Potosi - The silver city !!!

"I am rich Potosi,
Treasure of the world.
The king of all mountains,
And the envy of all kings"

To be honest, I had never heard of the city of Potosi, until the moment that I decided to extend my trip and visit Bolivia. It was only then, that I started reading about this glorious altiplano city right in the heart of Bolivia, at 4.060m above sea lever, which makes it the highest city in the world. You will have to excuse me for the lengthy post, but I really feel that the story of this city is equally outstanding and dramatic, and possibly all of us owe something small or large to this place, even if we are unaware of it.

Cerro Rico: The rich mountain. It's peak is at 4.824m

In the pre-hispanic period, the area of Potosi was part of the Incas empire, who seemed to know of the silver hidden in the area, and had developed some primitive techniques of extracting the silver from the mines of Porco, a nearby mountain, but still Cerro Rico was mainly untouched. Even when the Spaniards colonized the area, after defeating the Incas, and Gonzalo Pizarro was assigned to become the first governor of the area, they did not immediately discover the well hidden secret of Cero Rico, despite their efforts in the mountain. 

The locals say: If you are a miner, you will either die at the mines or at the hospital 

It was only after 3 years or so, around 1544, that a local named Diego Huallpa accidentally discovered a vein of silver in the mountain. When the secret leaked to the Spaniards through a friend of Diego, a new era started for Potosi.
There was so much silver in Cerro Rico, that it funded the whole operations of the Spanish empire and consecutively a large part of Europe, for over 200 years. During the same period, Potosi became the worlds wealthiest city with a population exceeding 200.000 people. The silver just seemed to be endless.
Of course there is the other side of the story....

The old Mint (Casa de la Moneda) has been converted into a magnificent museum.
This was the room where the metal was melted and formed into bars to be transfered to Spain.

in order to extract and process the valuable metal, lots and lots of hands were needed, and the Spaniards would use every indigenous man available and then some. In the terrible conditions of the mines, life expectancy was extremely short and workers would die either because of the brutal working conditions or by poisoning of mercury and other chemicals and gases. In addition, slaves would be brought from Africa who they would usually work at the mint and replace the mules that couldn't survive the high altitude for more than a couple of months. Historians estimate that over 8 million people (indigenous Bolivians & Africans) died in pretty much slavery conditions from 1545 and for the next 300 years at the mines of Potosi.

More than 2.000 mules per year were brought from the regions of Cordoba & Salta to operate the huge machinery at the mint.
They wouldn't live for more than two months though at this altitude.

Today, Cerro Rico has been left pretty much dried up. There is just not enough silver for any company to invest in extracting the remaining metal. However, the mines are still active to a large extend. There are several co-operativas each one consisting of a small or large number of miners, who are still trying to extract the left overs. The conditions inside the mines have not improved from the old times, with the exception of some electric motors that are being used to carry the soil from one level to the next. The miners themselves are still exposed to the very same health hazards like 200 years ago.

There are many semi-modern processing plants around the mountain. The miners are selling by the tone the extract from the mountain. Lots of chemicals in there....

This is about 25-35% pure silver. According to the miners, Bolivia, for various reasons, does not have the technology to further process it, so they send it to Chile or Peru.

Inside the mines
In case someone wants to visit the mines, there are two ways. One is to visit a private mines museum, which although is an old mine, not in operation anymore, which has been converted into a museum, and the other is to visit a "live" mine, where miners are still working. The first option is nice and safe, the second one not so much, as I discovered. Below is a text copied from Lonely planet guide, referring to the visits at the mines:

"The cooperatives are not museums but working mines that are fairly nightmarish places. Anyone planning to take a tour needs to realize that there are risks involved.....While medical experts note that limited exposure is extremely unlikely to cause any lasting health impacts, if you have any concerns whatsoever about exposure to asbestos and silica dust, you should not enter the mines. Accidents can also happen -explosions, falling rocks, runaway trolleys, etc. For all these reasons, all tour companies make visitors sign a disclaimer absolving them completely from any responsibility for injury, illness or death...."

You know, when I first read this passage, I though: "Usual lonely planet bullshitting, to scare people off", and so, I signed the disclaimer.

