23 Jul, 2018 | Charles Bladon

Photo: Jaime VargasA bastion of Bolivian folk musicNo doubt anyone who has paid mind to the music on the streets and in the nightclubs of La Paz would notice that the current generation is entranced b...

23 Jul, 2018 | Charles Bladon

Photo: Gonzalo LasernaJust east of La Paz’s Zona Sur, the spires of el Valle de las Ánimas (‘Valley of the Souls’) hang over a carved-up glacial valley, resonating with a mystical quality. A mere one-...

22 Dec, 2017 | Charles Bladon

Photo: Claudia PrudencioTransgressing the boundaries of performance in BoliviaAndoro is no musician alone. This was made clear the moment he stepped through the front door of the coffee shop and greet...

22 Dec, 2017 | Charles Bladon

Photo: Ivan Rodríguez PetkovicExploring the quirks and staples of a Bolivian ChristmasTurkey, Christmas trees, fairy lights, snow and a warm fire: these are a few things that instantly come to my mind...

22 Dec, 2017 | Charles Bladon

Photo: Esteban Terrazas SaraviaLa Paz. The sun dissipates and, with it, my urban trepidation. The night encroaches, accompanied by wonder and titillation. The night promises so much, the impossible se...

22 Nov, 2017 | Charles Bladon

Photos: Fruzsina Gál and Charles BladonBolivia is no exception to the graffiti fad that has enthralled South America in recent decades. Discourse has taken a new format, taking issues rigorously...

22 Nov, 2017 | Charles Bladon

Photo: Adriana MurilloThe old guard of Bolivian TrotskyismSince 1825, there have been 88 governments in Bolivia, with an average of 2.2 years per government. Chronic political instability has become s...

29 Oct, 2017 | Charles Bladon

Photo: Adriana MurilloA Converted Hacienda-Lodge With a History of RepossessionA warm, lush tropical forest hugs the walls of the converted hacienda. After removing the layers of clothes necessary to...

29 Oct, 2017 | Charles Bladon

Photos: Adriana MurilloPreserving the Buildings of an Aging La PazTucked away around the corner of Plaza Murillo, a mere stone’s throw away from the Legislative Assembly, a structure that bears famili...