'I visited the world's highest capital city - 1 thing really surprised me'

The first morning I woke up in La Paz, Bolivia, I was feeling drowsy. The high altitude of 3,650 metres above sea level was causing me headaches and a numbing sickness that stayed with me all the way to my breakfast, consisting of lots of fruits I had never seen in my life. I reached for the go-to high-altitude sickness pill, "Sorojchi" - containing aspirin, alsophen and caffeine - and took to the streets of the highest capital in the world.

I went out wearing extra layers, a scarf and a cap. That night, the temperature was below zero. During the day, however, I was annoyed to carry a tote bag full of clothes as the sunshine, with its rays notoriously close, brought the temperature to around 16 degrees. That's the city of La Paz: full of unexpected moments, and not just when it comes to the weather.

Yet it was the welcome I received, rather than the climate that surprised me most.

La Paz is the capital of Bolivia, a landlocked country bordered by Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. It's quite a diverse one - with the Andes Mountains running through its western region and vast Amazonian lowlands to the east. Bolivia is one of the poorest countries in Latin America and has historically ranked among the world's poorest.

Bolivians tend to travel less internationally than neighboring Peruvians, reflecting the landlocked geography and harsh economic conditions with a sky-high annual inflation rate of 24%. Just to get to the country, it took approximately 5.5 hours to cross the border from Peru. As one Reddit user put it wryly: "People don't cross borders - plane tickets are expensive as f*** and we are kinda poor."

But despite the reality that might have led me to certain prejudices, I was astonished by the welcoming attitude of Bolivians in La Paz, even if many aren't used to foreigners and never leave their own country.

"Welcome to Bolivia," a man told my group sitting in a cable car with stunning views of the city. He was a local priest and needed to get to La Paz from the neigbouring city El Alto because he forgot his bag. In the past, the journey would take him about an hour, but he said now it is about 15 minutes with the cable car. The popular Mi Teleférico cable car project was commissioned in 2012 by the former president Evo Morales and built by Austrian firm Doppelmayr at a cost of $234m. It has become the main transportation system for locals, while tourists go there to enjoy the stunning views.

If you ever visit La Paz, it's for the views. Most of the houses are built from reddish-brown brick and packed tightly on the city's many steep hillsides. As a backdrop, the peaks of the Andes rise dramatically in the distance. After taking several cable car rides, I ended up at the famous viewpoint Mirador Killi Killi, which is a must-see. On the way, I was greeted by several locals, many of them elderly, who welcomed me to Bolivia.

But the views are far from the only thing that makes La Paz so magical. It is also essential to get lost in the city's narrow streets, visit its main cathedral, and watch the lively activity at the main square, Plaza Murillo, where government buildings, historic architecture, and locals sitting on benches surrounded by pigeons create a vibrant atmosphere.

Strolling around the centre, I was also keeping an eye on political happenings. I visited La Paz just a few weeks before the August presidential election, where, in the first round, centre-right candidates advanced to the runoff in October. That's the first time in over two decades that Bolivia's ruling left-wing party failed to secure a lead.

The part of La Paz that attracts the most tourists is the Witches' Market. You can wander through its narrow streets with other tourists in their bohemian outfits. You'll be surrounded by stalls full of colourful souvenirs, bags with Bolivia signs, magical stones, palo santo incense, vibrant textiles or even a coca museum. You can also get a haircut in one of the many barber shops in tucked in between.

My last stop was sitting down with a fortune teller. I didn't learn whether I would visit La Paz again in the future, but if I could, I would definitely go back.