On arriving in La Paz there was one thing we were all in agreement we had to do, Cholitas Wresling. The women of Bolivia wear a traditional dress that every gringo is trying to get a sneaky secret shot of. The idea of watching these traditionally turned out women throw down in the ring was intriguing.
We were picked up by the shuttle bus and driven high up to the peaks of La Paz (with views to die for) before reaching our desination, what appeared to be an old basketball court with a ring set up in the middle.
After collecting our free empanadas and washing them down with a coke the show got underway. We noticed how the Bolivians were all sat high up on the concrete steps but assumed the front row seats were for gringos only, little did we know...
It started calmly enough with male wrestlers walking out to comedy music and throwing themselves off the rings. There was always an underdog and the ref was a sly old fox. However 20 minutes in I'd seen one wrestler catch fire and had been frantically dodging half eaten empanadas and eggs by the bucket load that were being pelted at the ring. As the first Cholita came out the crowd roared but me and my friends glanced awkwardly at each other between hysterical laughter as we witnessed Texas chainsaw massacre man choke a Cholita by her pigtails.
No worry, before long it was all girl on girl action and the crowd managed to forget any pity they had once felt and continued to hurl half eaten snacks into the ring. As we were ushered back onto the bus I felt the urge to stay longer but the free Cholitas keying made up for it!
SURVIVAL TIP:
Wear layers, it gets cold and a raincoat to protect you from egg splatterings!
We were picked up by the shuttle bus and driven high up to the peaks of La Paz (with views to die for) before reaching our desination, what appeared to be an old basketball court with a ring set up in the middle.
After collecting our free empanadas and washing them down with a coke the show got underway. We noticed how the Bolivians were all sat high up on the concrete steps but assumed the front row seats were for gringos only, little did we know...
It started calmly enough with male wrestlers walking out to comedy music and throwing themselves off the rings. There was always an underdog and the ref was a sly old fox. However 20 minutes in I'd seen one wrestler catch fire and had been frantically dodging half eaten empanadas and eggs by the bucket load that were being pelted at the ring. As the first Cholita came out the crowd roared but me and my friends glanced awkwardly at each other between hysterical laughter as we witnessed Texas chainsaw massacre man choke a Cholita by her pigtails.
No worry, before long it was all girl on girl action and the crowd managed to forget any pity they had once felt and continued to hurl half eaten snacks into the ring. As we were ushered back onto the bus I felt the urge to stay longer but the free Cholitas keying made up for it!
SURVIVAL TIP:
Wear layers, it gets cold and a raincoat to protect you from egg splatterings!
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