Drago D17+18 Potosi and parades

After a lesiurely start we all bundled into Mamasita for a 5 hour journey up to Potosi, one of the highest towns in the world. The road passed through hills, sandunes, riverbeds and hundreds of llamas. In one photo stop the llamas came down from the hills to curiously survey us. Finding that we didn't have food they continued on, passing only meters away. Stopping for lunch we baked in the sun by mamasita. It was so quiet, not a peep. That soon changed as we got into Potosi.

A large town it clings to the sides of a mountain in a polluted fog. Famous for its dangerous silver mining it is also a Unesco heritage site. David wove Mamasita through the chaotic traffic and steep streets lined with market stalls. Dumping our stuff in the hotel we ventured towards the old town. Here the streets are full of pretty colourful old buildings, with galleys hanging over the streets. We passed the Bolivian mint and some pretty churches before stopping for some good coffee in the square.

Returning through the indoor markets we passed a row of women in a stupor selling coca leaves from massive white bags. Passing the heaped fruit and veg isles into the meat section where a butcher was chopping up a carcas on the floor with dog fighting over the scraps. Outside in a square they were selling llama heart with potaoes as a snack.

As night fell the old buildings were lit up and in the central square teenagers were practising their breakdancing moves. We had supper in El Tenedor a lovely restaraunt where Lou, Sheila and John joined the usuall 4 of us for some traditional Bolivian food. I had a dish with fried potatoes, chorizo, meat with chili coveres in a spicy sauce. Delicious, especially with reserva wine!

Next day was a long drive with a quick panicked pit stop for lunch. Arriving into La Paz though was an amazing experience. As we came to an edge of a valley below La Paz sits in a bowl with redbrick buildings reaching high in every direction. In the background lay massive snowy peaks towering over the landscape. We wove down into the valley down busy steep streets.

As we took a corner we could see a procession had taken over the street below us. As the smaller cars ahead reversed, due to Mamasita's size we had no choice but to continue on and become part of the parade! In front of us was a marching band and to thensides locals laughed and welcomed us to Bolivia and la Paz. They handed beer up to the truck and we enjoyed a good few minutes partying down the road.

On a high after getting to the hotel we went out for mexican food but couldn't find any lively venues on a Sunday so reluctantly headed for bed.Читать далее