This morning we went on a silver mine tour. After putting on our gear (bright yellow clothing, boots (and plastic bag around each foot), hard hat and head lamp), we went to the miners’ market to get some supplies for the miners we were to visit. We bought a ‘kit’ containing a bag of coca leaves, an alkaline stick, usually made from the ashes of quinoa plant to activate the alkaloids, a pack of cigarettes, drinks and dynamites. Each stick of dynamite was $15 Bs, consisting of nitroglycerin paste, ammonium nitrate and a fuse. We could no longer explode the dynamites but that’s probably a good thing. We also bought cheap surgical masks that are supposed to prevent inhalation of toxic stuff down in the mine but likely don’t. I think most of the miners know
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