Introducing Villazón
The Bolivian side of the main border crossing to Argentina is a sprawling, dusty, chaotic sort of place crammed full of stalls selling cut-price goods, many of which are contraband. Around the railway station are numerous warehouses stocking smuggled produce; it tends to be brought across by campesinos, who form a human cargo train across the border. The frontier and bus station are always busy, for numerous Bolivians work in Argentina.
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Despite the smuggling, Villazón is a bustling rather than sinister place, but watch out for the usual shysters who tend to congregate at borders; dodgy banknotes and petty theft are not unknown.
From October to April Bolivian time lags one hour behind Argentine time. The rest of the year, Argentina operates on Bolivian time (only a bit more efficiently).
Last updated: Feb 17, 2009
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