Feed the birds

I finally made it to La Paz's most picturesque and most important plaza yesterday -- The Plaza Murillo, where last year, 80,000 protestors surrounded the presidential palace (left) to demand the nationalization of the gas industry and where, just two days ago, President Evo Morales announced that the country's gas reserves would be nationalzed. Bolivia has the second largest gas reserves in South America and, thus far, has reaped very little reward from it. In theory, this new development should increase energy-related revenues to $780 million, almost six times what they received in 2002. Of course, you have to hope that, in a departure from most of Bolivia's previous leaders, Morales won't use the new income to line his own pockets. Hopefully his two best friends, Hugo Chavez and Fidel Castro, won't negatively influence him. (Of all the world leaders to call buddies .... )

Plaza Murillo is kind of the Trafalgar Square of La Paz. Pigeons are everywhere, people are lounging about on long lunch breaks, vendors sell bird food for tuppance a bag ... or was that in Mary Poppins? Anyway, I hung around for an hour or so, played with a cute-as-a-button, random 3 year old girl, watched other children torment and chase pigeons, which didn't bother me since they are nasty, vile, dirty things. The birds, not the children. That's the 1835 cathedral on the right.

With more time to spare, I wandered down toward the San Francisco Plaza, where all kinds of handicrafts, trinkets, and other goods are on sale. Accidentally stumbled into the flower market (literally, fell into a stall. Luckily, the lady was very nice to me) and then put my negotiation skills to the test. My father would have been proud -- although I had to concede $30Bs (less than $4US), I put the vendor under enough pressure that she had to call her boss to make sure the deal was okay. I love when that happens!