KALEIDOSCOPIC LA PAZ: CITY OF THE CLOUDS 131 



PET FIGHTING COCK OF THE FAMILY: NEAR L,A PAZ 



the better class have long been people of 

 charm and culture. Even in the days 

 when every luxury was brought up from 

 the sea on the backs of animals, requiring 

 a journey of months' duration, the homes 

 of refinement were rilled with European 

 treasures and the educated people kept in 

 touch with the outside world. 



We visited all of the modern municipal 

 buildings, and I was so selfish as to regret 

 them. I dread the time when La Paz will 

 lose her captivating individuality. 



Through the city flows the Chuquiapu 

 River, spanned by many bridges. It is a 

 remarkable stream, inasmuch that it does 

 not flow to the Pacific, as do most rivers 

 formed on the western slope of the 

 Andes. The Chuquiapu defies the nat- 

 ural order and flows through a cleft in 

 the mountains, joining the streams 

 bound for the Amazon. 



One day we mounted mules and fol- 



lowed the merry little river. Our way 

 led through steep, narrow streets to the 

 Alameda, the city's park. By way of an 

 avenue lined with stately trees we en- 

 tered the suburbs and were soon out of 

 sight of the town. The road now clung 

 to the cliff and the canyon developed into 

 a miniature Yellowstone in coloring. 

 With each mile the mountain walls grew 

 more rugged, more picturesque in their 

 rainbow attire, and we very reluctantly 

 turned townward. As we entered the 

 city I looked back as the sunset glow 

 enveloped the snow-clad Illimani, the 

 mountain known to the Aymaras as "The 

 Everlasting," guardian of the picturesque 

 canyon of La Paz. 



Although the Bolivian seat of govern- 

 ment has never been moved officially 

 from the city of Sucre, La Paz is in 

 reality the capital. Far easier of access 

 than the interior city, it is now the home 



