Potosi
Sept 7th - Sept 8th
07/09/2011 - 08/09/2011
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South American Adventure 2011
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Our journey to Potosi took us through some beautiful countryside. As it is the dry season the land was very arid and brown with very few trees or shrubs. There were however a few trees dotted around which had a very black/brown bark and stunning purple flowers. I have no idea what these were but they definitely brought some colour to the otherwise colourless views from the bus. You could easily imagine the rivers flowing and the green shrubs thriving in the rainy season though.
That evening I was feeling very fluey, much like I had felt during my very first night in La Paz, which I put down to the altitude. Potosi stands at 4090m above sea level, along with the pollution from the very old imported buses and cars from Japan I was finding it very difficult to breathe. Needless to say we had a quiet night that night. The next day we went to the silver mines which are still working.
The mines were extremely dark and cramped and I don´t know how the miners are able to work in those conditions. There are boys there as young as 14. We had to keep jumping to the side as the wagons carrying the minerals came whizzing past. They apparently work for 6 hours a day with no breaks so that they can earn as much as possible as it is run as a co-operative. They keep their hunger at bay by chewing on coca leaves. I had a go at chewing a few as part of the tour, I wasn´t very good at keeping them in my mouth without swallowing and they didn´t taste very nice anyway!
Inside the mines there are statues dotted about of Tio. He is meant to protect the mines and the miners as long as they do not upset him and bring him gifts such as cigarettes, 96% alcohol, and coca leaves.
Despite the appalling conditions in the mines, the rest of Potosí – its grand churches, ornate colonial architecture and down to earth, friendly locals make it a really nice city.
Posted by slking 13/09/2011 16:10 Archived in Bolivia
