Blogs from Potosi, Potosí Department, Bolivia, South America - page 3

OK, so why are we in Potosi I hear you ask? Well we were to have two days in Tupiza, but we got there mid afternoon even after our three hour challenge getting out of Argentina and into Bolivia. The Bolivian Aduana, asks for our moto insurance...as we can only het it for Argentina and Chile, he said we cannot enter Bolivia!!..haven't I heard this before? Like when we enter Peru!!! So after much negotiating, and flashing of a US$50 note, he would consider making and 'exception' this time ( like every other time) so here we are in Potosi. Getting back to the last day in Argentina, as they have paved all the road to the border, we had made good time, so decided to take an alternative route on a Ripio road a lake ... read more

Gerai išsimiegoję keiaujam į autobusų stotį, autobusas pagal Bolivijos standartus visai neblogas. 5 valandų kelionė neprailgs, nes kaip visada už lango gražūs vaizdai. Atvažiavę į Potosi keliaujam iki hostelio. Hostelyje yra viskas ko reikia: virtuvė, internetas, karštas dušas. Čia sutinkas ir kelis draugus su kuriais gyvenom Orure, tik jie jau šiandien išvažiuoja, tad ilgai kartu nepabūnam. Pasidedam daigtus ir einam pasivaikščioti po miestą. Hostelis pačiame miesto centre tad toli eiti nereikia. Susirandam ryt dienai ekskursiją į šachtas. Eidami atgal į hostelį užsukam į turgų, nusiperkam produktų vakarienei. Pasigaminam vakarienę ir likusią dienos dalį praleidžiu prie kompiuterio. Beveik savaitę laiko nerašiau dienoraščio, tiesiog nebuvo kada. Hostelyje į kainą (maždaug 20 Lt. parai) įskaičiuoti pusryčiai. Tad pavalgę visai neblogus pusryčius išsiruošiam į ekskursiją po šachtas.... read more

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 it was Potosí which, in large part, kept the Spanish empire going for nearly three centuries. Modern Spanish still has an expression - "valer un Potosí", to be worth a Potosí - used to describe something of great value. Potosí was once one the most important cities in South America - and perhaps beyond. What changed? The answer is clearly visible from the bus ... read more

...nachdem ich mich im Hostel KOALA DEN in Potosi gegen 9 Uhr abends eingecheckt habe, begutachtete ich den 12-Personen- Dormroom. Zu meiner Entspannheit teilte ich nmir den Schlafsaal mit nur 2 Personen, darunter der kommunikationsfreudige Franzose Luca. Waehrend die beiden bereits in ihren Betten lagen streifte ich in dunkler Nacht durch die engen charmanten Gassen der Altstadt von Potosi um etwas essbares zu finden. Was hier sehr typisch ist, ist eine Semmel mit "Milanesa" (Schnitzel ohne Parnier), Zwiebel, Tomaten, Sauce und Pommes (in der Semmel). Sozusagen eine Art bolivianischer Kebap. Der Aufstieg auf 4000m Seehoehe machte sich energetisch bemerkbar. Die Bewegungen sind langsamer, der Atem kuerzer und gemuetliche Gedankengaenge aufgrund des permanenten Sauerstoffmangels. Dennoch hatte ich keine Anzeichen der "Hoehenkrankheit". Die veraenderten Druckbedingungen auf dieser Hoehe... read more

Hola! Our hostel owner was sooooo nice, she made my bed so nicely and kept asking us how we were, haha when she forgot some of our bedding she shouted crap, which was weird to hear from a bolivian! We had a nice sleep then went for a wonder around sucre. Its a very nice town with loads of people, and me and george shared a pique a macho which was chicken, beef, chips in a beer sauce and hidden jalapenos that slayed me! We hadnt been on the internet for 4 whole days so had an hour internet sesh, read a lot of bbc sport articles. We then ate a meal that took 40 minutes to come and it was shizer.... i ordered salted chicken and lemon, and it literally was justy a bit of ... read more