Potosi
We are in this colonial town which is known for its rich mines. We visited a working mine and brought presents for the miners. Apparently, they appreciate water, coca leaves, and, uh, sticks of dynamite.
Dan is holding dynamite in this photo.
The conditions in the mine are appalling. The miners don’t wear masks and usually only last about 10 years before getting sick. There are frequent accidents, injuries and deaths. Fortunately there weren’t any while we scrambled through the mine.
This miner is 12 years old. No kidding. He wasn’t the only kid his age working there, either.
We went on the mine tour with Mike. Mike’s a retired firefighter from Missouri. He’s riding his motorcycle the length of South America. And you thought we were crazy!
Tags: Travel
September 1st, 2007 at 8:08 am
[…] We visited a gold mine in Ghana. Ha, ha, no, we didn’t get free samples. However, the place was impressively modern and full of fancy equipment, at least compared to the mine we visited in Bolivia. […]
May 11th, 2011 at 5:08 am
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