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Potosi
Luckily, we managed to hop on a bus to Potosi straight after finishing the salt flat tour in Uyuni. Tired and exhausted, we travelled 3 hours north through more spectacular mountainous scenery, reaching the highest city in the world at 4100m above sea level.
Potosi is famous for its silver mines which were discovered in 1545. The famous cone shaped Cerro Rico (rich mountain) rises high above the remote city with thousands of entrances to mines deep underground. The mountain is actually 200 metres shorter than when the Spanish first started to plunder the minerals inside. Today, the silver mines operate as 30 cooperatives and are a popular stop for backpackers to experience a working mine.
Our guide was an ex-miner with broken English and no teeth! We were shocked when we found out he was only 30 years old, he looked at least 40 but after working from the age of ten, the mine had taken its toll. First we were taken to a sketchy miners market to buy the miners gifts. It seemed like a fair deal, considering tourists visit daily to witness their claustrophobic, unpleasant and appalling working conditions they face each day. The gifts included 96% alcohol, cocoa leaves, cigarettes and even dynamite! Apparently the cocoa leaves suppress the miners appetite and keeps them awake for the duration of their working day.
The day we visited the mines was a traditional indigenous ritual where 3 times in June Bolivian miners, families and friends sacrifice llamas and pay tribute to their Mother Earth - pacha mama. It was pretty gruesome seeing wheelbarrows lined up filled with dead lamas, blood smeared on the locals faces and all over their clothes. The majority of the Bolivians we met were pretty drunk. Our guide introduced us to his friends, I instantly felt anxious as I shook one of the the drunken mans hand and he wouldn't let go!
Eventually, after our guide had had a few beers with the locals he took us down one of the mines, held up by a rubble of rocks was the entrance to the mine. We climbed down a rickety old ladder then went further down the mine, scrambling down the rugged, dusty rocks.
It all got a bit too much for me and I only made it to the first level. I climbed back up through the mine and began to see the daylight as the dark space became wider. It was a huge relief to feel the fresh air on my face. Nick and Carmen climbed further down. Nick saw the seams of precious metals, iron, zinc, copper and even managed to crawl through tiny tunnels to the 7th level where he was 150 metres under the mountain. Here it was hot and the moisture in the air made it very difficult to breathe. With the help of the guide he located a silver seam and brought me back a small lump.
It was definitely an eye opener to witness the risk involved each day for these miners, not something I envy or would ever like to experience again. We were told that in the whole mountain 1 or 2 people die a month, both from the gas leaks and collapses in the mine and the respiratory diseases contracted from the dust and asbestos.
Being so high up walking up the stairs was sometimes very hard. We have been so high up for so long now we are beginning to wonder what it will be like at sea level? A beach is something we are both looking forward to very much.
Potosi was a very interesting place, once one of the wealthiest cities in the world, full of rich history. Today it remains fragile, stricken with poverty where miners face an average life expectancy of 35-40. Their work is hard and the pay is low yet they still live in hope they will strike it rich once again.
Next stop Sucre.
- comments
Angela Yet another interesting account not forgetting the dangers! Don't know how you will readjust to normal life in England. Keep posting the blogs. Love to you both.
josephine evans Well done Laura , I burst into tears at the top and couldn't even bear the thought of going down , ghastly and oh so humbling .