Simplicity itself, a marraqueta bun makes any meal in La Paz a treat. It’s your faithful friend to soak up butter and jam in the morning or spicy juices at lunch. But, as any paceño knows, freshness is key - it is never better than in its first hour of life. These palm-sized loaves have a thick, crunchy crust, almost reminiscent of a sourdough loaf, and a chewy interior pocked with air bubbles. The bread is baked in El Alto, brought down mornings and evenings, and arrayed in giant baskets on the sidewalk of Figueroa and Santa Cruz streets just behind Mercado Lanza. It is a treat to line up and take part in this daily ritual. Watch the women bag marraqueta buns by the dozen, soak up the smells of fresh bread and the sounds of the city, and when your turn comes, get yourself a couple) and stroll over to Lanza for a breakfast juice, maybe a coffee to dunk your bread in and go on about your day, confident you've started with your finger firmly on the paceño pulse.