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Published: August 9th 2007
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Potosi is memorable for a number of different things.
its the world´s highest city.
this means that the natural process of "breath" becomes something to be treasured and wandering around the city streets is something that takes a little more time than usual.
opening a bottle of anything fizzy is a timely and humorous process.
being the world´s highest city, Potosi also boasts things like, the world´s highest museum (the mint building) and the world´s coldest museum (the same building).
things can also be exaggerated for fun and soon one finds oneself at the world´s highest cafe, drinking the world´s highest coffee eating the world´s highest apple pie (pai de manzana) ...
this afternoon we visited the world´s highest hot springs (eye of the Inca) and were delightfully surprised by their cleanliness (places like Bali have done a terrific job of lowering expectations when it comes to hot springs) and the "tranquilo" atmosphere of having a 50 metre natural, circular pool all to ourselves.
the micro ride was all but "tranquilo" ... but then again, its always entertaining to try and understand exactly what "full capacity" means in different countries.
there were no chickens or living room furniture on this bus
ride, we did have a puppy and lots of kids. the back seat was for the grown ups all enjoying an afternoon nap as the bus tried its best (i think i can, i think i can ...) to chug up the hills to return to the "worlds highest city"
our journey in Potosi started a couple of days ago with a mine tour.
Potosi as the legend goes, was discovered when an Indian was taking comfort from the cold on a big hill and making a pot of tea heard a "potiche" type sound.
it was the sound of silver.
the Spaniards, when they got here, couldn´t pronounce the Indian name and therefore today we have a town called "Potosi".
the town has seen amazing times of riches, however today appears to be struggling to survive on the residue minerals of the grand hill that towers over the city below (cerro rico).
Canadian Jen was quite interested in a mine tour and to be honest ... Rene and I were sitting on the fence about it.
the tour is not recommended for those that don´t enjoy confined spaces or have breathing difficulties.
once we checked into our hostal
Street stall selling drinks, chocolate, and ehm, DIY dynamite !!
Yes, she was selling dynamite kits on the street, and was kind enough to demonstrate that the separate parts are harmless, by throwing them to the ground.... though and saw the mountain of greatness above us, we made the call to join in on the mine tour.
thankfully, even though we were a bit late for the tourist bus that runs from the city plaza, a nice english chap named lawrence was good enough to let us know that he had arranged a tour and we would be welcome to join.
so join in we did.
we joined in the fun of catching a local bus to the local tienda (shop) and were thrilled with what was available to purchase.
it is normal for visitors to the mines to purchase gifts for the hard working miners, so the lady attendant took great pride in showing us her wares.
it should be pointed out, for those of you that are not aware ... i don´t really like things that go "bang" so, it was with some amusement that we had the option of purchasing dynamite, detonators, fuses or better still ... the .... "here´s something i prepared earlier combo" comprising everything an aspiring pyromaniac could ever dream of.
with dynamite, detonators, coca leaves, alcohol at 96% and a few soft drinks and biscuits for good measure, we jumped
back on the local bus - direction "mine"
upon arrival we made a short and exhausting hike up to the entry point of one of the mines (exhaustion and a lot of other things can be blamed on the altitude at present!)
seeing the incredibly difficult conditions that the miners worked in and the simple methods with which they carried out their daily work, i started to become slightly more hesitant than i was at the lower altitude.
from what i could understand there are many different mines, many different miners (mostly the entire family except the women) and these mines are above, below and to either side of the mine to which we were about the enter.
dressed in clothes that would save us from the mud and clay, we harnessed up our head lights and walked blindly and faithfully behind our "guide".
we wandered along the tracks that provide the miners with some slightly easier method of removing their minerals.
after a good distance of observing the conditions in which the miners slave away at most days, we found the path narrowing, more water under foot, the roof closing in and the tremors of the detonating of dynamite
increasing.
or maybe that was just me.
the light of the entry was a distant memory, the air was getting thinner and we had taken paths diverting from the original path and everything became a little confusing.
or maybe that was just me.
no, i´m pretty sure everyone was confused with the location of the miners museum undergound.
strange replicas of the history of the mountain were showcased with the grand "tio" (uncle) or "diablo" (devil) saved for last.
the pictures will merely add to the confusion.
it was at this point that we all got to partake in the miners ritual.
we poured the alcohol (96%) in the devils eyes, on his shoulders, his legs, his rather exagerated personal part and then the ground to thank pacha mama (mother earth)
we then took shots of the awful liqour.
the only thing i can honestly say is that, momentarily things got a little better in the deep, dark, depths of the mine.
from here it was supposed to be a quick 100m walk back out to daylight.
uh huh.
this simple 100m walk involved random holes in the path varying in depth from 40m - 100m, a scale down a
wall into a hole to look at the silver viens and a climb up a ladder only to have to step across another very deep hole to find our way to daylight.
relieved and exhausted we made it out.
it was at this point that we realised that we had actually been walking up through the mine for most of the time and had to walk back down the moutain to our start point.
slightly concerned about the path we had taken, we quizzed our new mate Lawrence about the authenticity of the tour.
it was at this point that he informed us that he had only asked one question " can i let off dynamite" and simultaneously realised that he had not got to do this.
unfortunately the guide had to go back into the mine and retrieve the dynamite combo that had been left there and only the absence of matches saved us for the experience of a dynamite explosion.
all said and done on the tour and we were back on the local bus into town, hot showers and every piece of warm clothing adorned for a meal that was sure to include alcohol ... just
not of the percentage the miners consume.
aside from our experiences within the mine, the miners live and work these mines for very little reward every day. its is an incredibly humbling experience to partake for a few moments in what is their life.
the miners work in a co-operative which is supposed to be the fair way to allow mining on the hill, however the problem seems to be that very little riches remain in the mines and the conditions in which these brave men work are primative to say the least.
the average life expectancy of a miner is 10 years after he starts......
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Bradles el bandito
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Lovin the mine tour
Did your guide drop a stick of dynomite suddenly down a mine shaft, and then say - "Better block your ears..."? How dangerous was that!! You better be heading to Coroico next..hold on to your hats and enjoy the platanos. I think they have Sky channel in hotel Esmerelda and the view from the pool cannot be beat. Disfruta.