Day 1

We started the 30th with an unexpectedly great hostel breakfast at 7:30 AM. Fresh orange juice, toast, avocado, tomatoes, scrambled eggs, and a bowl filled with different fruits. Coffee or tea on the side, obviously. The hostel also did our laundry for us, which was more than necessary at this point, and not having to do it ourselves by hand but properly done by a machine felt like such a luxury.

After breakfast we took the Teleférico across La Paz. The view was insane. The city spreads across a valley like someone poured a box of houses into a canyon and let gravity decide where they land. And looming over it all, snowy mountains that looked unreal. Easily one of the coolest city panoramas I’ve ever seen.

Lunch, unfortunately, was a miss. We went to a vegan café called La Vida. The concept was great, reality less so. A large group was taking up half the tables without ordering, talking across the whole café like they were in their own living room. We waited ages to order, ages to get our drinks, and even longer for Jacques’s coffee, which had been forgotten entirely. When it eventually arrived, it looked like slightly coffee-flavoured water. My frappuccino was tasty, but the vegan chocolate cake, while stunning to look at, tasted nothing like chocolate. Hours spent for mediocre food. Wouldn’t go back, but maybe we just caught it on a bad day.

After that we walked through the Witch Market to scout souvenir options. Jacques went back early, still feeling off. Göran went off to explore the city, and I returned to the hostel to cook a simple soup for the next day. In the evening we went back to the market to buy the things we had picked out earlier. For dinner we went to a nearby Arab restaurant and the hummus and falafel were chef’s kiss, but not enough to be sufficiently filling for dinner. Later we therefore finished the day with leftover pasta at the hostel.

Day 2

We again had breakfast at the hostel, as this is conveniently included in the room rate (still not over how good it was). Afterwards I hand-washed our wool clothes and Jacques and I went to the Coca Museum, which turned out to be surprisingly interesting and well done (although one hell of a long read). Lunch was soup and while that was cooking, I worked on the blog. In the afternoon we treated ourselves to a physiotherapy massage to counter all the cycling aches. Thankfully no saddle pain, but definitely stiff backs and legs.

For dinner we went to Ciao Bella, had genuinely delicious pizza and wine, and were even given homemade limoncello on the house. Such a good evening. Afterwards Jacques and I walked through the streets a bit longer to help digest and also admire La Paz fully committing to Halloween. Kids, adults, dogs – even cars… everyone took costumes very seriously. It was honestly so wholesome to see.

Day 3

We were meant to leave La Paz on this day, but both Göran and Jacques had a rough night and especially Göran was completely out in the morning health-wise, so we stayed one more day. The right call, no doubt. After breakfast at 7:30, the boys went back to sleep and I headed out to buy groceries to make another stomach-friendly soup. It took longer than expected, but I eventually returned victorious and got cooking.

In the afternoon, the hostel owner invited us to join her in a small prayer for All Souls’ Day, to remember loved ones who had passed away. It was such a kind and heartfelt gesture. We lit candles and I said a prayer for my Grandpa Fred, who passed in 2018. It felt grounding and emotional to think of him intentionally, celebrate who he was, and feel that connection again. Afterwards, she gave us traditional sweets that are eaten on this day: meringues, sponge cake, and cookies. All very delicious.

Later, Jacques and I sat with Tatiana (23), who lives in the hostel full-time and visits her family every second weekend. We ate sponge cake with jam, talked, laughed, and just enjoyed the moment. She gave us some advice on cool places or cultural things to see and we gifted her a Dutch postcard with a personal message on it, which she cherished very much.

In the evening I decided on pizza again, because it was that good (Jacques and Göran decided against anything risky for their stomachs and got a hamburger instead). We had planned to go back to the Arab restaurant, but it was unfortunately closed. At Ciao Bella I ended up chatting with two very friendly Germans before joining the others. One of them, Markus from Bavaria, is bikepacking from Alaska to the southern tip of South America. Bikepacking, in this case, means ultra-light, ultra-fast, maximum kilometres per day. Insanely impressive… and absolutely not my style.

Despite it not being the day we had planned, it was exactly the kind of day we needed. A reminder that travel is not only about kilometres, but also moments that quietly become memories you’ll carry for a long time.