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To book a Spanish
Course in Bolivia
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Country Lowdown
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Full Name
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Republic of Bolivia
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TimeZone
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GMT/UTC minus 4 hours
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Size
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1,098,580 sq km
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Capital City
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La Paz (pop 1,000,000) and Sucre (pop 100,000)
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People
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30% Quechua Indian, approx 28% mestizo, 25% Aymará Indian, approx
10% European (principally Spanish)
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Population
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7,826,350
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Visa Requirements
A Visa is not required for a touristic stay of a maximum 90 days. An
extension is possible from local immigration offices. Every visitor must
hold a return or onward ticket, and all documents required for their next
destination. They must also carry sufficient funds.
Persons born in Bolivia and holding a passport from another country are
considered nationals of Bolivia. They only need the passport from that
other country of which they have the nationality. They must comply with
the regulations applicable for
nationals of Bolivia.
Bolivian Embassy UK
106 Eaton Square, LONDON SW1W 9AD
Tel: 0207 235 4248 or 0171 235 2257
Fax: 0207 235 1286
British Embassy: La Paz
Casilla 694 Av Arce 2732
Tel: (591) (2) 433424 (591) (2) 432397
Fax: (591) (2) 431073
E-mail: pp@mail.rds.org.bo
Office Hours (GMT):Mon-Thur: 1230-1630 / 1730-2100 Fri: 1230-1730
Money Matters
Currency: Boliviano (B$)
Carrying money
US dollars are definitely the best currency to carry; they are the only
foreign currency accepted throughout Bolivia. Currencies of neighbouring
countries may be exchanged in border areas and at certain La Paz casas
de cambio. All casas de cambio change cash dollars and some also change
travelers' checks. You can often change money in travel agencies, jewellery
or appliance stores and pharmacies. When exchanging money, ask for the
cash in small denominations, as there are chronic problems with change.
Major credit cards may be used in larger cities.
Climate
Because of the extreme geographical variations, Bolivia has a wide range
of climactic patterns. Generally, temperatures are cool, with the rainy
period extending from November to March in most of the country. The cities
of La Paz and Potosí often experience very cold temperatures and
sometimes snow, while the Altiplano region is prone to severe flooding.
During the dry period the climate is pleasant, though clear skies can
cause night time temperatures to drop. In the lowlands, the weather is
hot and sunny, with the occasional cloudburst helping to cool things down.
Holidays and Holydays
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Fixed
Public Holidays
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1 January
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New Year's Day
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1 May
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Labour Day
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6 August
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Independence Day
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1 November
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All Saints Day
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25 December
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Christmas Day
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Moveable Public Holidays
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2001
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Carnival
(week before Lent
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21-27 Feb
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Good Friday
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13 Apr
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Easter
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15 Apr
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Corpus Christi
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14 Jun
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Festivals
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2 February
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Fiesta de la Virgen de Candelaria, Copacabana, Lake Titicaca
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10 February
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Fiesta, Oruro
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15 February
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Tarija
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Early March
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Phujllay, Tarabuco
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25 May
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Fiesta, Sucre
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May - June?
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Festividad de Nuestro Seńor Jesús del Gran Poder, La Paz
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16 July
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Fiesta, La Paz
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14 September
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Fiesta, Cochabamba
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24 September
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Fiesta, Santa Cruz, Pando
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10 November
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Fiesta, Potosi
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18 November
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Fiesta, Beni
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Culture
Musical traditions within Bolivia are distinctly regional: strains of
Andean music from the desolate Altiplano are suitably haunting and mournful,
while those of warmer Tarija, with its compliment of bizarre musical instruments,
take on more ebullient tones. Dances such as the cueca, auqui-auqui and
tinku hold a reverent place in popular culture. Other forms of folk expression
include spinning and weaving, which display regional differences but have
changed little over the last 3000 years.
Spanish is the official language, yet only 60 to 70% of the people actually
speak it, and then often only as a second language. The remainder speak
Quechua, the language of the Inca, or Aymará, the pre-Inca language
of the Altiplano.
Roughly 95% of Bolivia's population professes to be Roman Catholic, but
the absence of clergy in rural areas has led to a synthesis of Inca and
Aymará beliefs with Christianity. The hybrid Christian/folk religion
is an interesting conglomeration of doctrines, rites and superstitions.
Bolivia's food is dominated by meat dishes, accompanied by rice, potatoes
and shredded lettuce. Sometimes llajhua (a hot sauce made from tomatoes
and pepper pods) will be used to add spice and flavour to a dish. Bolivian
beer, wine and chicha (industrial-strength maize liquor) are all good
but be warned: if invited to drink with locals, be prepared as the alcohol
is strong and Bolivian drinking habits lusty.
Before You Go….
Insurance
However you travel, it's worth taking out insurance. Standard insurance
should at least cover theft and loss of luggage, and cancellation of,
and delays in, your travel arrangements. Ticket loss is also covered by
travel insurance, but make sure you keep a separate record of your ticket
details. We provide specialised insurance policies for people taking language
courses, which cover missing lessons etc. Contact us for further details.
Travel Safe Advice
Before you travel you should always check with the Foreign Office as to
the official view on the safety of the country you intend to visit. If
you need advice on health issues we recommend you contact MASTA for expert,
up to the minute, advice.
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH
Consular Division 020 7270 1500
General: 020 7238 4586
Travel Advice: 020 7238 4503/4
Visa enquiries: 020 7238 3838
Website Address: www.fco.gov.uk/travel
MASTA (Medical Advisory Services for Travellers Abroad)
Travellers' Health Line
Telephone: 0906 8 224100
Keppel Street, London, WC1E 7HT
Website Address: www.masta.org
What Shall I Take?
Clients often ask us questions as to what they should take with them.
Apart from any special personal needs you may have and things you might
require for a particular kind of trip i.e. camping gear, hiking boots,
surfboard etc., you may like to consider the following:
· An under-the-clothes money belt or shoulder wallet
· Sunscreen lotion
· A small Spanish dictionary and/or phrase book.
· Photocopies of your important documents kept separate from the
originals.
· A medical kit.
· A towel, or wash cloth
· A padlock, or two, to secure yours luggage to racks.
· An adapter plug for electrical appliances. 220V, 50 Hz , 110V,
50Hz(La Paz)
· An Alarm Clock
· Sunglasses
Books, Films and Music
Footprint Bolivia Handbook: The Travel Guide by Alan Murphy
Lonely Planet: Bolivia by Deanna Swaney, Robert Strauss
I Am Rich Potosi : The Mountain That Eats Men by Stephen Ferry,
Eduardo Galeano
Pachamama by Rumillajta
Six Years in Bolivia : The Adventures of a Mining Engineer by
Anselm Verener Lee Guise
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid (1969)
Useful Websites
www.bbc.co.uk/weather/features (The weather worldwide)
www.worldtimezone.com/time24 (Timezones across the globe)
www.masta.org/ (Health advice)
www.xe.net/ucc/full (Currency converter)
www.visa.com/pd/atm/main (ATM locater)
www.holidayfestival.com (Festivals, bank holidays and religious days worldwide)
To book a Spanish
Course in Bolivia
|
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