After
breakfast we met up with the tour guide and dressed into mining gear before
taking a walk around the corner to the bus. Our first stop was a store where we
could buy some gifts for the minors. The guide told us a little about what they
used in the mine, why they eat so many coca leaves and also explained a little
about the alcohol they drink. They drink 98% alcohol (which they mix with some
juice) but we tried it and it sent fire down my throat. I decided to buy some
dynamite for the minors…it must be the only time I could by dynamite over the
counter.
Made
way to mine and stopped to overlook PotosĂ (at about 4200 with highest point
4800). We got to the mine when the miners were on a break so waited a while to
go in. It was cool walking through the tunnels with the miners light on and
having limited visibility.
The
minimum wage is 1400 Bob a month but the miners get about 800 Bob a week mining
zinc and silver. They all work for themselves and not for the government or a
company.
In
the mine we climbed down a slippery and steep shaft to get lower while keeping
a few coca leaves in my cheeks to help with the altitude (even if it is a
placebo). We spent about an hour in the mine shafts chatting to some miners and
giving them the gifts of alcohol, coca leaves, dynamite and a few other things
that we had purchased earlier.
After
the tour we headed back in to the hostel where we took off all the hot mining
gear and went to lunch. We had a menu del dia which was soup, milanese, jelly
and a drink for 15 Bob. After lunch took a walk around town to find some local
sweets before walking through a market and eventually back to the hostel. We sat
chatting for a while before going to the square to find a cab which all 5 of is
squeezed into, bags and all.
At
bus station we grabbed an ice cream while we waited. On the bus I changed seats
to sit next to the girls before falling asleep for the most of the trip. The
bits I did see were similar to what I saw yesterday with the mountains and
windy Road. I did manage to catch a bit of a sunset which was good.
It
was dark as we entered Sucre but we all very quickly said that we liked the
city. The bus stopped and we grabbed our bags and headed the park where we had
some street pizza and beer before heading to the hostel. Along the way we
dropped off Sandra at her hostel and Michelle and I continued to Kultur Berlin.
As
we entered the place it had an awesome vibe and after dropping my bags in my
room I went to the bar to have a few drinks with Cheryl and Rowan and a bunch
of people they had met along the way. After a few more drinks and some catching
up we called it a night (as well as closing the bar).