Valery Hotel Potosi

... South American bus jouneys through narrow, winding mountain roads with only a few cm between the bus tyres and a huge drop. For example we passed a truck whose real axle had snapped in half in the middle of a 180 degree bend. Somehow our driver managed to pass it without falling down the cliff, but it looked mighty close.<br><br>After just over 6 hours of this (which was much more uncomfortable than 40+ hours on a cama bus) we arrived in Potosi. Driving up to it, it looks a ...

... an der ganzen Sache war, dass es in diesen drei Tagen keine Touren in die Mienen (od Minen??) gab. Also blieb uns eigentlich nichts anderes uebrig als mitzufeiern, was eh kein grossen Problem war ;) es war ausserdem interessant den Morales zu sehen zu koennen. Die Paraden an dem Tag wo er gekommen ist, also gestern, waren extreeem viele und lange Paraden. Das Militaer, die Minenarbeiter, Schulklassen und viele mehr sind den ganzen Tag die Strassen auf und ab gegangen. Wir ...

... narrow spaces I repeatedly tore the bandanna off my face to try to get a fresh breath and eleviate the suffocating sensation. Immediately my lungs and throat would burn from the carcinogenic dust clouding the air and I would replace the bandanna and repeat continue to pant thru it. When we got to the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel I felt like I was being released from prison!<br>I spent less than two hours in the ...

... at least i hope it does. <br><br> Potosi was once the richest city in the world and this is reflected some of the buildings and churches which are stunning - its wealth came from mining but i will tell you more about that when we get back to Potosi as again this is an overnight stop as we set off for Uyuni early tomorrow and guess what the road is supposed to get worse (bliss).......<br>

... part of mass at Iglesia de San Benito and later read it was one of the top churches in Potosi - DUH. The other famous church is San Lorenzo. Because of the silver, the Spanish were here as early as 1550! <br><br>Saw an observation tower so I strolled over there. Not sure if it was even open, but figured the view from the hill had to be pretty good. As luck would have it, there was a restraunt at the top (Pari Orcko - no idea what ...

... br><br>The mine tour was fascinating but also depressing seeing how people live and work there. Children as young as 12 can work in the mine and usually do so with their fathers, or in place of their fathers who usually die young. Women aren´t allowed to work in the mines so those who have lost their husbands eke out an existence getting the scrap metals brought out by the miners. We met one lady in who 80s ...

... locals worked in or around the huge mine located just outside the town.<br><br>The next day we took the chance to visit the mine and see the conditions the miners work in deep inside the mountain. After being supplied with a very flattering outfit, including a helmet and torch, we were shown inside the mine. The mine shafts were very narrow and low in places and we were told on many occasions to watch out for the big hole on the left or right. We saw miners using tools to dig ...

... ribs<br>and somehow his right leg a bit. Ness was OK but blacked out briefly and<br>was shaking a bit, legs were like jelly when trying to stand up. We got a bus to stop and they helped get the bike<br>upright - cracked mirror, bent indicator, left pannier had been ripped<br>off and is really bent (need to find someone with a hammer to sort<br>it!). Otherwise the bike runs fine. Strapped the pannier to the frame<br>OK and then had to face the ...

... was the perfect time and place for them... <br><br> <br><br>Just as we finished packing up lunch, an adventure motorbiker pulled in and parked in front of our bikes. His name is Erik and he is an Australian, with roots in Chile. He had been riding up from Chile, to Peru and was on his way back to Santiago. We decided to ride with him and we all rode together into Potosi. <br><br>We were lucky to run into ...

... used to be the largest city in the Americas. Nowadays, it has a rather a touch of a ghost town where mining continues, mainly of tin, zinc, lead, antimony and wolfram, and mine tours offered to attract tourists. <br><br>We were two of the tourists who joined a 4,5-hour tour to the mines which involved meeting the miners and seeing them at work in medieval ...