Potosí and Sucre

We enjoyed very much our two day visit in Potosi after the strenuous days before. The morning of the first day we explored the lively pedestrian area downtown and visited the Cathedral and bell tower with excellent views of the town an surroundings especially Cerro Rico (the famous mountain with dozens of active silver mines).

Plaza downtown Potosi 

View from bell tower

Cerro Rico

In the afternoon we visited one of the active silver mines in Cerro Rico via a private tour that we booked with a local travel agency. Our guide ( who even studied tourism together with Basilio Vargas - the boy from the documentary film "The devils miner from 2006") took us to a shop (selling dynamite among other mining essentials) and then into a mine where we met active miners on their way out after their shift.

Minero Kai with dynamite

We even paid tribute to the Tio of the mine (kind of a mine devil), in order to protect our and the miners' health and to ensure good luck.

Guide and Kai offering coca leaves, alcohol and cigarettes to El Tio

The second day we visited "The white city of" Sucre via taxi and bus. In the morning a taxi took us to the main plaza in Sucre in less than 3 hours.

Government building 

Cathedral 

Sucre is a very nice city and we visited a cafe at the plaza, then joined a guided tour in the nearby Museo del Tesoro. The exhibition showed how precious metals and gem stones where extracted in the Andes region over time and by the Incas.

After lunch we explored some nice local craft and clothing stores and found some nice gifts plus some stylish sweaters for Kai made from alpaca wool.

Regional Alpaca products

Last before taking the bus back to Potosí was a visit to the Iglesia de San Felipe Neri where we climbed onto the roof terraces for a great view of the city. 

The bus took us back to Potosí at around 17:45 and we arrived just before 21:30.