They say that Sucre is the heart of Bolivia.  It was here that independence was proclaimed and in the constitution, it’s recognized as the nation’s capital even though today the capital is La Paz.  Full of colonial architecture, Sucre is a perfect walking city.  It’s also home to many universities so it has quite a lively nightlife and there are plenty of cafes perfect for spending a lazy afternoon.

The other main attraction in Sucre is the Dinosaur Park with over 5,000 dinosaur footprints from at least 8 different species.  It’s the largest collection of dinosaur footprints in the world.  68 million years ago, dinosaurs roamed this area, leaving footprints in the clay.  As the clay dried, the footprints left behind by the dinosaurs ossified into stone and eventually disappeared under layers of sediment.  Since that time, shifting plates have moved what was once a beach upward so that it is now a vertical cliff.  In 1994, the cement company that owned the land discovered the footprints and the area is now a tourist attraction.  Currently, erosion is damaging the footprints, but the park is trying to become a UNESCO World Heritage site which would help raise the $8 million needed to create a cover for the prints.  It’s estimated that the prints will be totally eroded by 202 if protection efforts are not put into place.