Back to normal

09.22.2003

Despite a state of siege in the Altiplano, La Paz is back to normal. Actually, I'm not sure La Paz ever left the "normal" state. No one in the city seems worried that a few campesino agitators talk abut waging "war" on the government. Traffic's normal, shops are open, people are enjoying the midday sun.

Still, three of the four highways in & out of La Paz are still sporadically blocked, despite the military's efforts to keep them open. So, I haven't been able to travel to Santa Cruz yet. Hopefully in a week or so.

Meanwhile, I'm trying to get my paperwork in order for my temporary residency. It's an absolute headache. I need papers and stamps and signatures and photocopies of things I don't even really know what they are. I suppose once it gets done, though, it'll be a relief. But I've not yet been able to focus exclusively on my research. Which is fine, since I'd scheduled myself these first two weeks to get settled into the country.

This afternoon I'm swinging by the Library of Congress again, to start going through their archives. The research archive I was going to use (CEDOIN) no longer exists. So I'm improvising as best I can on the ground. It's always something, eh?

Oh, I also saw a new Bolivian film last night (I live a block from two movie theaters). It's called Dependencia sexual (Sexual Dependency). It's quite good, it was part of the official selection at the Chicago and Toronto film festivals, and it won a prize at Locarno. The movie follows roughly five characters (Bolivian & American) through parallel stories (using a split screen). On Wednesday, I'm gonna see Jonas y la ballena rosada, a Bolivian art film, which won several prizes about six years ago. (There's a Latin American film festival in town.)

Posted by Miguel at 12:07 PM

Comments

Miguel,

I am sorry i have not been in better touch, i am doing fine. Thanks for your concern. Do you think the unrest will come to La Plaz? maybe you should buy a rifle. Are you having fun? Are you scoping the bolivian coffee shops?

i hope all is well

dan.

Posted by: Dan at September 22, 2003 03:38 PM