Bolivia---part 2.

After an overnight bus trip, and stops in little towns along the way (where this lady was selling her flourescent-coloured douhgnutty things!!!)---our next stop in Bolivia was a town called Tupiza---a cute little town set in an amazing landscape of coloured rocks, cactus, hills, mountains and canyons. It was like being in the Wild West, but without the cowboys!!! Actually, speaking of cowboys---near the Tupiza is where Butch cassidy and the Sundance Kid met their "last stand" fate, after their last payroll robbery---an apt setting!!!

This area was great for hiking (and biking and horse-riding if you like)---but we played "tour guide" for ourselves---exploring the surrounding gorges and canyons on foot. The canyon walls were rocks of incredible colours---reds, yellow, white---with cactus forests and incredible rock formations. Close up the mountains looked like red clay, with stones set in it---almost like a man-made mixture.




























Our first hike took us following the canyon photographed above. Beautiful views and rock formations, lots of cactus and cute little goats wandering around. The local "campesinos" (farmers) herding their animals--goats, and even llamas--yep, more photos!!!

The cactus has a beautiful wood, which the locals use to make furniture, lamps and all sorts of things. One day we went looking for a place where they were making things---we ended up at this workshop, which was actually a detention centre. We were let in the closed gate to where the men were making things to sell---each one trying to convince us to buy something!!

Our second day´s hike took us down another canyon---on a slightly more adventurous route!!! We never seen to follow the " normal" path---this one took us clambering up and over the rocks, dodging cactus bushes and prickly trees!!! We had to be careful not to get pricked by the cactus, or step on the thorny branches all over the ground. But---by taking the more extreme adventurous path you get to see more amazing things!!! The different rock formations, views over the canyon---

and the beautiful cacti and desert flowers.

Apart from enjoying the surrounding countryside, beautiful views and sunsets from lookouts---there was not much else to do in Tupiza. Except enjoy the best coffee so far over here (hard to find!!!) in a cafe run by friendly but eccentric man and his cute cat called Phantasmo---who became our best friend!!!

After Tupiza, a bit further south to a town called Tarija---and what a welcome we received here!!! We were feeling happy to arrive here after yet another night in bus, and found our way to the main plaza---as we always do to orientate ourselves and find a hostel. We sat there enjoying the plaza, the pretty gardens and most of all, the morning sun warming us up. At 8.00, a small police band plyed the National Anthem and flags were raised on surrounding buildings. We noticed that poeple in and around the plaza stood for the anthem---but we also did notice others seated---so we remained seated where we were and "peacefully" watched the morning ceremony.

When the ceremony ended, a man and a woman approached us. The man asked Jesus "Where are you from", and they both began to tell him/us off for being disrespectful and not standing for the anthem---more so to Jesus as a "fellow Latin American". He continued to pick on Jesus---told him off for not taking off his hat---as we arrived in the chilly morning, Jesus had on a woollen beanie. Basically---anything he could critisize!!!

We apologised, that it was not our intention to be disrespectful---but they both went on and on and on. In the end I said to them "Ok---that´s enough. We apologise. We came here to visit your city as tourists and had no intention of being disrespectful. Plus, why don´t you speak to your fellow countrymen who were also seated in the park"!!!

The man then flashed us some ID, but not long enough to see anything, told us he was from the Police---and asked to see Jesus´documents. I told Jesus to show him nothing. One rule of travellers is to never show your passport/documents to just anyone on the street---as even some "police" can be fake police wanting to rob you. (Yep---welcome to latin America!!!). With which the man asked us to accompany him to "an office". Again we refused for the same reason---where did he want to take us!!! I actually said---"Thanks for the great welcome to your city. If you want us to leave we will happily go!!!"

Anyway---he told us that if we didn´t accompany him---he would call the Interpol Police---which he did!!! They approached us, formally introduced themselves and asked us to accompany them for "a routine document check". I actually asked them who the other man was---"He is from the Intelligence Police". I was so annoyed by this stage, that I replied "Well---he is not very intelligent, as he has picked on us for no reason"!!! Oooops---couldn´t help myself!!!

