I enjoyed my few days in La Paz, although getting around is difficult: at over 4000m breathing is hard and walking up and down the hills is tuff - but still an interesting city to explore. 
Unfortunately my stay in La Paz was shadowed by me being robed my camera, my mobile phone and some money. Luckily I managed to keep passport, credit cards and I was not harmed - which is the most important. And for future/fellow travelers, here is how they got me:
I walked up to the cathedral a sunny morning and a fellow tourist, who told me she was from Uruguay, asked me if I could take a picture of her. Having had this request many time of course I agreed and wanted to take the picture outside the cathedral, but she wanted to have it taken inside. I asked if this was permitted in this church as it is usually forbidden. But she said it was ok... so of I went and took her picture. An "official" arrived up to us and said that pictures are not permitted and that we were to show him our passports. She showed hers at once, so I did the same. He said we had to go to the police station and as he had my passport I could only follow. He called a taxi and I had no choice than to follow. The car stopped 300m further down the road and he explained that many tourists have falls money and credit cards as well as they carry drugs - so he has to check our bags. I said that I was fine to do so, but at the police station, not in a car in the middle of the road.... but the other tourist handed her bag. He checked it and then insisted on seeing mine. After that he tried to worm our pin numbers out of us in order to "check that the credit cards are no false card". There I protested strongly, saying that he was not allowed to ask for that information. At that moment he got upset with me, put my cards and my passport back into my bag and ordered me to get out of the car at once.
Standing there in the street I felt worried to for the other tourist, so I went to the police and explained what had happened. At one point I wanted to check the time (I had a tour in the afternoon) and that is when I realised that my mobile phone, my camera and some money were gone. And that was the moment when I (finally!) realised that my fellow tourist was working together with this other guy and that she had completely abused my confidence!
I must say, I felt quite stupid for a while and I hope that by telling my story, others will not be tricked into the same situation. Although speaking to fellow travelers I hear many different stories - there are new tricks every day!
Unfortunately my stay in La Paz was shadowed by me being robed my camera, my mobile phone and some money. Luckily I managed to keep passport, credit cards and I was not harmed - which is the most important. And for future/fellow travelers, here is how they got me:
I walked up to the cathedral a sunny morning and a fellow tourist, who told me she was from Uruguay, asked me if I could take a picture of her. Having had this request many time of course I agreed and wanted to take the picture outside the cathedral, but she wanted to have it taken inside. I asked if this was permitted in this church as it is usually forbidden. But she said it was ok... so of I went and took her picture. An "official" arrived up to us and said that pictures are not permitted and that we were to show him our passports. She showed hers at once, so I did the same. He said we had to go to the police station and as he had my passport I could only follow. He called a taxi and I had no choice than to follow. The car stopped 300m further down the road and he explained that many tourists have falls money and credit cards as well as they carry drugs - so he has to check our bags. I said that I was fine to do so, but at the police station, not in a car in the middle of the road.... but the other tourist handed her bag. He checked it and then insisted on seeing mine. After that he tried to worm our pin numbers out of us in order to "check that the credit cards are no false card". There I protested strongly, saying that he was not allowed to ask for that information. At that moment he got upset with me, put my cards and my passport back into my bag and ordered me to get out of the car at once.
Standing there in the street I felt worried to for the other tourist, so I went to the police and explained what had happened. At one point I wanted to check the time (I had a tour in the afternoon) and that is when I realised that my mobile phone, my camera and some money were gone. And that was the moment when I (finally!) realised that my fellow tourist was working together with this other guy and that she had completely abused my confidence!
I must say, I felt quite stupid for a while and I hope that by telling my story, others will not be tricked into the same situation. Although speaking to fellow travelers I hear many different stories - there are new tricks every day!
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