Little is known about Bolivia's 2nd most popular sport (still yet to be confirmed)...Cholita Wrestling, so we thought we would go along and check it out. To give you a little bit of background a Cholita is South American woman who wears the traditional dress, including a large skirt with pedi coat, plaited hair and bowlers hat. Now after we paid our very reasonable entry fee of 80 Bolivianos each, we were handed a very eccentric ticket which not only included entry and VIP seating, but return bus ride, a snack, souvenir and not one but two toilet passes.... I find myself saying this a lot in Bolivia but BARGIN!!!
So after the scenic bus ride, through the back streets of La Paz, we arrived at our destination not knowing what to expect. The hall looked a lot like a typical school gymnasium, just with a few small differences. Firstly it had a WWE style ring in the centre, donned with some shotty lighting and surrounded by a very flimsy steel fence. Secondly it was packed with hoards of screaming Bolivian wresting fans. So grabbing our snacks, souvenirs and an unregrettable purchase we took our ring side seats and waited for the show to start.
The first few "bouts" (and I use this term very loosely) were between what seemed like the amature men's league and were there to warm up the crowd. Although aside from the clearly missed punches the costumes, which included Spider-Man, Batman and a very large man in tights 3 sizes too small, and the Spanish banter really got the crowd going. The wrestles also took it upon themselves to rowel the crowd up by not only taking objects to use as weapons, but also throwing their opponents into the crowd. This was indeed entertaining, until we were reminded that we were ringside.
But what we came to see was the Cholitas and they certainly did not disappoint. Coming out from behind the make shift entry you could easily assume that these women were your typical Cholitas that you see in the markets. However once in the ring these ladies meant business. No matter whether it was another Cholita, a pretty scary clown or who I'm sure was a referee in a previous match these women just would not say die. There was plenty of punches, kicking, pile driving and top rope acrobatics. Just when you think the show couldn't get any more brutal someone pulls out a fork and attacks the other until all they can see is red.
As an added bonus once all the fighting was over and the blood mopped up our bus driver stopped off at a view point so we could take some happy snaps of the La Paz skyline. During the day it is easy to write this city off as a typical over crowded 3rd world city. However just after dusk, with a full moon in the sky and the snow capped alps in the background you do feel a seance of tranquility and an understanding of how beautiful this city truly is.
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