Dim. 04.08   Mines In Potosi, Far West in Tupiza

Hello Every Body,

It would have been a great Day in Potosi if we  have not got so much troubles at the bus station when leaving to Tupiza...

If someone do not understand my English , please let me know.

Well, to start with the beginning, We left Sucre on Wednesday morning (3H30 of bus) to Potosi. This town (altitude 4000meters above the sea level) has been settled during the colonial period because of its moutains behind containing lots of metals, (before gold and above all silver, now, tin, Zinc and still few silver). In the  hostal of the money, we could learn a lot on the money history . Do you know that until 1825, about 90-95% of the silver was exported to spain (without retribution) and now, since 1953, Bolivia inportes his money (notes and coins) from Spain,  of course with payment...

On Thursday, We visited the collectivos  Mines, chat with some miners (sewing coca leaves) , visit of galleries, dynamite explosion... This day was moreover a special day for miners. They are used to sacrify a Lama (spreading its blood in the mine and taking out its heart, still beating..). We could assist to this ceremony at the end...how spectacular was this!!

During the mines, we could met a couple of English (Hello to Dave and Lauren), From London.

Well, we decided to leave Potosi to Tupiza. Buses leave only in end of afternoon for the night.  

In the bus station, a guy invited us nicely to wait for the bus, here. We were 45 minutes in advance. We though he was from the compagny. In fact, He was not. We've been told to go to the office to get numbers for our bags (to put them in the bus), The guy proposes his help , we did not so agree and without being able to do anything , he began to carry Lise' bag, not the heaviest, of course  (to run faster), and hopefully!!. I followed him wih my bag to the office, and someone in the stairs going to the offices (and the way out) asked me something I could not understand (as usual in Spanish), And when I raised up my eyes again to look at our so helpful guy, I could not see him again, He was not in the office also...

We met our England friends, after just 10 minutes. they were robbed as well. Well, we estimate to have been lucky for this. Lise bag never weights a lot. After taking out our two sleeping bags ( less than 3Kgs both, We always take them for the night bus, It is so cold during the night), There were only our medices, two walking sticks, and my old jacket for skying where the white had became grey from a long time (about 10 years), All costing less than 100Euros, maybe less than 3% of our holidays budget). English couple were a little bit more unlucky as there was their two cameras in their bag stolen.

Lots of holes in the night road to go to Tupiza as usual. We arrived at about 4am, Just a quick search for an hotel. and go to bed. Unfortunatly Lise got ill... 

Tupiza is warmer than Potosi (2950m intead of 4000m), Its surrouding are amazing, looking like far West decors in America. With Red rocks, eroded colomn of rocks...I followed the two Englishs for a one day trip in horses in the south of Tupiza while Lise had a rest in the hotel, sleeping, watching television, and going often to the toilets...

This saturday and Sunday was not so quiet for Lise and me... Lise was better saturday morning and we booked for a two day trip by horses also but in the north...Lots of pain in our legs and our back... but what a pleasure! mounting a horse, making it running, galloping in theses beautiful landscapes, crossing rivers, as cowboys in Western pictures like John Wayne did ...

Difficult to control the horse, but After three all days (for me, 2 days for Lise), we began to let the horse know what we want!!

We should stay on more day in Tupiza, as we do not fed up of  its surroundings, And then, This will the time to go on the way back... Tupiza in the southest place of our trip (about two hours in bus of Argentina borders)  and we have to reach Lima (the norhtest place of our trip) in less than one week and half only...

L ess than one week and half...

Cheers