Making Adobes in El Alto, 1995
Just in front of his El Alto residence, Julio (Alvaro's next-door
neighbor), makes adobe brick with his nephew. Consisting of mud and
straw, these bricks are the principal building material for homes
in the Andes. After the mold is removed, the bricks sit and harden
in the strong Andean sun for 3 to 4 days. Because of their relative
ease to make, low cost, remarkable strength and excellent insulation,
adobes continue to be the standard construction material in the city.
Julio makes adobes for both himself and to sell to others, as the
homes of many residents in El Alto are always in some state of construction.
