Mines are a big 'un
Trip Start
Jul 24, 2007
1
10
50
Trip End
Ongoing
Potosi,
Bolivia
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
When we got here the hostal we had earmarked was full, so we had to run round like headless chickens until we could find somewhere to stay. The place we ended up in had no heating and it was BALTIC. It was only compensated by the amount of blankets we had, think Princess and the Pea and you would be close!!!!
It is famous for it's silver and mineral mines which once made it the richest place in the world. Rich that is for the Spanish colonialists, not the locals. They reckon around 8 MILLION people have died working the mines, locals and imported African slaves.
The town itself shows no signs of the extreme wealth that has passed through it, most streets are run down and the few remaining colonial churches are in a bad state of repair.
I went for a trip down into the mines, extremely tough is an understatement. It was physically exhausting and the stories told by the miners would bring a tear to a glass eye. The mines are still operational, mostly co-operatives, although these boys don't get much of a "divvi"
Next stop: Uyuni
