Day 104 - Mercado la Ramada

Ramada Market

Bolivia is becoming more and more modern all the time.  If you want to, you can live like someone in North America: malls, fast food, movie theater, good restaurants, nice cars, Starbucks, and air conditioning.

But if you want to experience the real world, you’ve got to leave your comfort zone from time to time.  More than 90% of the world does not live like we do in North America.  Bolivia is no exception.  I would guess that 10% are trying to live the American dream in Bolivia, but for the remaining 90% it is out of the question.

Places like the Ramada Market sell just about anything you can imagine.  It is like a giant open-air Wal-Mart.  But it is more than that.  It is a barrio.  A neighborhood.  A community.  At first it seemed strange to me that there would be 25 or 50 little booths side by side selling the same thing, and I still don’t quite understand it.  If there is something specific you want, they might ask the neighboring stall or one down the way.  If someone is away from her stall, the neighbor takes care of the merchandise.

Today on the way home from school I stopped at the Ramada.  The rotunda at the Second Ring and Avenida Grigota has the statue of the Chiriguano, a fierce Indian.  I always thought to meet this Indian in real life would be terrifying.  On the southeast corner is a small plaza with a Catholic church.  It is not the prettiest plaza in town, but it serves this community well.  Every time I pass it, even at 6:45 in the morning, it is crowded.

All along Avenida Grigota, from the First to the Second Ring is packed with stores and stalls, on either side of the road, selling everything you can imagine.  Clothes.  Bicycles. Car parts. Vegetable and fruits.  Cell phones.  Watches.  Hats.  Shoes.  Dishes.  Furniture.  Toys.  Things for the kitchen.  Things to clean your house.  Things you have no use for at all.  And things you desperately need.  Like I said, it is a giant Wal-Mart.

You can eat here too and cheaply.  I saw a sign that said two hamburgers for 35 Bs – that is $0.50!

There is no reason to be afraid here.  The majority of the people are poor, some desperately poor.  But a poor stall keeper will give a coin or some fruit to a beggar.  They are kind people.  If you don’t like crowds, you might be freaked out a bit.  It can get crowded and people will touch you by accident.  It is not a place to leave your wallet lose in your back pocket or set your purse down while buying a pair of shoes.  But trust me.  If you are kind, they are kind in return.  A friend told me the other day about buying a coin purse and the lady in the market adding to her purchase.  They do things like that.  People are seeking to be loved the world over and will love you in return.

This is a place to see how people live in the real world, not the world of malls and TV.  I have other places to shop in Santa Cruz and will go to those more often, but at times, I will venture into the Ramada.