The Worlds First Cocaine Bar

Walking down the streets of La Paz, Bolivia the young tourists hunt like a pack of dogs to find the most thrilling travel experience. It was found, down the dark streets of La Paz, 15 or so early young hounds hunt for the mysterious Route 36, the world’s first Cocaine Bar.

In the Centre of La Paz, the respectful Bolivian Union monument is the landmark used as reference to find the bar. The first left after the roundabout, the pack head one block to where a man is standing in front of what seems like a garage door. He gives the group a once over and makes a phone call. Seconds later they are lead through the door and up a dimly lit hallway, to an opening of a modern day funky bar, surrounded by mirrors and seating that circles the dance floor.

The waitress strolls over to the travelers with a simple smile, the average drinks are ordered, a rum and coke, a couple of vodka sodas and a scotch and coke. The waitress waits, expecting the travelers to order there desert, the cocaine. She eyes the young travelers and realizes there inexperience of the local bar and continues to regurgitates the bars main menu, “Tonight we have two types of cocaine, normal for 100 Bolivianos a gram, and strong cocaine for 150 a gram."

The bar is becoming famous within young travelers, with some hostels having excursions taking you, tour guide and all. Route 36 in La Paz, Bolivia is a surreal experience, such a lawless place is similar to a dream, time stops so does your sense of reality.

The waitress walks to the table, drinks in hand, and offers the tourists bottled water. The waitress also lowers a black disc which has three small origami packets and a few scattered 6 inch straws. The tourists sit in awe, watching the woman who could be any average, middle age woman. The waitress delivers the cocaine like she was handing out candy to children, in a way she is, the kids’ eyes practically jumping out of their skin in anticipation to open the little packages.

The waiter seems like a woman that has seen a lot. She reflects on an experience, "we had some Australians; they stayed here for four days. They would take turns sleeping and the only time they left was to go to the ATM," says Cecilia, who is one of the more senior bartenders, working at the bar for over a year at forever changing locations. Cecilia, or Chechu as she likes to be called, says that the bar had to enforce a closing time as tourists would spend days not eating or drinking appropriately, simply consuming the white powder. Chechu seemed more shocked at the lack of stable diet than the amount of cocaine consumed in this time.

Chechu gracefully walked back to the bar where she divided bags of white powder into smaller amounts. The tourists are soaking in the music, the local Spanish chit chat and of course the cocaine. The night begins with segregated groups in their lounges, shoveling Charlie into divided lines, conversation begins and a few even dare to venture to the dance floor. Hours pass and the young hounds venture around the bar to other groups of people, finding similarities and a love for everyone.

La Paz, Bolivia, is situated on a hill. In fact, the rolling hills surround the city like a jail wall, one short walk has your heart racing. Route 36 adds to this adrenaline pumping experience, yoru heart racing from the first step in search of the world’s first cocaine bar.

Although this Bar has attracted tourism from all over the world and possibly made thousand of tourism jobs for Bolivianos, it is still supporting the coutries hardest battle, the fight against cocaine. The coca fields of Bolivia are the southernmost point in a struggle that stretches into Peru and Colombia and spills over into other surrounding countries.

Bolivia is the poorest country in South America, and, among Latin American countries, its poverty level is second only to that of Haiti. According to online research Questia, ranked third behind Colombia and Peru in cocaine production is Bolivia. According to a recent United Nations report, Bolivia has allocated 28,900 hectares of land to coca production. This report was released in 2007, a figure that is more than double than what Bolivian law allows.

The picturesque coutry side has many problems both evident with the homeless and beggers and hidden with President Eva Morales support of such large coca farms. The largest problem now is the Bolivians believe that this Coca production is now apart of their culture and economic survival.

Cheerleading Cost Cuts

As the economic climate is at a low people are struggling to maintain their jobs, business feel the pressure and Universities are drastically cutting back on programs. Many Hawaii Pacific University students are feeling the economic downturn and having difficulty maintaining their positions in athletic groups. HPU has felt the punch of the economic climate and have had to make decisions to cut funding in many of their athletic departments. One that was hit with the blow was the successful Spirit program. The programs allow hundreds of students to compete nationwide in Cheer, Dance and Spirit Club. Although as a result of the cutbacks will see many students’ scholarships decreased.

