catch your breath, Potosi

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took the noon bus from uyuni to Potosi, didn´t have any problems or roadblocks. During this time period there were major protests and ´rioting´in Bolivia, mostly in La Paz (Pa means peace in Spanish). Arrived short of breath, the city is at over 4000 meters, i think it is over 13,000 feet. i need to chew coca leaves and drink coca tea. funny, the US government wants to eradicate coca here and here is a gringo depending on the medicinal values of Coca. the Bolivian culture is steeped in coca, GWB, you need to travel a bit outside of Texas before you start to tell other countries what they should and shouldn't´t do. Enough of that. Took a tour of one of the silver mines in Potosi. At one time, Potosi was one of the richest cities in the world. those days are gone and so are the over 8,000,000 miners who lost their lives in the mines (in colonial times). The miners life is to say the very least a Very Hard One. The miners don´t live long in the conditions they work in. there are toxic fumes, asbestos, back breaking work .... just to name a few. The guy that we had was 15 years old. he had been working in the mine since he was 8, luckily for him, he fell down a 60 foot shaft a few years ago. I say lucky because now he just takes tourists into the mines, he doesn't have to do the backbreaking work. there are minimal if any safety standards. the miners dont wear masks, hearing protection ... they haul the ore out on their backs or they push it out in ore cars.

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Photos

buying the miners gifts
before going tot he mines you need to buy them some gifts: drinks, including 98 proof stuff, dynamite, coca leaves, water .... oh ya, fuses for the dynamite

the ride begins
careful josh, the air is hin up there

i told you not to but the TNT in your mouth
our guide, "don´t worry i am a pro", said the 15 year old

Blood on the walls
not tourist, but llama

uh, it´s lit
not tourist, but llama

Comments

[alan booth]

cruisin easy
looks like kyou're really seeing some stuff this trip dave. stick to Park City for your work location though i think.