Our clothes, including shoes, don't stand a chance in the mines. Hard plastic overcoats, helmets with lamps, boots and ready to go

The first part of the tour includes a visit to the miners market, to get some presents for the miners. They are not particularly annoyed by the tourists, but they are expecting something small in return from the outer world.

Dynamite!! is one of the presents they are particularly happy about. However there is an effort to stop the explosions at the mountain
so we did not buy any. Water, softdrinks, a few pairs of clothes and.....

......coca !!
The miners live with coca. They eat nothing all day. Instead, they chew coca all day.
Chewing coca apparently makes you not feeling hungry, and gives them all the energy they need

After a short drive with a small minivan, we reached the entrance. Up until that point, everything was happy and nice....i did not have the slightest idea of what was coming.....

At the entrance....this is the first level. We are just following the rails...

starts getting a bit cramped and the air thinner....breathing is getting harder
Kara, the American girl that we did the tour together is 1.70m and she hardly fits

we need to crawl to get down to level 2.....its getting harder and harder and the dust makes things much worse.
We removed the masks we had to be able to breath

the first miner we met....bare-handed, like most them; he was 20 years old and working for 4 years already.
a bag of coca leaves and some water made him extremely happy

wagons come and go all the time....timing can be life-saving here because they don't stop and the pull-out points are not that many

this is the entrance to go down to level 3. at this point i can hardly hold the camera to take pictures. we stop every 100m to take some breaths. at times, i thought i would faint from the lack of oxygen....and yes, some rocks were falling, not on our heads thankfully 

but people have to work down here....chewing coca !!!
This group was part of one of the largest cooperatives. They were extracting 40 tons per day.
On a monthly basis, this translates to 4.000 Bolivianos per month ($500), when the salary of an educated person is around 2.000 Bolivianos. Of course, small cooperatives make half of this.
I really feel bad taking pictures of them while they are working so hard, so i took only this one

We continued to the 3rd level through some tunnels that were so narrow that I could hardly fit...suddenly it started getting hot and moist, the air was even less and we were both really struggling to stand still....this place is really hell.
Didn't even think of taking pictures....i have never felt more uncomfortable in my life....and all the gases and the dust from the mine, made things unbearable. We really had to get back....i've had enough

At some point, on the way back, we were at level 2 i think, we suddenly heard out guide shouting from behind "RUN, trolley coming....!!!!".....there was no point to pull-off, so we starting running in the tunnel, which was no higher than 1.20m, to find a bit of space....it was a nightmare!!! At that point I realized how dangerous this place is, especially for visitors and also how moderate the lonely planet description was.

we glued ourselves of the rocks on the left, to let the trolley pass...

the cables that run across the tunnel are for compressed air. there is no electricity or additional air supply in the mines

Finally, we made it out safe and sound, but both shocked from what we saw and experienced during the last 2 hours in the mines. Maybe a little bit wiser too.....
The mountain has been so much excavated that there are fears that could anytime collapse. They all recognize that, but all miners live with the hope that they will discover a big vein of silver that will allow them to stop working in that hellish place.
Until then, they will continue to live a life that did not give them a lot of choices....

Hasta luego!

La Paz & the Death Road

La Paz is the largest city in Bolivia and administrative capital of the country, in contrast to Sucre which is the juridical capital. It's a strange distinction, but this way both cities get their share of governmental attention.
Didn't have too much time to spend in La Paz though. One day would go for the Death Road downhill mountain bike ride and another day to walk around the city and its famous markets.


The legendary Death Road
There are a lot of stories about accidents that have happened on this road that connects La Paz with Coroico and the surrounding area and most of them are true. For many years it was the only road connecting the two regions and the only way for the farmers to get their products to the markets of La Paz. If you search on YouTube you'll came across a very big number of videos on what is known as "The world's most dangerous road". With no doubt, one of the most entertaining ones is the one below from TopGear:

Gravity Bolivia is probably the oldest, for sure the most reputable and slightly more expensive of the agencies that organise those downhill trips at the very same route. 

I chose to go with them because they had the best bikes :))

The day started early with a good breakfast and after a short 1h ride with Gravity's bus, we reached the point where the descent would start....La Cumbre, at 4.700m !!!

First 12km or so was on paved road, so it was a good opportunity to get to know our bikes and enjoy the nice landscapes.

Off we go....!!!

