http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/ Travel adventures in journals and photos from South America , Bolivia , Potosí Department , Potosi en-us Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:03:00 +0000 Wed, 30 Dec 2009 06:03:00 +0000 HiIt has been really long since I wrote an entry so my kids decided it is my turn this time to tell the story of our adventures in Bolivia after returning from Rurenabaque Pamapas and Amish. And if the kids say I should be doing somethin I better do it...After returning to La Paz from Rurenabaque Tal decided he has to make some strength and courage test he went biking on the 'Death Road'. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-453937.html ... nach einer ungemuetlichen Fahrt in einem sehr alten Bus sind wir Nachts in Potosi angekommen.Es gab nicht viel zu tun ausser ein wenig durch die Stadt zu wandern und eine Tour durch die beruehmten Minen zu buchen.Nachmittags haben wir ein Kloster besichtigt...auf jeden fall sehr interessant.Es war ein kleines aber reiches Kloster und frueher haben die reichen spanischen Familien ihre zweitge http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-453720.html The chicken bus to Potosi only cost me 2.80. I felt somewhat over charged considering the the death trap on wheels which I was about to board would be lucky if it make it to the end of the street never mind Potosi. When I got on the bus a lady was sat in the seat which I had booked. Now under normal circumstances I would have let her sit there without a problem but the amount of times I have b http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/blog-451239.html Still a bit drowsy from the overnight bus from La Paz I arrived in Uyuni on Wed 2810 still undecided on whether to do a 1 or 3 day tour of the Salar de Uyuni the worlds largest salt flat. Given my recent bus experiences I didnt want to sit in a Jeep for 3 days they let you out for 20 minutes at a time so I chose to do a 2 day tour of the Salar and a couple of the lagunas. The Salar was ab http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-449762.html It is about 2am and from our window we are looking down upon the clouds. A full moon illuminates a blanket of white candyfloss with only peaks of chocolate mountains piercing through. A sight that reminded me of a plane journey at night even the bumpy ride resembles turbulence. But we are not on a plane. We are on an overnight bus climbing from Tarija to Potosi crossing over the Cordilleras de Ch http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-436511.html PotosiUyuni http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-429733.html The journey to Potosi was short and hairy. The bus was full of sweaty people eating smelly food and Josie was fretting from the word go about when she would get to stop for the loo. The unsealed gravel road wound for 4 hours round hairpin bends on multicoloured mineralrich hills past llamas and a silver mine where Butch Cassidy had apparently held up a train. When we did stop for the loo there http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-428650.html Potosi is a lovely town in Bolivia which sits at the base of a hill containing huge silver reserves. This silver has been mined for hundreds of years and has meant the town has many pretty churches and plazas built by it's wealthy and lucky residents.To better understand what these miners go through to extract the silver from the hill we went out to mines. After putting on our protective cloth http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-419466.html No entiendo he said with a puzzled face and a look of fear in his expression. The overconfident prickahole had had the tables turned on his little charade.Not two minutes earlier the man had gotten into the front passenger seat of the taxi I had just hailed to get back to my residence. Asking for documentation the driver duly obliged. The man proceeded with a mobile phone call to 'HQ' 'repo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-415535.html Almost no words to describe our experience in Potosi. The bus journey from Sucre was an event in itself on the bad side my seat was stuck in the recline position making things uncomfortable for me and the girl behind me and the bus was also overloaded with people standing next to us for the bumpy six hour journey. But as always the upsides made up for it the mountain views are spectacular and http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-415236.html Our stop in Potosi was a quick one as there is not much to do there except the excursion to see the working Silver mines. It was an awesome experience and I promise never to complain about my working conditions ever again The local people spend up to 36 hours in horrible conditions using just a hammer and chisel and some dynamite. The larger mines have drills but they do not work on a sunday a http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-414657.html Bolivia is the land of the Worlds Highest ......... The worldrsquos highest airport The worldrsquos highest skifield although it hasnrsquot actually had any snow for the last few years... The worldrsquos highest golf course and now the worldrsquos highest city.......Welcome to Potosi altitude 4200 m.s.l.We left mid afternoon the following day from Sucre but not before my ear http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-409632.html La Paz 3rd of June and Potosi 4th to the 6th of June 2009 We arrived in La Paz around 3pm and quickly arranged another nightbus to Potosi two night buses in a row. We both didn't want to stay in La Paz again but were glad of the opportunity to get some nice food. We went to our favourite Thai restuarant and followed it with icecream sundaes from Brosso. We also stopped off at the tourist http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-409604.html the highest city in the world. brilliant place. went to the mines very grim. cant believe anyone works in the conditions. http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-408776.html Text is on the way http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-408491.html After our fine Land Cruiser journey and our first city in Bolivia Uyuni we moved on to Potosi. Potosi is a mining town and certain companies offer tours of the active mines so we got to see it all first hand. Before we decided to do the tour we read that it was sketchy dangerous lame and overall not a very cool experience. But naturally we do not listen to other people and I am so gla http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-408254.html Vecerni cestu do Potosi jsme jeli autem. Neumim si predstavit jak by tudy projel autobus ale ... Potosi je oficialne podle pruvodce nejvis polozene mesto na svete 4090m.n.m. Maji tu tisice dolu ktere jsou na vsechno mozne. Potosi pry zivilo stribrem spanelsko skoro 200 let. Zivot v dole je celkem kratky pry zhruba 20 let. Lide zvikaji koku a pijou 96 procentni alkohol. Po prohlidce dolu http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-407339.html Llegamos muy temprano a la ciudad de Potos . Nos hospedamos en el hostel Compaa de jesus. Ese mismo da fuimos de excursin a las minas. Intent entrar pero al tercer paso me mat la sensacin de encierro. Pensar que hay gente que pasa horas trabajando dentro de las minas masticando coca para aguantar los mareos y matar el hambre. Lgicamente el promedio de vida de los mineros es de 40 a 45 http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-407326.html hay everyone having a fantastic time in bolivia. santa cruz was pretty cool. when we arrivied checked in and then out again of this really nasty hostel the next place was cool. then moved on to sucra a fantastic place. stayed just outside the market. lots of nice people. a little boy came up to me wanting to shine my sandles. he gave me his comic to read when i got it done. then lots of little bo http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-407253.html PotosiHad a lot of trouble trying to find the hostal we wanted La Casona noone seemed to have heard of it. In the end got dropped off in the main plaza and I went searching whilst Jill looked after the bags. Eventually found the hostal about 2 mins away from the Plaza. Great place large room with two heaters TV and a balcony 20 US night.Checked out the mine tours and eventually decided t http://www.travelblog.org/South-America/Bolivia/Potosi-Department/Potosi/blog-404925.html