The annual National Pedestrian Day was today and it was amazing. The streets were packed full of people out enjoying the clear skies and car-free streets. I went off on a picture taking frenzy to see all that La Paz has to offer. I didn’t bring my big gun though. Maybe in Cusco it’s OK to tote around an expensive camera but there are not so many gringo tourists here and I didn’t want to invite any unwanted attention. I know from my adventures in Peru that I can run down semi-fat guys in their twenties out in the open but if a teenage thug in a city grabbed my camera for sure I’d smash my head on something low-hanging within the first ten feet and get knocked out. 
Before getting to La Paz I’d read very little about the city so it was with great interest that I started hearing about San Pedro Prison. It’s about a block from my hotel and you can’t really miss it. In fact they’ve had several riots in the prison and lot’s of people in the neighboring house/shops got sick from the tear gas. The prison is actually quite fascinating if you are into the whole Escape from New York genre.
Basically the 1,500 or so inmates run the place. There are no guards, no uniforms or metal bars on the cell windows. Rooms are not assigned; you have to buy one (you even get a deed… or you can rent one). If you can’t afford a cell you sleep on the floor. The most expensive cells are spacious and have private bathrooms, a kitchen and cable TV. With the husband locked up the wives often cannot afford to live by themselves in the city so they live with their husbands in the prison. If they have kids they live there too. There are market stalls, restaurants, hair dressers and even a hotel for guests that want to stay overnight. One thing quite easy to get in the prison is cocaine. It’s easy because they actually manufacture it in the prison and distribute it outside the walls. Or you can go into the prison and buy it. It’s supposed to be the purest coke in Bolivia. I guess when you have all the experts in one place…
Tourism, although “officially” illegal still goes on since it provides a huge portion of inmate and guard income. Apparently all you had to do is go up to the quieter “tourist” entrance and ask a guard to let you in. These days it sounds like you have to pay up to B400 ($60) for a tour. The police do not go inside or interfere in any way. There are about four deaths a month from both natural causes and “accidents”. 80% of the inmates are in prison for drug-related charges.
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