In thier office they actually had a poster on their wall warning about "fake police"!!! I explained that the other guy showed us no ID---and pointed out their poster. They actually agreed with us, took our document details and that was it.
As we left the office i said to Jesus, so that the men could hear us, that this was plain discrimination. As, also at border crossings the immigration police discriminate against Jesus and give him a harder time and interogate him more---because he is Indigenous-looking, is travelling with a "gringa", has long hair and a bit of a "hippy" look about him.

But---after that "welcome"---we actually stayed in Tarija for a week!!! Enjoying our cute little hostel, with TV and the best, hottest shower ever!!!---hard to come by over here!!! Plus, after freezing in La Paz and the altiplano, enjoying the warmer weather.

Tarija was a nice, Colonial style town---but what we did notice was that the town centre was full of "white, wealthy Bolivians". Not the begging you see on the streets in other cities--all the people well dressed, and the young kids parading around in the latest fashion and driving around in new cars. Plus---lots of police everywhere. In actual fact, the "mercado central" (central market) was a 20 minute walk from the town centre. This is the typical market, normally found in the town centre, and where all the Indigenous people were. A real separation of the Indigenous and non-indigenous culture.

Kind of explains the mentality of the Tarijans---and why the police picked on Jesus---racism, for want of a better word!!!

We enjoyed expoloring the surrounding towns and countryside---and even visited a winery!! As the climate is warmer here, the region is becoming "known" for its wine producing. Bolivian wine---hmmm---let´s say we have better wine in Australia!!! But---it was a fun and interesting experience. We arrived and entered the "tasting room". With which the young guy handed us a glass and filled it with wine. Not your usual explanation and "small" tastings---just a full glass---the another in the other hand filled with a different wine!!! Plus---he just kept filling the glass. In th end we had to go in to the restuarant to eat somethingbefore he just kept giving us more wine!!! It was very funny. Wine tasting Bolivian-style---not the best wine---but if they get you tipsy---you buy some bottles!!!

Plus we did a bit of hiking and searching for the "hidden" waterfalls---paths not very well marked!!! But---we found them---and a nice refreshing bath as reward!!!

Our next stop was Potossi---a town famous for its silver mines. The town is set at the foot of the "Cerro Rico"---or "Rich Mountain---obviously named as it is full of silver, and provides the Potossians with their income!!!

Potossi was actually a pleasant surprise. From reading our "travel bible" I had imagined a really poor and run-down city---but it was actually really cute, and had a nice feel about it. Old, but Colonial in style, with some gorgeous old buildings.

On our first morning, our "search for coffee" took us inside one of these buildings, and up a narrow, winding staircase to a cafe literally on the roof-top. With beautiful views over Potossi---the buildings, the cute tiled roof-tops, the bell towers of the church next door and the Cerro Rico in the background. You could even walk along the roof-top and around the narrow edge of the dome at one end---something that would be highly illegal in other countries, as if you slipped and fell---it was a long way down---and obviously there was no protective fencing or barrier to stop you falling. Yep---welcome to Latin America!!!

But, it was a beautiful and tranquil place to enjoy our coffee and the best humitas ever. Humitas are these yummy things ; made with ground corn and other things added, wrapped up in the corn leaves and steamed. These ones in Potossi were the best---one was sweet, with raisins, the other with chees and spicy---YUM!!!

and--even a special message written for Jesus!!! Translated---"Jesus is the love of Potossi". hee hee hee!!!

The next day we did a mine tour---where you get to see the pretty basic and primitive conditions in which the miners here work. In the past the "workers" used in these mines were African slaves--if the conditions are bad now, you can just imagine how they would have been in those times!! The mines were closed down so as people could not be abused in this manner. They are now independently run by co-operatives---the people pretty much work for themselves and have their own area to mine, and earn from what they take out. The mines go up to 7km in to the mountain and the temperature can vary from below freezing to 45 degrees, depending on where in the mountain they are located.

As these are real working mines, and not museums, you get to see how the life of a miner really is. Our guide was an ex-miner, so he knew what to show us and we got to meet and speak with the men working.

