The potosi Mines! black lung, anyone?

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hey-ho!!!

Potosi, Bolivia is a very cool place filled with windy cobbled stone streets surrounded by beautiful big mountains! It is the highest city in the whole world so beware altitude sicknessers =P Most travelers visit Potosi to visit the Colonional mines that are still up and running. They do not use any powered machinery but they still use colonial simple tools.. a hammer and a chizzle. Potosi was one of the richest cities in the world in the 17th century because of how much silver they found. The major issue today is that the miners are dying within 10 years of after working in the mines due to Silicosis. Children are even working in the mines starting as young as 11!!! They are exposed to so many toxic chemicals & it is usually too hott in their to wear a face mask. There are no other job opportunities for them & their work conditions are devastating. One other thing about the miners, when above ground they worship God but down below in the mines they worship the Devil, Tio. They bring him gifts like alochol, cigs, & coca leaves. They believe that if something goes wrong in the mine.. like somebody dies.. it is because of the devil. they are extremely spiritual people.

I signed up for a tour with Koala Tours & surprisingly, I was the only tourist on the tour! The tour consisted of me and the tour guide, a previous miner. We went to the Miners Market where I bought a bottle of coke, water, coca leaves, & DYNOMITE! 1 set of dynomite for the minter and 1 set for me... 😉

I was quite excited but a lil nervous that I would be entering a mine.. alone with a guy who I really don't know. He ended up being wicked cool and funny so it was totally chill. But the mine was a lil dangerous.. we had to go down a steep slope on these wooden planks of wood that were falling apart.. i was for sure i would get splinters! never did butt.. we worked our way down to the 2nd level of the mine. I was lucky because I got to meet a miner who was setting up a spot that he was gunna blow up. He let me try using his hammer and chizzle.. those hammers are HEAVY! I really needed two hands to hold the damn thing. those men must have HUGE muscles.. HUGE muscles! It was really awesome.. the miner was about 39 years old and he was coughing up like a storm.. my guide told me he has been workin in the mine for a while now and probably has developed silicosis already. its so sad to think that they will all die soon. augh.

I was kinda down after leaving the mine but after we got to play with dynomite. Not sure what the hell i was thinking.. well I dont think I WAS thinking. I'm just standing there watching him get the dynomite all ready and then one minute he tells me to hold the balll and the next minute he starts to lite the other end of it. then he tells me to run to the water..and im thinkin.. run while holding dynomite?!?! is this guy on drugs??? haha so im an idiot.. and i did what he told me then i panicked and gave him back the dynomite and then he gave it back and told me to run down and throw it in the water and to run back up the hill and down to near the mine. within a few moments.. the BIGGEST BANG EXPLOSION happened.. scared the livin shit out of me. and i couldnt help to think was.. oh man. that coulda been me blowin up! uhhh.. never again playin with dynomite. heh

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