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We made it to Potosi with minimal problems caused by the strike. The teachers were striking in Sucre, and when that happens they block all of the roads out of the city. Road block consisted of hugh mound of dirt covering the road and the teachers were all standing in a group and appeared to be having some sort of rally. We were told the transport department is deciding if they should strike as well and join the teachers. Travel is likely to get harder if that happens.
We were supposed to take a bus from Sucre to Potosi (4 hours), however due to the strike the only way out was to take a taxi. One taxi from the hotel to the Sucre side of the roadblock, then a short walk of 200 metres to the taxi on the other side. Luckily for me the taxi driver was keen to carry my bag (20 kgs worth) and so I got off lightly. Tony being the gentlemen he is carried his and our tour guides bag.
Tony enjoyed the two and a half hour drive to Potosi (I slept most of the way). Locals working in the fields seperating the wheat from the chaf by throwing it up into the air, old ladies watching the sheep, local houses built from bricks.
Potosi is the highest city of its size in the world (4070 metres altitude), and was founded by the Spainards for the Silver that were in the mountains. The Spainards didn 't like the altitude too much so they founded Sucre and most of the rich aristocrats lived there.
By the early 17th century Potosi was the largest city in the Americas. Hugh veins of silver were found in the main mine and the silver was taken from the area by the Spainards.
We're spent the morning doing a tour of the mine (Copper), and learnt a lot about the history.
Spainards made the local Indians work in the mines in extremely poor conditions. The Spanish catholics at that time believed that the Indians had no soul and so were no better than animals so didn't provide any safety equipment and up to 80 million Indians are buried in the mines where they died. The Indians made themselves some sort of protective equipment out of Llama skins for helmets and shoes.
The local Indians were converted (by force) to catholicism, however they are only Catholic outside the mines. Inside the mines they believe in mother earth and Taoi which they leave gifts of Coco leaves and alcohol on a statue. The alcohol is 96% alcohol and so they only drink a litle bottle (250mls), the rest they sprinkle on the statue.
The local Indians were made to carry 35-40 kgs on their backs over long distances to the rest of South America (Peru, Argentina and part of Bolivia). The Spanairds originally used LLamas, however they could only carry 35 kgs and would only walk 40 kms per day, so then they decided to used the Locals Indians.
Miners now days work in better conditions. They have to buy whatever they need in the mines including helmets, boots, torches and dynamite. If they want to use pheumatic drill they have to pay the mine owner 10 USD for 2 hours use. Any minerals they find are kept by the miners, however they can only sell to the mine owner. Mine owners make 8000 Bolivianos a day, a normal miner makes 70 Bolivianos a day.
Life expectancy is shorter as they generally dont use any masks, and when they are drilling it is extremely dusty. They chew coco leaves to help with work conditions and to help combat altitude sickness.
We bought some dynamite and drinks as gifts and gave these out to the miners that we saw. We were able to hold a lit stick of dynamite (outside the mine of course) and take a few pictures before our guide put it in a safe place for the explosion.
The highest we went to today was 4300 metres, and altitude didn't seem worse than 4070 metres. We are drinking lots of water as the altitude makes us dehydrated. The air is very dry and its slightly more difficult to breathe. Doing strenuous exercise makes us puff more than normal. Sleeping was more difficult last night as the air drys out your mouth if you sleep with your mouth open and our noses are blocked up.
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