From the city in the clouds to the white city; Potosi and Sucre

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Our departure from uyuni was slightly delayed due to me being ill, but a trip to the chemist in which I resembled a rock star on a bad day escaping the paparazzi, soon sorted me out. We went literally onwards and upwards, to one of the highest cities in the world, Potosi.

We spent a couple of days in Potosi, it´s narrow streets lined with balcony clad buildings definitely had charm. As did the plazas and old churches, and even though the town had a lively buzz, nothing really excited me about it. Perhaps knowing that its grand architecture and plazas are built from it´s silver mining industry, full of slave laour, taints it´s beauty.

One of its main tourist attracions is a visit to the mines, but we opted out after hearinf here are still children working down there; we also witnessed miners strikes in town, protesing for better conditions. It would have felt slightly odd to don our overalls and join the 8:30am tour from the hostel. Our hostel in Potosi was another reason we didnt stick around, a prime example of how backpacker hostels often know they can get away with providing a terrible service!

So...we left for Sucre, known as the white ciry, but I also think it deserves the tag line; with a chocolate centre. Chocolate is one of the things ive missed the most, everywhere sells it but more often than not it tastes rubbish. But Sucre has definitely got claim to Bolivia´s best chocoalte...and we ate a lot of it to make sure.

Once again our stay here was prolongued due to me being ill. Much to my anger Stu eats every street food going;deep fried, sugar coated, on a stick, rolled in a ball...and isn´t ill. Guts of steel! Sucre´s markets are a great place to eat though, with all kinds of delight from peanut brittle to chorizo. Although I alweays walked swiftly passed the butchers aisle of cows noses and pigs feet!

Luckily, we were in Sucre for the University parafe, the streets were lined with people as groups came dancing into the Plaza; each one in colourful costume, followed by a car or truck with several speakers strapped to it blasting music. Passers by lit hand held fireworkd from cigarettes and old ladies sold hand cooked crisps from carts. Once again Stu´s circus radar was buzzing and we befriended a man with a unicycle in the square.

Whilst in Sucre we also hopped aboard the tourist bus to Tarabuco, a nearby village famous for its Sunday market. To be honest we have seen many similar markets all over Bolivia, but it was still nice to explore the village and we came across the Sunday morning football game. The other bus ride we took was to the national park which houses the worlds largest collection of dinosaur footprints, which run up steep cliffs in the valleys. In true backpacker style, we´d read that you can see them all from outside so there´s no need to pay into the park...so we didnt. The art of being stingy.

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