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Travel Blog » South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Potosi » Blogs » "Two sticks of dynamite and a bag of amm

"Two sticks of dynamite and a bag of ammonium nitrate, please"

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South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Potosi
September 23rd 2012
Published: September 22nd 2012
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You'd be forgiven for never having heard of Potosí. Perched at the dizzying altitude of 4,000 metres, Potosí is a bustling but modest town, a cold, windy and far-flung place on the edge of the altiplano - a very long way away from Bolivia's modern nerve centres of La Paz and Santa Cruz. It was not always thus - very far from it. In 17th century Spain, everyone knew about Potosí. For i... Read Full Entry



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Will and Alex
Will and Alex
Will and Alex
We live to travel - and we travel to live. We've been exploring the globe together for the past 13 years - and there's still so much to see. In March 2013 we moved from the United Kingdom to the other side of the globe - our new home is Tasmania and we look forward to getting to know this gorgeous part of the world. ... full info
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Cerro RicoCerro Rico
Cerro Rico
Wriggling through Cerro Rico's galleriesWriggling through Cerro Rico's galleries
Wriggling through Cerro Rico's galleries
Smashing up the ore, by handSmashing up the ore, by hand
Smashing up the ore, by hand
Drilling a dynamite hole - the vein of ore clearly visibleDrilling a dynamite hole - the vein of ore clearly visible
Drilling a dynamite hole - the vein of ore clearly visible
Vein of silver ore, Cerro Rico minesVein of silver ore, Cerro Rico mines
Vein of silver ore, Cerro Rico mines
Crawling out of the mine, 40-50kg of ore strapped to his backCrawling out of the mine, 40-50kg of ore strapped to his back
Crawling out of the mine, 40-50kg of ore strapped to his back
A morning's shoppingA morning's shopping
A morning's shopping
Dynamite, fuse and ammonium nitrate - for that extra bang
Miners' market, Cerro RicoMiners' market, Cerro Rico
Miners' market, Cerro Rico
Polluted, perhaps?Polluted, perhaps?
Polluted, perhaps?
Waste water at a processing plant, Potosí
Preparing the chemicals to refine the orePreparing the chemicals to refine the ore
Preparing the chemicals to refine the ore
Ore processing plant, PotosíOre processing plant, Potosí
Ore processing plant, Potosí
Crawling our way out to the surfaceCrawling our way out to the surface
Crawling our way out to the surface
Potosí's handsome architecturePotosí's handsome architecture
Potosí's handsome architecture
Potosí's handsome architecturePotosí's handsome architecture
Potosí's handsome architecture
PotosíPotosí
Potosí
Central Potosí, Cerro Rico looming over itCentral Potosí, Cerro Rico looming over it
Central Potosí, Cerro Rico looming over it



22nd September 2012

laetitiaaroundtheworld
Laetitia

Indeed, had never heard of Potosi before !
thanks for putting it on the map, quite an interesting mine visit you had :-) Safe travel, Laetitia
23rd September 2012

taracloud
Tara Cloud

Excellent account of hell!
Your writing really brings alive the hell endured by the miners and also the history of the city, putting it all in very good context. Bravo!

Travel Blog » South America » Bolivia » Potosí Department » Potosi » Blogs » "Two sticks of dynamite and a bag of amm
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