K8 posted some photos to her Facebook account, but I’ll wait to post photos until I’m in La Paz & have a bit more time. But Javi is having a grand time in Santa Cruz. The weather is cooperating nicely (not too hot, not too humid), even though many of the local attractions are closed for “winter” (it can get as low as the mid-70s here!).
One of the things we’ve noticed more of (though possibly because we now have a child) is the number of new play areas for young children built throughout the city. Near my parents’ house is the “Parque Autonómico,” one of several new parks throughout the city. This one, however, is the largest. It includes probably about a mile long jogging track, some exercise equipment, and a series of small, identical playgrounds (a jungle gym & slide, two swings, and two teeter-totters), as well as some BBQ areas. There’s also lots of shade & the grounds are nicely maintained. Oh, and there’s also a small half-pipe for skateboarding.
Javi also enjoyed the Santa Cruz Zoo. It’s certainly not as well maintained as it should be, and only a shadow of its former glory when I was a child. But they’re clearly trying to keep it up, and it’s now sponsored by Petrobras. Hopefully finding a large sponsor (the zoo languished after the death of its founder, Noel Kempff). The zoo has a reputation for one of the “most complete” collections of endangered South American animals. It’s an underappreciated treasure in the city of Santa Cruz. One of the problems, of course, is that many people don’t really respect the zoo (while we were there, an adult couple kept trying to give the monkeys coca-cola). But Javi still enjoyed it.
Otherwise, it’s a pretty laid back “vacation” in Santa Cruz. So far we’re just enjoying the climate, and the break from our grinding commutes last year. We’re letting Javi run around in my parents’ small yard, the playground in their little development neighborhood (Javi climbs the ladder & goes down the slide, unless there’s a bus or a truck worth staring at for a moment), and driving around the city.
It’s also amazing that Santa Cruz is still very much a “boom town” atmosphere. New residential developments (of all sizes) keep going up. The city of my childhood that had no buildings past four stories (the post office, maybe a hotel or two) now has a growing skyline of glass & concrete. And there seems to be no end in sight. And yet the fast paced construction is followed by a sense of chaos. It’s all rather haphazard & spontaneous, w/ little zoning or foresight (for example: entire shopping centers are built w/ no thought to parking).
To me this is also quietly tragic. As a “new” city (unlike La Paz), Santa Cruz had the opportunity to become a more “ordered” city. La Paz, which grew gradually (but steadily) over centuries, was always hampered by geography. In contrast, Santa Cruz is completely flat; the only geographic obstacle (on one side) is the Piraí River. Theoretically, Santa Cruz could’ve been a model city, had local authorities continued a consistent vision that kept development (both private & public) at a steady, coordinated pace. Instead, kindergartens are next to karaoke pubs, residential neighborhoods are next noisy markets, and playgrounds are nestled between office spaces. Maybe over time the city will finally sort itself out. But at what cost?
The saddest recent story involves a plot of land the national government handed out to a local union (the wheelbarrow drivers’ union). Evo personally came & promised them new houses. So money was spent, and a cluster of new houses was built on the outskirts of town. There was much celebration. Until it turned out that not only were there no schools or other public services for the new community, the houses had no water or sewage connection, no electricity, no basic urban infrastructure services. This is the same pattern from when UCS governed the city (it’s idea of building “roads” was to flatten earth & pour cement over it; they didn’t last the first major rains). It’s sad that such a dynamic city continues to grow & inch forward not because of, but often despite it’s national & local leaders.
