If you had never been to Potosi, Bolivia you would read a guide book or two, talk to some people that had been there and decide that based off their collective recommendations, you would not visit. That would be one crucial error, my friend.
I too consulted guide books and most of the people I talked to, that had been their, echoed that it was a washed up mining town with nothing to offer. But since Potosi stood between where I was and my next destination, I decided to see what was so bad about the highest city in the world. Turns out, nothing. I would venture to say it was actually my favorite city in all of Bolivia.
All I expected was a dull, gray town that had the life sucked out of it, along with all the silver in the mines, years ago. What I found was a vibrant, colorful city, full of proud citizens who were thrilled at the opportunity to share their culture with you. And they had lots of it. Potosi had the most bright and exciting culture of any city I have visited so far.
Each day I was there, I couldnt go anywhere without there being some kind of festive parade, or marching band, or dancing in the streets. There was no particular holiday they were celebrating, thats just what Potosi does.
Then a local invited us to his cousin´s wedding. Why wouldnt I go? Bolivian weddings are three straight days of party. And they know how to party. So much food. So much drink. So much fun. Congrats to the happy couple.
Finally, the main attraction. The mine. Its an active mine that employs much of the town and it has been busy since the Spanish invaded centuries ago. Over the course of its existence, it is estimated that around 9 million people have met their end in mine related deaths. So obviously I had to check it out. "Millions of people have died in there? Yeah, I´ll go in."
So we hired a couple exminers to take us in. But before we actually went in, we were told that its a good idea to buy gifts for the miners. They apparently like coca leaves, juice, cigarettes, and dynamite. Excuse me? Is purchasing the dynamite an actual option? It is? Ok, just checking.
Enter- my freak out dance. I had to blow something up. Anywhere outside of town would do. Only in Bolivia can I just walk up to a shop and purchase loads of dynamite, fuses, detonators, and dynamite enhancer.
My mind began to ponder just how far I can run in 30 seconds after I light the fuse. Probably not far enough. But how sweet would it be to do that running/diving thing as an explosion happens in the background? Oh the possibilities......
Miner attire is on. Ive literally got an entire bag full of dynamite strapped to my back. Only thing left to do is go in. So we did.
Crawling through tiny spaces, down poor excuses for ladders and battling the dust all while doing my best not to upset the explosives on my back. And its hot. Like uncomfortably hot. So why wouldnt the devil make an appearance? Indeed he did.
The miners have set up a statue/shrine to the lord of the underworld, whom they call Tio, or Uncle. In their culture, though, he is not a bad entity. Just another god who happens to rule the place they work, underground. So they make offerings to him in hopes they he blesses them with pure minerals.
So after hangin with Tio for a bit, passing out some dynamite to the miners, and being tired of not being able to fully stand up we were almost done. And I still had one stick of boom boom left. I think I'll hold on to it.
But on our way out we passed one more hole that our guide called into. A minute later, a 16 year old boys head pops out. He was working a double shift that day and had been working in the mines since he was 13. Powerful stuff down there. And then my conscious kicked in.
These miners are a poor people. They work in some of the worst conditions imaginable and most dont live 30 years after they first enter those mines. They operate as a co-op so they must buy all their own materials. And I just so happened to have some left. I mean, really? Would I have done anything productive with that last stick? Doubtful. I´m sure that kid in the mine made far better use of it. Besides, Ive presumably got 70 years or so left in my life to blow stuff up. He has less than half that time.
So yeah, Potosi. An amazing city with a sad history and reality that I will forever remember, and highly recommend.
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