Bolivia - Potosi

This morning we spent our time exploring the centre of this city. The history of this town is evident in the colonial style buildings and the central square. Exploration was limited to the centre as Potosi sits on a very steep mountain side and the streets are at an amazingly steep gradient. During the morning we visited the San Francisco Cathedral which is the main church of the city, Potosi has 36 churches, and has a very Spanish feel to it. We were shown around by the guard, a Bolivian Police Officer, who only spoke Spanish which tested our comprehension skills significantly but I think we understood the important things :-). He took us up the church tower where we could walk out across the roof and up a smaller tower for an absolutely spectacular 360º panoramic view of the city. We also visited the crypts of the church where the priests are buried and saw the tunnels which connect San Francisco to a couple of the other churches in the city. The church also houses a large collection of 16th century art. It was well worth the visit.

This afternoon we settled in with the group, some wine and snacks, and watched a movie called “The Devils Miner” which is a documentary in Spanish about 2 young boys who are forced to work in the underground mines of Cerro Rico, as well as go to school, because their father has passed away. It talks about the beliefs of the miners including that when they are in the mine they worship “Tio” which is the Devil because they believe that he rules the mine and if they can keep him happy they may not die. It is a common story amongst the poor families of Potosi and was a great insight into the life and hardships the miners face.