Cheer Coach Garrin Gosnell said that the Spirit Programs have felt previously had funding reduced and believes this will not affect performance or student enrolment figures in the future. “Cheer, Dance and Spirit Club are not immune to budget cut-backs,” Coach Gosnell added “The University has experienced the effects of the current economic climate and has made budgetary adjustments like most other businesses/organizations.”
Cheerleading flyer, Danielle Diprima said her reason for attending the HPU was the Cheerleading program. Although as a result of the current economic climate and HPU to cut costs in there Cheer program, Miss Diprima will be reconsidering her involvement like many other students. “Cheerleaders won't be able to afford to come to HPU and pay for the sport fees.” Diprima opposed the cut backs and said that the lack of funding will drastically affect her time at HPU, “we have to pay for our flight and competition fees and those are really expensive.”

Danielle Diprima resists the cut backs as she believes that the funding is one of the mains reasons to attract nationwide talent, “that is the main source in getting new students to HPU.” Diprima added that that too was her reason to attend HPU, “Of course the main reason I’m here is because my cheer scholarship if they didn't offer it I wouldn't be here.” The lack of funding would drastically affect the young athletes as it is not a cheap sport and Diprima informed that “we have many shows and perform a lot throughout the year” they all add up to an expensive exercise.

Gosnell oppose any ideas that the cheer program will be affected as a result of the funding. “In light of these changes, the integrity and strength of the teams remains the same. We still have the same goals, dedication, and work ethic and continue to represent HPU with the utmost sincerity and pride.”

Craigslist Scamming Students

Ashleigh Hussein recently arrived to Hawaii to commence her final year at UH. Waiting at the airport for her luggage to be received caused a cocktail of emotions, the nerves were firing at the thought of a new university, the excitement of meeting new friends, but more so, moving into her new two bedroom apartment she got for a steal of craigslist.
Ashleigh reflected on her journey down Ala Wai Avenue, “I knew I could feel at home here, the channel views and so close to the ocean, it would have been perfect.” The feeling was short lived when Hussein knocked on the door to her new apartment and found her two ‘bedroom apartment’ was actually an occupied studio apartment. The humiliation and confusion led her to phone the Australian Federal Police.
“I supplied all the relevant documentation, as well as receiving lease agreements, landlord passport and current residence details.” Hussein added “although I never met the landlord in person, which was my trustworthiness and naivety I guess.” It appeared that all the documentation and proceedings were in order, except the one fatal mistake of not meeting the person in reality. “The police said that there was very little you can do to detect it prior except knowing the person and meeting them.”
Angeles Sol Miranda, a student advisor at the Universidad De Buenos Aires, constantly cautions students who travel to overseas destinations and use the site in order to reserve accommodation. Overseas student’s search the from their home country and this is inherently unreliable as they have no way of knowing which real estates are legitimate and which are not. Miranda warns about online scams in particular as “you do not know who you are dealing with.” Miranda said that the most common scam are actually legitimate realtors trying to “... lease properties that are not legitimately for rent.”
The scammers use online classified Web sites such as craigslist.com, and they post false photographs and information. UH student, Hussein, tried to avoid the scam by confirming the building existed and there were vacant apartments, unfortunately not the apartment that Hussein was applying for.
Complicating this is the fact that it is also nearly impossible to track the money, as transfers are done through Western Union and other non traceable wire services. Unfortunately some banks trace money exchange although most internet transfers are too difficult to follow trade.
Popular online rental site craigslist.com ahs dealt with many users complaining of being involved in scams by people who claim to be overseas real estate agents. As a result the site provides warnings on every internet page on the site on ways to avoid fraudulent transactions. The No. 1 warning stressed throughout the site is “deal locally with folks you can meet in person.” Follow this one simple rule and you will avoid 99 percent of the scam attempts on craigslist.
Suzanne Smith of Suzanne Smith and Associates says that it is easy to get caught up in scams but it is just as easy to avoid them. “If you are using online services, then do not wire money to anybody.” said Smith. She follows her own advice; “I never lease an apartment to anybody unless I meet them face-to-face. It is that simple.”
Hussein who eventually found a place through a real estate agent after weeks of open house inspections has good advice to students who might be tempted to pout a deposit down on an apartment via online services, “If it is too good to be true, it is too good to be true.”