I am flying into Viru Viru airport next Monday (11/19) with my wife and 3 1/2 year old son to visit family. I know conditions at the airport were bit dodgy a couple of weeks ago, but how are things in both the airport and the city now?
We are going to start in Santa Cruz to visit some family and then head on to La Paz. My wife's family in La Paz says there may be some road blocks on the major roads in the coming weeks, but it is hard to tell at this point.
The on line sites (Bolivian Times, La Razon, etc.) aren't saying much so I wanted to see if anybody had any news from Bolivia?
schmidt
1
standanista
Santa Cruz is okay currently. Next expected flashpoint is likely to be Sucre (again), starting tomorrow, again over the Constituent Assembly and the future location of the seat of government. I wouldn't necessarily let that put anyone off visiting the city, as long as you avoid any areas where it's going off.
Roadblocks here are possible at any given location at any time for any reason, so it's always a bit of pot-luck and an essential part of any authentic Bolivian travel experience worth its salt! The days of the huge nationwide protests are largely gone however since Evo and MAS came to power, on the basis that it was generally them organising the things in the first place. As tunabagel says on another thread, blockading roads is one of the few things that Bolivians are able to organise in a timely and effective manner.
2
schmidt
Thanks! I am not to leery of the occasional road block. I have been caught in a few in Bolivia and been close enough to be tear gassed a time or two. But, that was when I was traveling solo. My wife is used to the same being from Bolivia, but my son thinks a bad day is missing his afternoon snack. He would be in for a rude awakening if he got caught in a road block or riot.
Anway, thanks again. I will probably "bump" this topic up on Thursday just to see if anything has changed.
Pro tip
Lonely Planet
trusted partner
trusted partner