It was last November when I saw this article on the BBC's website (for some reason the text doesn't show; click "Printable version" to read the article) about the World's Most Dangerous Road. Very intrigued, I showed the article to Mauricio, who laughed. "Oh, the Yungas road," he said. "Yes, I've driven down it many times." Driven down it? Many times? I knew that if I ever went to Bolivia, I would have to see this road for myself.
You might be happy to know that we didn't actually drive down the road. Less than a year ago, a new, $100million+ road was completed that is much safer than the old one. We whizzed down to Coroico, the subtropical town only 60 miles from La Paz, but 2,000m lower. Even the new road can't escape the fact that one descends over 2km vertically in only 100km horizontal distance.
Coroico is a nice town, but I'm not sure it would be worth risking your life to get to if the old road were still the only way to get there. It is located in the Yungas region, which has some of Bolivia's most fertile farmland. It is strange, though, because the Yungas is very hilly. It looks similar to Appalachia. The locals have managed to farm using terrace-style landscaping. The area is home to a lot of coca plants, but the US government has pressured Bolivia into eradicating a lot of coca farms in its "War on Drugs".
There wasn't a whole lot to do in Coroico. It is mainly just a place for wealthier residents of La Paz to spend a weekend relaxing. The hotel had a pool and a fantastic view, and one morning Mauricio and I drove to some waterfalls.
4 comments:
First of all, the most dangerous road thing made me nervous there for a minute. Secondly, this may be a dumb question, but aren't there legitimate uses for the coca plant?
Yes! There are many legitimate uses for the coca plant. I had coca tea to combat altitude sickness, and a lot of Bolivians chew coca leaves. The saliva mixes with the chemicals in the leaf to produce a tingling sensation in the mouth. This helps the workers stay alert.
The entries and pictures on Boliva were just fabulous! Sounds like the ultimate adventure, and the picture of you in the boat is priceless!............Shelia
I like the coca chewing to help the workers stay alert. Please send me a boxcar full of the leaves! G
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