Virtual Railfan Tour - Bolivia - How to buy an aspirin in Bolivia

A La Paz streetcar
On our trip in 1994 we had a one day layover in La Paz.  We were taken to an old streetcar barn and I took the two pictures below. A few years later I spent considerable time in La Paz and tried to find this place but to no avail.  All I can think of is that it had been razed and there was nothing to show.


We were then taken up to Guaqui on Lake Titicaca.  



At Guaqui

On the altiplano

A reed boat, made famous by Thor Heyerdhal and the Kon Tiki expedition

Lake Titicaca

Main Street Guaqui
La Paz is at 3640 meters above sea level while Lake Titicaca is even higher at 3840. The previous day we had climbed up from the jungle lowland and were feeling the effects of the altitude. I started to look around for somewhere in Guaqui that might have aspirins.  I found the Bolivian equivalent of a Quebec depanneur.  I was in luck - they had bottles of aspirins displayed on a shelf.
"I want aspirins, please"
"Si senor, quantos? (how many)"
Thinking he meant bottles I replied "Just one"
He then brought down a bottle and with grubby hands counted out one aspirin. Turns out you buy aspirins singly here. With that knowledge I came out with six aspirins wrapped up in a piece of old newspaper. They helped my headache and I was fortunate not to contract any nasty disease from the handling.
Dragging ourselves around in the high altitude it was galling to watch a bunch of local teenagers play a very vigorous soccer game.
We went back to La Paz that afternoon and prepared ourselves for a long day tomorrow - experiencing an eclipse on the altiplano.





 

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