And then we got high!
We thought it would be a good idea to get a bit more altitude in before we brave the Inca trail in a couple of weeks. Potosi is around 4 hours by bus from Sucre or 2.5 – 3 hours by expresso cab, all in all 100 miles. Being the flash-packers that we are, we chose the latter and a mere two hours later, our F1 driver deposited us outside the Hotel Colonial in Potosi (he`d also stopped for fuel, tolls, and slowed down to eye up some totty on the way).
The journey over, despite being speedy, was very impressive. It`s amazing to see people living so high up in the mountains in the middle of nowhere. Our F1 driver also had a cracking 1980`s tape which allowed us to play “guess the title and artist” in a Richard and Susie style. Rich – you`ll be pleased to know that I remembered Falco and “Rock me Amadeus” – however, I`d forgotten how crap it was too!
So here we were in the highest city in the world – Eug will drop in the facts of altitude. Potosi survives in the shadow of its making – the mountain that holds the still active but almost empty silver mines that brought wealth, fame and fortune to the city centuries ago – and also wealth to the conquering Spanish. The sad part is the millions of people who have died in the mines – most of which were conscripted to work there. The mines are still worked today by co-operatives but their daily wage is poor and their working conditions still buried in the past.
We dumped our bag in the basic but adequate Hotel Colonial and went out for an explore. Again, life is centered around the main square – again with the shoe shine boys and beggars. The pollution from the constant traffic was choking and we certainly noticed the thinner air. Only a few steps and it felt as though we were halfway up Snowdon!
After a quick lunch in an Argentinian cafe (we will find a Bolivian establishment eventually!) we headed for the main cathedral on the square. It was full of gold and silver inside. Two solid tabernacles, six side alters of the Virgin and various saints. Stunning paintings everywhere. The old confessional “cupboards” were interesting – very small and cramped for the priest, let alone the individuals getting their sins off their chests.
Then we climbed up to the top of the bell tower – that was hard work. The views from the top were across the whole of Potosi – which has something like 29 churches in total – there had once been around 36! On the way back down we stopped to admire the Church organ which ran off steam. It wasn`t working now – after the Argentinian organ expert visited last year and ended up completely breaking it – not a popular guy! We were told to go and find some other beautiful churches a few blocks away so we thanked our guide and headed off.
It was hot, it was busy and the pollution was deadly. Once we got into our stride, the altitude wasn`t so much of a problem but the buses and cars churning out black smoke certainly made our life difficult. We seemed to walk for ages – but could we find the churches???!!! The carbon monoxide was getting just a bit too much so we headed back to the main square for a seat in the shade.
We made a couple of friends in the square – two cheeky shoe-shiners, Mario and Diego. We admired their dominoes. We had a laugh at “guess the age” – they were 13 and Mario laughed when I said I was 39. Laughed in disbelief I hasten to add. I knew I should have spent more time listening to the “Breakthrough Spanish” CD rather than taking the mick out of the narrator.
We felt quite at home in the square, and everyone else was entertained with our conversations with the boys. Then an old guy came and sat next to Eugene. He was proud to be 87 and still be driving his own car and he`d worked hard down the mines. We didn`t feel out of place at all. It was a privelege to be sat with these people in their square as the sun set alongside the mountain of fortune and death.
Tags: Bolivia at last!
mihai