el corazon di bolivia es la boca

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The heart of bolivia is its mouth.... i made this one up and you can have it for free!

I am in Sucre, much disputed capital of bolivia. La Paz is seen as the de facto capital because the government are based there, but sucre believes it is the capital because the declaration of independence was signed here and will be celebrated on 25 may. Every day there are one or more street demos (always peaceful but with lots of firecrackers and shouting!) here to petition for the govt to return to sucre, and people here think the constitution will be changed to this effect before the year is out. I am cycnical about this as I know changing constitutions isnt that easy and there would need to be a good case to shift everything south. But no one seems to really know what city is the actual capital! those here in sucre say their city is named as such in the constitution, even though the power base in in la paz; the lonely planet says la paz (by putting the star, the sign for the capital, by la paz on their maps), and most visitors dont even know about sucre having any play on this. Muy interesante. Anyway, yesterday was all about the huge processions of kids with big ceremonial drunks and trumpets and banners protesting for their city, throwing firecrackers in the street, followed by throngs of traditionally dressed campesinos. I have been here two days and have also seen protests by students for various things. Bolivians are taught from early on to know and to fight for their rights. And they do. Young people are all part of an active political discourse. Though I dont yet know if there is a true connection between the people and el poder, the power, and evo morales´party. Whatever, Bolivians seem to enjoy their daily protests, not least because they always feature loud music and partying in the streets, and sometimes they feature a lot of drunkeness (maybe on the 98% proof ¨alcohol potable¨ sold to miners in potosi).

Sucre is a pleasant city, smaller than Potosi but with a nice plaza, lots of churches and convents to visit for my religious art obsession, and a great market. I am here with no less than three fellow travellers, Solange, a swiss-chilean girl who i first met in chile, and probably two of the nicest people i have come across yet, a young married couple from good old woolwich, Johanna and Darren. Its been an absolute blast hanging round with them but I will move onto Cochabamba in a day or so to start my newspaper placement and they will go to La Paz.

I will write about my experiences in Potosi shortly. It was amazing.

x

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Comments

[Onehorsetown Loaferville]

hi crazy girl
more boys! i have a house for one month now so I can email the phone number and you can call me there! i will try to phone this week and you can call me back xx