At the edge of the Andean mountain range, when the jungle lowlands of Bolivia are already in sight, Cochabamba is outside the itinerary of many travelers, who prefer to follow a “logical” itinerary that links La Paz with Sucre, Potosí and the Salar de Uyuni, true protagonists of tourist interests, and rightly so.
However, Cochabamba has enough attractions to consider the detour. In addition to its stately palaces and its imposing churches, near the Alalay lagoon but integrated into the orderly grid of the center of Cochabamba is the La Cancha market, one of the largest in Latin America and, without a doubt, the largest in Bolivia.
Formally, La Cancha is limited to three blocks in a north-south direction and two in an east-west direction. But the reality is that the merchandise exchange center overflows until it looks like an oil spill that floods a good part of the center of the town.
It seems impossible not to find a certain merchandise in La Cancha. Food, basketry, mirrors, plastic containers, household items, clothing, shoes, car parts, furniture, appliances, toilets, telephones, cosmetics, traditional remedies, detergents... And all in exaggerated quantities. The goods appear in an abundance that seems to refute the country's traditional poverty.
Cochabambinos and people from all over the region come to La Cancha because they know they will find what they need. Whether it's a public bathroom, a witch's ruling to end a curse, or an improvised dentist.
In theory, the La Cancha market is well structured between the Fidel Aranibar market (specializing in pastries, toys and textiles); that of La Pampa (crafts, hardware, ready-made clothing, hats and items are your preference); or San Antonio, where there are small food stalls, small restaurants and large community kitchens where tasty stews are cooked at full speed that keep the workers in the area going. In fact, this sector is one of the most fun and recommended to eat at on some occasions, if you are not too picky with the presentation. Normally it is eaten on plastic plates that are quite battered by continuous use. However, hygiene is usually careful, and freshly squeezed fruit juices are a delight.
It also remains to see the largest market, popularly known as Mamiacito (officially, La Paz), which has a more modern feel and aspires to resemble Western shopping centers, with perfumeries, appliance stores and branded clothing among motley corridors that are not always dazzling with their lighting.
An administrative bull that dates back to the times of agrarian reform, in the middle of the 20th century, allows farmers and ranchers in the area to directly trade their products. This has led, in part, to the market taking over sidewalks and even part of the road, making it difficult for vehicles to pass, which must maneuver slowly and causing large traffic jams that stretch throughout the city. And the approximate calculations of the municipality assure that there are more than 100,000 merchants with fixed and mobile stalls in Cochabamba, and that the vast majority are concentrated in La Cancha.
Cochabamba is seven hours by bus from the Bolivian capital, La Paz, on a trip that would not be on the list of the most comfortable in the world.