After successfully crossing the security check-point for drugs trafficking, there was an uphill part for about 8km which due to the altitude and the the very plush suspension of the bikes, was sooo hard to get over with it....oxygen, oxygen please....my lungs are exploding!!!

After a short break for instructions we got to the off-road part...what we have all been expecting. 

what a breathtaking start :)

it might look scary in the pictures, but as long as you don't look down, you are fine

Starting at 4.700m and getting down to 1.200m

Officially, the traffic in this specific road, switches from the conventional right-hand side to what the British consider correct :) So everybody drives on the left; and the reason for this is that this way, the driver on the left, can look out of his window and see how much space the outer tire has (measured in centimeters) from the....drop!!

And this road is really narrow; just wide enough for one big car or truck. If you happen to meet another vehicle from the opposite direction, you have to reverse to the closest pull-out point. And during the rain season things get much more worse. Mountain biking was fairly easy without any dangerous points, but driving in that road is an altogether different story. Maybe a picture will help you get my point...

El camino de la muerte.
When it was in full traffic, more than 200 people were dying every year on accidents

After having a shower, lunch and some rest at Coroico, it was time to return to La Paz....yes, from the same road, but inside the bus this time...

.... I have to admit that I was feeling much much more comfortable on the bike going down, especially when started getting dark and foggy.....it wasn't the most relaxing part of the day.

Nuestra Senora de La Paz

After the mountain bike day, I stayed another two days in La Paz, during which I tried to discover as much of the city as possible. 

The Witches' Market: Those are llama fetuses that local Aymara people bury in the foundations of new buildings and houses, as an offering to Pachamama (mother earth). Also you'll find there several other nice things like frog parts, insects, etc :))

At the local market, a really nice sandwich and a large mug of coffee for 5 Bolivianos.
Divide that by 7 if you live in the U.S. and by 10 for Europe !!!

The Zebras of La Paz. An idea of the city council in order to bring a spell of humor to the not so good relationship between drivers and pedestrians. They have proven quite successful and they receive all the respect they deserve as crossings guards.

The climate is really dry. At nearly 4.000m and they rarely get any snow. 

Next ---> Potosi, the Silver city. I had to squeeze my schedule quite a bit to find a few days to visit this truly special place. More in the next post....to come soon

Hasta luego !

The way back to Bolivia

After having spent 5 really great days in Peru, it was time to make my way back to Bolivia and visit La Paz & Potosi that I had intentionaly bypassed during the first time.
I don't know why, but I had the "brilliant" idea to stop at Puno, a town by the lake Titicaca, offering some "really" nice boat excursions to a couple of islands at the lake. To be honest, the views were nice and also being in front of a lake, 165km long, at 3.809m altitude is a strange feeling altogether. It's like a sea in the mountains. Other than that, nada !! Uros & Taquile islands were such a disappointment, I don't even feel like writing about it. If you ever get there, do yourself a favor, save the day and head straight to the other side of the lake and Copacabana in Bolivia.

another night bus :) arrived at Puno at 5.00am

I spent no more than 1 night in Puno and the next morning I headed to the bus station to get on the first bus to La Paz...only that there was a not so pleasant surprise waiting for me and many other travelers.

There was a blockade on the road to Bolivia and there was absolutely no way of any bus or private car to get through. From what we learned later, the locals were protesting against the opening of a mine, close to the lake, that would potentially pollute the area and the waters of the lake specifically. Didn't learn more details, but sounds like a fair cause to me.
Well, that was kind of unexpected. The bus terminal was full of people trying to figure out alternatives to get to La Paz. Some would go to Lima and then fly, others would go down south to Chile and cross from San Pedro de Atacama...all kind of crazy, expensive and super lengthy plans. For one thing I was sure about...I wouldn't stay at Puno for another day :)
After talking with the bus company, they reckoned that the blockade might go on for weeks since the locals don't show any signs to negotiate with the government. After 1h or so, no realistic plan was presented from their side...so, I decided with 3 other Brazillians to get as far as we could...in any possible way. Besides, it would be better to be as close to our destination as possible :))
We jumped into a taxi, the 4 of us, and asked him to take us as close to the blockade as he could. We did quite ok and managed to get some 80km towards the border. And that's where he left us...just 40km from our destination.

