On top of the World

Potosi
25 - 28 February 2007

Potosi is the highest city of its size in the world and in the early 17th century was the largst city in the world. Now, however, it is a run down, has-been town where the only real attraction is the Casa de Moneda and an excursion to the mines.

Casa de Moneda is a colonial looking museum filled with the tools and machinery used to make coins in the mid 1500`s , initially for the Spanish, and then once Bolivia gained independence, for itself. The beams of the roof had an intricate arrangement holding then together instead of nails. The silver for the coins was flattened by an incredible wooden machine made of numerous enormous cogs which was operated by mules walking in a large circle on the floor below, these mules only lived 3 to 4 months due to the harsh working conditions.

After this intersting cultural experience we awakend our senses with a trip to the local markets where we were able to revise our anatomy knowledge as every organ and body part of cow, sheep, chicken and llama was on display. You merely had to point at an animal, have the swarms of flies flicked aside, have the meat hacked off by a large knife (which was washed by a wipe across the womans apron) and off you strutted with your lovely piece of meat! We had to stop oursleves from mock-charging on a few occassions!
We then walked around an "imported from China" market where Nicky took a photo of some traditional woman braa-ing/bbqing a llama and was unaffectionately braded a gringo by the disgruntled woman.

Our 2nd day invloved scrambling and crawling in low, narrow, dirty shafts; climbing rickety ladders and hearing dynamite implosions in the mines. Before entering the mines we bought gifts for the miners - coca leaves (which they eat to desensitive themselves to hunger, and keep their mouths moist), drinks, as well as dynamite and fuses (yes it is legal to just buy it from the corner shop!). After donning oursleves in bright yellow overalls, a hard hat and gumboots, we set off towards the mines, stopping on the way to light one of our dynamite sticks and watch it explode..
The miners work for themselves in medieval conditions with basic tools and carrying the gravel containing silver and other deposits in large bags weighing 60kgs, or wheelbarrows of 250kgs. Miners normally die within 10 years of entering the mines due to exposure to the noxious chemicals and poor ventilation.