Sucre you can visit the Casa
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| Confederation pitted the Peru-Bolivian
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| | de la Libertad, where Bolivia's
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| forces against Chile and Argentina. Chile
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| | Declaration of Independence was signed on
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| and Argentina prevailed and the
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| | August 16th 1825. Sucre is home to a
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| confederation was soon dissolved. For the
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| | variety of museums and churches,
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| next 60 years Bolivian history was marked
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| | including the Chapel of the Virgin de
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| by coups, short lived governments and
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| | Guadalupe, which features a jewel covered
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| general political instability.
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| | image of the Virgin painted by Fray Diego
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| From the days of the Spanish conquests
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| | de Ocaña.
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| Bolivia's indigenous peoples have
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| | One final note: In addition to altitude
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| suffered greatly at the hands of wealthy
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| | sickness visitors should be very aware of
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| landowners and mining companies, who
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| | Chagas Disease, which can be life
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| subjected them to menial work and a
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| | threatening. For those who like roughing
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| second class citizenship. The Chaco War
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| | it, make no mistakes that you will be
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| with Paraguay in 1941 bred the
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| | very wise to sleep inside of mosquito
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| Revolutionary Nationalist Movement, a non
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| | netting to protect you from the bite of a
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| communist middle class political
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| | blood sucking bug named vinchucas, that
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| coalition designed to create a better
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| | looks like a harmless beetle but bites
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| political system for the country's
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| | and leaves droppings behind. The problem
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| current social structure of that period.
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| | begins when those droppings get rubbed
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| In other words, the country began to come
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| | into a bite, infecting the victim. Do not
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| to grips with its social needs without
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| | sleep in traditional buildings without
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| resorting to the losing concept of
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| | sealed ceilings, or any other location
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| communism that swept across so many
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| | without your mosquito netting around you
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| agrarian nations dominated by wealthy
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| | to keep the bugs away. This disease can
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| landowners. A stint at military rule led
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| | take from ten to twenty years to fully
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| the country through a transition to
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| | manifest itself, however, once it does
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| democracy.
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| | the worst case scenario leads to sudden
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| Where To Visit
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| | heart attack and death. If you get a
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| Bolivia rests in the center of five South
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| | hard, purple itchy swelling, usually near
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| American countries, Argentina, Chile,
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| | an eye, get to a specialist center like
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| Peru, Brazil and Paraguay, each influence
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| | the one in Cochabamba.
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