Sucre - The White City, a 7-Course Meal, and a Slightly Delayed Spanish Course

Accommodation

In Sucre, we had two accommodations. The first place, called "Home Away," was where the check-in went disastrously wrong. The apartment is part of a large language school named "Me Gusta." The apartment was really chic, and there were hardly any people, so the shared bathroom was very clean. The breakfast was really good too, with a wide selection (including strawberries). We paid 43 US dollars or 295 Bolivianos for two nights. We then moved to stay with Judith, who was participating in a home-stay program of the language school "Spanish with Silvia." The flat was near "Plaza de Armas," so it was very centrally located. We paid 120 Bolivianos per person, per night for the accommodation, but this also included breakfast, lunch, and great conversations with our hostesses. They included: Judith, her mom, her four (?) sisters, including daughters, and her mom's friend. And her nephew, who runs a very successful burger joint next door. We had a super nice room, a shared bathroom, and we could enjoy the sun on the terrace. It was definitely worth it, and in the second week, Judith even lowered the price again. :)

Sights

Starting from the outside and moving inwards:

Museo de Arte Indígena (impressive museum with a nice shop)
Plaza Pedro de Anzúrez (square with many stalls: food, drinks, games, ...)
Iglesia de San Lázaro (where we waited for a nearby restaurant to open)
Iglesia de San Felipe de Neri (we passed by daily on our "school route")
Catedral Basílica de Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe (only from the outside)
Plaza de Armas 25 de Mayo (main square with many vendors and pigeons; on Sundays, only accessible to pedestrians due to various activities)
Casa de la Libertad (where the Independence Declaration was signed in 1825)
Mercado Central (where I bought honey and avocados)
Mercado Campesino Sucre (where I bought wool, peanuts, ice cream, and yucca)

Transportation

On foot, by minibus, and by taxi.

Food and Drink

We indulged ourselves. Every restaurant was great, and listing all the dishes would take too long. We tried all sorts of delicious (and typical) things and were also more than adequately nourished by Judith, her mom, and her sister.

Cafés and Restaurants

Kallawa Restaurante (delicious sandwiches, recommended!)
Restaurante Club de la Unión (so-called "Pensión," where locals have lunch)
El Solar (amazingly great seven-course restaurant for TEN EUROS 😱)
Cavendish Resto Bar (dark pub with good food)
Don Osso - Comida Rápida (recommended fast food, also vegetarian/vegan)
Plaza Restaurante Azafran (decorative dishes, great view of the main square from the balcony)
Metro Café (good food with very friendly service)
Sucre Icecream (delicious ice cream right on the main square)
Salteñería El Patio (traditional salteñas, which you must try)
Café Mirador San Miguel (café in a church tower)
Don Antonio - Cocina Mexicana (delicious Mexican food with show)
Las Delicias (café with typical snacks)
Tudor Burger (delicious burgers from Judith's nephew) And finally, we went to a bad crêpe shop in a mall, which isn't worth mentioning.

Hospital

I wasn't spared from food problems either and went to the hospital because my stomach was incredibly bloated. I went to the "Clinica privada Sucre" and felt very competently taken care of. I paid 200 Bolivianos for the doctor’s consultation and 530 Bolivianos for the lab analysis. On top of that, medications cost an additional 337.75 Bolivianos. Total costs, including the 22.95 Euros I had to pay in Germany for Bactoflor bacteria, were 168.15 Euros. Not quite comparable to Pascal's 35 Euros, but the standard was much higher. More modern facilities, friendly reception, competent staff, and wait times. Unfortunately, they didn't quite figure out what I have, but the assumption is: Typical South America. I can't tolerate the food, and that's why my stomach is so unsettled. 😶

Plants and Animals

Nothing noteworthy except for the dog that rode along on its owner's motorcycle.

Number of Germans in the City

There were probably some, especially those taking a Spanish course...

Contact with Locals

Of course, with Judith and her family, and also with her mother’s friend. And with our two Spanish teachers, Verónica and uuuh, forgot the name… Oops!

People Met

Verónica was a really cool person. We talked about everything and nothing and couldn't stop chatting.

Expenses

At Judith’s place:

120 Bob per person per night = 1680 Bob for 7 nights and two people (1st week)
100 Bob per person per night = 1600 Bob for 8 nights and two people (2nd week) Language school:
900 Bob per person for 20 hrs = 1800 Bob for both of us (1st week)
700 Bob per person for 20 hrs = 700 Bob for me (2nd week) Also bought some gifts for the family (chocolate, toasted corn, puffed rice, dehydrated potatoes, …)

Market Standard Offerings

Pigeon feed, candy, avocados, chocolate, second-hand clothing, fruits, vegetables, …

Laundry

At Judith’s house, we could wash laundry for free.

Unsolvable Mysteries

Why is Judith and her family an (almost) all-female band? Where have all the men disappeared to? :) By the way, her father was once the mayor of Sucre before he passed away.

Currency

At Banco Bisa on the main square, we could withdraw money for free.

Bus to Mairana

With the help of Judith's nieces, we got to the right bus terminal. Our bus (which we scouted the day before) cost about 40 Bolivianos per person and departed around 4:00-4:30 PM. We arrived at 1:03 AM and then faced the decision: Continue to the destination Samaipata? Or spend the night? We opted for more sleep and looked for accommodation. Glaring yellow light from a shopping center read "Alojamiento." Alright, we'll take it! We paid 70 Bolivianos for two people and were housed in a former shop. The abandoned mall was repurposed, and the former lockable shops were outfitted with beds. There was a public toilet and a shower (free for us star VIP guests, of course;). We politely declined. It wasn't 100% clean. We then fell into a cold sleep. More about our ten-hour stay in Mairana in the next article!

Post Scriptum

A few photos of our culinary discoveries can be found at https://hoenisch.eu/photo/mo/sharing/R8bTpovIb