...in the middle of nowhere

And so, we started walking with all our luggage, at 3.800m altitude and under a ruthless sun.

no problem to walk through, but no vehicle was allowed to pass :(

how to fit 7 people with their luggage in a car.....
a nice guy already having two persons in the car gave us a lift between two blockade points, 2-3km less walking

We found a tri-cycle and carried our luggage for another kilometer or so...

That's Alex's magic backpack....looks small, but weights over 30kg

time for a break

apparently, few others had the same idea like us, but they were not going to the border

for a small tip, some local boys gave us a ride for another 2-3km....that was scary though!!!

we reached the Police station at Juli and the officer gave us also a lift close to the next blockade point
we must have looked so desperate and exhausted :))

no vehicle gets through....they were friendly with us though

we are almost there....tough negotiations with the road devils for the last ride to the border :))

does this qualify as a self-portrait?? 

with Camila, Felipe & Felipe....after 11 insane hours, we made it to Bolivia.....ole!!!

Spent the night in Copacabana and next morning, to La Paz. I had planned to stay for a day in Copacabana and visit the Isla del Sol, but with all the delays, I have to move on....

Next, La Paz....this time for real :))

Peru - Cusco

After 5 relaxing days in Sucre, I needed some adventure. My initial thought was to go to a 3-day trip to the amazonian jungle, but I had not been vaccinated for the yellow fever, and that made it a prohibited area for me. You see, Bolivia was not initially in my plans, so there was no reason really to do it. On the other hand, it takes 10 days for the vaccination to become effective, and 10 days I couldn't really wait. So, I decided to go to Peru and Machu-Pichu. I would have to squeeze my schedule a little bit, but seemed visible.

Jumped into the first bus from Sucre to La Paz and from there straight to Cusco, the capital of the Incas empire, and today the starting point for anyone wanting to go to Machu-Picchu. The whole trip, including the border crossing took about 14h but it was during daytime and fairly enjoyable. Also, the road was really nice which made things much easier.

Sucre - Cusco : just 1.500km

at the border town of Desaguadero, at lake Titicaca. These tricycles are really dangerous :)
(no color version of this pic, I must have messed up with the settings of my camera)

Arrived at Cusco at around 11pm, having no accomodation booked as usual. Walking around loaded with all my stuff and I immediately realized the effect of altitude when walking uphill. At 3.600m your lungs are really struggling to find some oxygen.
First night I spent in a nicely looking hostel, which for some reason, the owner considered perfectly normal to have hot water available only for 3h per day. If you happen to miss the two 1.5h timeslots, he needed an hour's notice. And from my side, I considered perfectly normal to find another place the next morning :) So, I settled at Pirwa hostel, which was cheaper and better with a great colonial style.

One of the main plazas in Cusco. Very touristic but manages to hide it surprisingly well

The cathedral square. Very impressive !

some kind of roulette game. You drop a coin on the board and if it lands clear on a square without touching the sides, you win...easy!

Original indigenous Quechua performer in one of the viewpoints of the city. 

Outside the Larco museum. Outstanding private collections of pre-hispanic era. A must visit place in Cusco

Henri Matisse on primitive art:
"...at the time I used to walk quite often through Rue de Rennes where Pere Sauvage had his shop. He had some old statuettes in his window, which I found of a stunning beauty and purity of line. I bought one and showed it to Gertrude Stein, whom I was going to see that day. Pablo Picasso arrived during that visit and was immediately enthusiastic...after that everybody started looking for primitive art statuettes, which were then very easy to find."


Below some of the pieces of the Larco museum collection:

shining gold. from the jewelries section, one of the most impressive pieces

container from the Nazca region

Art goes to the battlefield. Actual war clubs used by the Incas

The main business in Cusco is hand-made Alpaca woolen stuff (really expensive even for European or North American standards) and tours to Machu-Picchu ranging from 2 to 9 days. I picked one that included Mountain Biking in the first day, some heavy trekking during the next two, and finally going up to Machu Pichu. At $200, I found it fairly reasonable, considering that included accomodation, food, rental of bikes and a guide for all 4 days.
Choosing a tour agency is a bit of a hit-and-miss story, because everything depends on the guide you have; and all agencies have good and not so good ones.
But will tell you more about this great experience in the next post :)

Suerte!