Arrival in Potosi

From unspoilt countryside, we reached the industrial outskirts of Potosi.  It was very dusty and unappealing. 

Potosi was once the wealthiest city in the world due to its prolific silver mines.  The conquistadors never found El Dorado, the legendary city of gold, but they did get their hands on Potosi and its Cerro Rico, a 'rich hill' full of silver. Indeed, the city was founded in 1545 as soon as the ore was discovered.  Very soon, the silver extracted here was bankrolling the Spanish colonial empire.  Once the silver dried up, though, the city went into decline, and its citizens slipped into poverty.  Tiny quantities of the ore, plus tin, lead, and other minerals, is still being extracted by miners in some of the most abysmal conditions imaginable.  It is possible to do a mine tour.  Some of the group are doing this tomorrow, but we have opted out.

We couldn't get near our hostel, so we parked in the bus station on the edge of the city.  We were transferred to our accommodation in a bus provided by the same company that is running tomorrow's tour.

Once we had checked into the hostel, nine of us went for lunch to El Fogon as recommended in the Lonely Planet guidebook.

Later, I tried to catch up with some posts - I am so far behind!Read more