Once one of the richest cities in the world, thanks to its silver mine Potosi is now just the highest city in the world at 4100m. The main tourist attraction is to tour the mines, that still operate without modern machinery. Pedro my guide had started working in the mines at age ten, despite Bolivian law stating the minimum age is eighteen. By eighteen back issues caused him to take a vacation, he joined the army for a year and eventually became a tour guide.
After getting dressed up in gumboots, water proof clothing and hard hats, our first stop was the refinery. All the minerals extracted go through a simple refinery process before being exported, mostly to China.
In the mine the tunnels were narrow and sometimes very low, I was very thankful for my hard hat. Our first stop was a group of miners having a break. This involves chewing coca leaves and drinking alcohol, as they claim they can't eat food underground. We spent about two hours walking around the different tunnels and seeing different groups working.
Seeing them mine with pick axes and lugging thirty kilo bags out on their backs felt like we were stepping back in time. Though watching them set up explosives while drinking 96% proof alcohol was a little worrying! There is also lots of worshipping of Pachamama and underground devils and gods. Bolivian women only come underground on the day of Carnival, so they can gain an appreciation of the work of their husbands and fathers.
After getting dressed up in gumboots, water proof clothing and hard hats, our first stop was the refinery. All the minerals extracted go through a simple refinery process before being exported, mostly to China.
In the mine the tunnels were narrow and sometimes very low, I was very thankful for my hard hat. Our first stop was a group of miners having a break. This involves chewing coca leaves and drinking alcohol, as they claim they can't eat food underground. We spent about two hours walking around the different tunnels and seeing different groups working.
Seeing them mine with pick axes and lugging thirty kilo bags out on their backs felt like we were stepping back in time. Though watching them set up explosives while drinking 96% proof alcohol was a little worrying! There is also lots of worshipping of Pachamama and underground devils and gods. Bolivian women only come underground on the day of Carnival, so they can gain an appreciation of the work of their husbands and fathers.
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