a l e x [s i d u n]

Strolling Through Sucre

Currently, Sam and I are posted up in the Joy Ride cafe in Sucre watching the Wimbledon tournament. We chose to have a leisurely day today because, although we are on vacation, traveling like this can be exhausting at times. Exciting, action packed, and awesome… but exhausting. I’m hoping to use this time to finally catch up on my blogging.
Yesterday was our last morning in Potosí. We took our time in the morning, ate breakfast at the hotel, and then went into town for a 10:45 showing of a film “The Devil’s Miner”- a documentary charting the life and family of a 14 year old boy who worked in the mines. Although the circumstances are still so real, the film was over 10 years old. It was a bit depressing, but I was happy to hear when I asked Julia that another Intrepid tour had payed for the boy’s education so he could leave the mines. He no longer works IN the mine, but as a tour guide warning people of the dangers. Happy Ending there :)
I’ve been eating a lot of different delicious soups in Bolivia, and I continued that trend when we went for lunch after the movie. A mixed seafood/shellfish stew that was absolutely delicious despite the fact that I’m in the middle of a land-locked country. That was the end of our short time in Potosí, and we caught a 2:30 bus to the city of Sucre which brings me to where I am now.
Now I know why I’ve heard Sucre referred to as the most beautiful city in Bolivia. Even our hostal (Hostal Sucre) is the most charming of all places we have stayed so far- a gated, ivy framed entry way, leading to a courtyard garden with a peaceful fountain right outside of our room. Our little oasis.
Sucre is the heart of this nation, at least symbolically. It was here that independence was proclaimed and while La Paz is now the seat of government and treasury, Sucre is recognized in the constitution as the nation’s capital. A glorious ensemble of whitewashed buildings sheltering pretty patios, it’s a serene place that preserves a wealth of colonial architecture and history. Town squares, parks, grand churches, and gardens all add to this South American city’s charm. We are at a lower altitude here, in a valley surrounded by low mountains. Therefore, the climate is heavenly compared to what we have faced since leaving for Uyuni. It’s in the low 60s with the sun shining, which is perfect for walking around and exploring.
Yesterday evening Julia showed us around the main part of the city before we all went out to dinner together.
That was when we decided today was going to be a go-with-the-flow, slow, relaxing day. Sam and I slept in, took our time grabbing breakfast, went back to lay in bed some more, and then got ready to stroll around town. We made our way up a hill to a lookout of part of the city and once we finish lunch, we will head off again to see more of this beautiful place!

Cuatro de Julio

Sam and I brought the 4th of July to Bolivia, and it was pretty epic.
We took a bus from Uyuni town and arrived in Potosí around mid-day. The two of us were already decked out in red, white, and blue. But after stopping for lunch and enjoying some cold cervezas, we purchased some sparkles and fireworks with the help of Julia. Julia also so kindly bought us face paint which came in very handy later on.
Throughout the afternoon, we explored the city and went to the historical Mint Museum called Casa National de la Moneda.
I had no idea Potosí had so much history. I could right a novel on it with what I’ve learned already.. and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. So I’ll provide some highlights:
The city was founded in 1545 by the Spanish conquistadors upon the discovery of its Cerro Rico, or “Rich Hill”, full of silver. The city’s history is fully tied to its silver which in its prime made it the largest and wealthiest city in all the Americas. It wasn’t until the silver supply dried up that the city and its citizens slipped into poverty. Potosí’s mining industry still exists today. Since its beginning, about 8 million miners have been killed in the Cerro Rico extracting ore from the dangerous mines in some of the most abysmal conditions or from persisting silicosis pneumonia. The Spanish imported millions African slaves for this labor (they would stay underground for nearly 4 months at a time!), but they proved to not be able to survive in such a cold, dry climate under harsh labor conditions.
In 1673 a mint was established to coin the large amounts of mined silver. The museum is where we learned about how Posotí started out as the world’s FIRST producer of coins. Even the U.S. dollar symbol ($) originated in Potosí.. who would have known? I’m going to be completely honest, I didn’t even know Potosí was a city until I booked this trip, let alone a city that created and impacted all of the currency we use around the globe today. This was a beautifully constructed, organized and maintained museum, and I got so much more out of it than I thought I would.
Despite its turbulent past, the rest of Potosí- its grand churches, ornate colonial architecture and down to earth people- has been a real delight. It’s a quite city, and it was quite nice to just stroll through the colorful streets. After the museum visit, everyone went back to the hotel to relax before dinner. Sam and I used this time to cover our faces in red, white, and blue face paint. We went all out. Ironically, while we were doing this the World Cup had just finished and Chile had won. Little did we know, their colors are red, white and blue…
Our night consisted of us running through the streets with sparklers, trying to explain in Spanish that we didn’t show up at the restaurant or bar with our bodies painted for Chile. Sam ordered chili for dinner and our waiter literally thought Sam did it for the country’s big win. At the dinner table, I even got the rest of the group to agree to let me paint their faces as well. Julia was all about it, with “USA” painted right across her cheek:) Dinner was a blast! And the funny comments we got from the locals totally made it.
We were having so much fun, we were at the restaurant nearly all night. At about 10:30 we went to the town square to light off our fireworks, which was the absolute best way to top off the night. It was hilarious. And it was still hilarious even when the Bolivian police showed up and we had to explain what we were celebrating. On that note, we picked up some beers at a local liquor store and took the party back to the hotel.

Cuatro de Julio! Los Estado Unidos!
USA USA USA

See, that’s what the app is perfect for.

Strolling Through Sucre

Cuatro de Julio