La Paz – Dec. 2nd – Dec. 3rd

La Paz was founded in 1548 after gold was found.  Being in a large canyon, the city was protected from harsh climate.  It was also prosperous due to its location between Potosi and Lima and much of Potosi’s silver had to pass through La Paz en route to the Pacific.  La Paz is definitely not a walking city and it’s quite hilly and is 4,058 m (13,313 ft) above sea level at its highest point.

One of the attractions is San Pedro Prison.  It’s over 100 years old and was built to hold about 400 prisoners.  Today it holds over 2,500 inmates and their families in the space of one city block.  There are 15 guards proctecting the perimeter of the prison, but there are no guards inside.  Inmates are able to buy real estate inside and many invest so they can run small businesses to service other inmates such as hairdressers, mechanics, tailors, shoemakers, handicraft stalls, grocery stores owners, and restaurants.  Even Coca-Cola has done a deal with inmates and now pays them for exclusive rights to be the only soft drink sold within the prison.  Every prisoner has to pay their way.  Cells must be paid for and the rents range from luxurious two story penthouses with hot tubs and plasma TVs costing about $700 per month to cramped rooms with 6-10 people for only $5 per month.  Approximately 80% of the prisoners are inside for drug offenses and only 25% have been convicted.  The other 75% are awaiting trial which can take years.

Previously inmates would make money by giving prison tours.  It was so popular that it was even featured in many guide books and tourists could even spend the night if they desired.  Eventually this became too dangerous (rapes, mugging, and scams became all too common) so today it is quite discouraged to do one of these tours.  This prison is also famous for being the subject of the book Marching Powder.  A backpacker named Rusty spent four months inside the prison with a drug trafficker from England named Thomas McFadden.  Recently, Brad Pitt bought the rights to the book Marching Powder and will be making a movie to be released sometime in 2016.