Our first port of call was the tour office, where we drank a cup of coca-tea before getting "dressed" and ready in our miners clothes---pants, a jacket, gumboots and a helmet with light. Next stop, the miners market---an area where the miners go to buy all their mining needs!!! We went there to buy gifts for the miners; cola, coca leaves, cigarettes or puro ( a cheap alcohol they drink to "relax" after work!!!). Their favourite present---the coca leaves!!! they basically chew coca leaves all day---as it represses hunger and tiredness. The "typical" miners face is with a "lump" in their cheek---as they chew the coca leaves and make a "ball" which they leave inside their cheek.

Then---it was off to the mine. We got to enter several parts and levels of the mine; saw the miners manually drilling, felt the hot and musty and dusty conditions in which they work, and how they manually haul the rubble out with buckets. Jesus even had a go turning the handle with another worker to haul out a bucket---he was tired after one go---so imagine doing this all day!!!

We went down tunnels and holes and ladders to different--literally narrow tunnels built straight down, with a wooden step ladder down to the next level---we went down to about 30m. Here we stopped and chatted with the miners, and shared coca leaves!!!

Walking through the narrow tunnels, we occasionally had to move quickly out of the way as the men came manually pushing trollies full of the mined rubble!!!

Most of the work is done manually and obviously the conditions in which the men work are pretty dangerous---plus they are exposed to a lot of dust and noxious chemicals from the explosives they use, as they even put cyanide in the explosives to make the explosion bigger!!! Many miners die at a young age from silicosis pneumonia.

Each of the mines has a statue called "El Tio" that they worship. El Tio is a statue of a devil that is "decorated" with offerings of coca leaves, cigarettes amd alcohol---El Tio protects the miners. The miners also give offerings and ask for luck in their finds---if they are not having much luck in finding good "bands" of material, they will go to Tio with offerings to ask for help.

Traditionally women were not allowed to enter the mine, as it was believed that El Tio and Pacha Mama (Mother Earth) were lovers, and that El Tio would get jealous if other women entered the mine, and bring bad luck to the miners!!!

So---we got to visit El Tio in our mine, and gave him offerings of coca leaves and a cigarette to smoke!!!

Our last port of call was to where some men were working with explosives. They drilled holes in the wall and placed in the dynamite sticks, ready to ignite. We moved far away when they were ready---and then BOOM!!!---the whole area shook, the noise was deafening and the smell of the explosives was intoxicating. "Let´s go"---said our guide---time to get out!!!

But, all in all, it was an eye-opening experience!!!

Apart from that---we visited the old money-mint (where it is also said that African slaves were used and over-worked, and basically died in the conditions that they were kept), enjoyed the local culture, sunset over the town from the look-out tower and bought Jesus a hand-woven poncho and a couple of "mantels". Mantels are colourful squares of fabric, hand woven and made using sheep, llama or Alpaca wool. The women wear these wrapped around them like shawls, as protection from the cold. But--they are beautful, and the colour/design unique to the region from which they come. They will make colourful table cloths at home!!! I could have bought the whole store---but a bit hard to carry in the back-pack!!!

We could have spent more time in Potossi---but our special friend Linda (who most of you know!!!) was on her way Bolivia bound, and we were soon to meet up---very exciting!!!

But---not before we got to enjoy a sunset view over Potossi from the look-out tower, and Jesus got to drink his "Potossian" beer. He is collecting labels from the different Sth American beer bottles---and in Bolivia, each town seems to have its own beer---so he "has to" drink at least one---to collect the label of course!!

So---that was the interesting town of Potossi---but time to move on. Before I sign off, i will share this photo with you. This old lady was begging/selling her woven or knitted goods next to where we bought our yummy humitas. We felt sorry for her, so had to buy something!!! She was so happy. The girl selling the humitas had to ask her if i could take her photos---as she only spoke Quechua--but she didn´t seem to mind. She was just happy and grateful that we had "helped" her by buying something. How sweet!!!

So---until the next travel tale

Lots of love

Llamas Bailando xxoo