Coca Museum (Museo de la Coca)

"The coca leaf is not a drug." This controversial statement by Evo Morales, president of Bolivia, was directed to the United Nations assembly. In fact, while it's known in Europe and the USA as the main component of cocaine, the coca leaf is a tradition in Peru and Bolivia, where it is used to create an infusion to combat altitude sickness. Potosi miners chew coca to fight hunger and fatigue, and it's also an offering to Pachamama, the earth mother of the Incas, as a sign of fertility.

In La Paz, near the shopping street of Sagarnaga, is a museum all about the history of coca. It is open every day, and if you don't understand Spanish, it offers English and French translations.