Potosí

Potosí Potosí is, at around 4000 metres, the worlds highest city. It is located in the Potosí Department of Bolivia. Understand Potosí was founded in 1546 after the discovery of the rich silver deposits in the Cerro Rico. It soon became one of the wealthiest and largest cites in the Americas. The mines of the Cerro Rico are the richest mines in all of world history and may have produced 60,000 tons of silver. The name Potosi was adopted by San Luis de Potosi in Mexico to reflect their hopes for equal riches. It is reputed that at one time mules were shoed with silver due to the difficulty of getting supplies of iron to the city. Some of this wealth was used to build magnificent baroque churches (UNESCO listed sites) and monasteries. Millions of indigenous labourers and African slaves perished in mines in the three centuries of colonial rule. Estimates range from 2 million at the low end to 8 million at the upper end. The miners were often below ground for weeks at a time. In 1800 the silver mines were depleted and tin became the major ore mined. Recently they are mining rare earths. All of this lead to a slow economic decline. The wealthy history of Potosí is still reflected in the narrow streets, colonial mansions and the many churches, which makes the city a UNESCO World Heritage List Get in The new bus terminal (Nueva Terminal) is now open. It is located NE end of the city and is 20-30 min micro (minibus) ride from the downtown. The old terminal (Ex-Terminal) is still used for Uyuni bound bus and shared taxi to Sucre. From the bus terminal it's a 30 minute walk uphill to the city center. You can catch a bus Bs 1,20, or a shared cab Bs 3,50. There are several daily buses from Oruro (about 6 hours). There are hourly connections with Sucre (3 hours, 17 Bs). Morning and evening buses to Tupiza (7-8 hours, Bs 30). There are buses running from Uyuni (3 hours, Bs 40). The highway is paved. Morning and evening buses to and from Tarija with Expreso Tarija (9-10 hours, Bs 60). Beware travelling from Uyuni. Companies such as Transporte 11 de Julio cancel services without notice, or even opening their office to explain. Collective cabs that travel slightly quicker than the buses can also be arranged to Sucre (35 Bs) and Oruro (120 Bs). These leave when full and are a godsend during bus strikes. From Sucre it is worth hiring a cab for 2 or more people as the trip is faster and more comfortable than one on a collective cab or a bus, and the cab leaves at your schedule. Get around Taxis are generally cheap and plentiful around Potosi. However, always check the price with the driver. Some charge per person which could get you into arguements when it comes time to pay. Bus from Centro area to Main bus Terminal costs 1Bs. Taxis from main bus Terminal between 3-5bs depending on your bartering skills and the time of day. See Casa Nacional de Moneda, Cl. Ayacocha s/n, is de former royal mint, but now houses one of the better museums in South America. A visit is by guided tour (English and French if there is enough demand) which takes about 2~3 hours. The museum has a collection of religous art, contempary art,and artifacts from it's time as mint. Entrance is Bs. 40 for foreigners and Bs. 20 for Bolivians. Closed on Monday. Convento de Santa Teresa, Calle Chichas (Bottom end of Calle Ayacucho). Tours (in Spanish only) give a good explanation of the life and work of the Carmelite nuns and their monastry. Very little flagellation (LP). Bs 21.  edit Compañia de Jesus, Calle Ayaucho (Half a block from the square). Nice views of the surroundings from above. A guide will explain. 10 Bs.  edit City panorama in the night time. If you come by bus from Uyuni at night, Potosí meets you with wonderful lights.  edit Miners at work Do A visit to Potosí isn't complete without a visit to one of the cooperative mines. It's a shocking experience as the methods of working haven't changed much since the colonial times. Working conditions are terrible: most miners die of silicosis in their forties. Still, many people don't have another choice and around 10,000 people work in the mines. A tour starts with a visit to the miners' market to buy gifts for the miners like coca leaves, drinks, cigarettes or dynamite. You will then visit an ore refinery plant where the miners sell whatever deposits they manage to collect. Then you head to the mines, where a typical visit will have you walking and crawling through it for about 2~3 hours. You can talk, take photographs and share your gifts with the miners. Taking a tour of one of the cooperative mines is still a good way to get a sense of the social price paid for the mineral wealth of the few. The dust is supposed to contain silicon that leads to silicosis (wear a disposable mask!) among the miners. Water dropping from the walls and ceiling is said to contain arsenic and cyanide. You can see asbestos fibers in the rock walls. Many of the mine props are snapped and on my tour in 2003 there was a minor ceiling cave-in that forced us to wait a bit before being able to exit the mine. One very interesting aspect of the mine was the little side chamber near the entrance to the mine that contained a statue of "El Tio," a diabolic figure that the miners make offerings to. They say that God may rule aboveground, but that El Tio is in charge down below. There are many tour agencies in Potosí offering this tour, shop around before buying. The price is around 100bs for koala tours. Koala Tours, one of the oldest tour agencies, offers the tour for this price, for example. Koala Tours allow you to let off your own stick of dynamite on request! Greengo tours is 80bs. The ex-miners offer loads of information about the (history of the) mine. They don't do explosions just for tourists, but for the sake of the mine. Hostal La Casona Potosi also offers safe visits to Cerro Rico. People with claustrophobic tendencies, be wary, Silver Mine Tours 28/01/10, takes you deep into the guts of this rabbit warren of a mine. It seems the safety aspect is very low, actually totally missing. Big Deal Tours, Calle Bustillos 1092, ☎ 71-835516, [1]. This guide company is owned and operated by ex-miners that have an abundance of both experience and heart. They offer tours in both English and Spanish. The also often invite tourists along to local events such as weddings and soccer games. Bs 100.  edit Buy Eat The cheapest meals can be found in the Mercado Central. Sky Room (Mirador), Calle Bolivar 701, 3rd floor, ☎ 622 0138. Nice view of Cerro Rico 4 course lunch Bs 15.  edit Sumaj Orcko, Cl. Cobija 34, serves overpriced big plates but food is not good and they try to charge you higher prices than in menu (45-50 Bs), also a good place for lunch (15 Bs). Manzana Magica, Cl Oruro 239, tasty vegetarian food, not at crazy tourist prices. Veggie burgers of quinoa, oats, lentils or more with papas fritas cost Bs 9 and full platters range Bs-15-25. They do have coca tea even though it's not on the menu. Chifa Rosa, Cl. Cobija 38, cheap but not special chinese food. Pasteleria Cherrys, Padillo 8, for pastels and breakfast. El Meson, Cnr Tarija & Linares. Upmarket restaurant with great food at reasonable prices, start with the great house salad for 12B  edit Drink Cine de Universidad, Bolivar 893, for Hollywood movies. Sleep Map of Potosi, Bolivia. La Casona Hostal Potosi (La Casona Hostal Potosi, Bolivia), calle Chuquisaca 460 (100m from main plaza), ☎ (02)6230523 (casona@boliviahostels.com, fax: (02)6230523), [2]. checkin: 11:00; checkout: 10:30. Big and clean rooms, Book exchange, ADSL internet (wiFi in Lobby - only available until 10:30), laundry service (8 Bs / kilo), Kitchen, excellent gas powered hot showers, safe tours to Potosi Silver Mines. From September 2008 all rooms with central heating. Staff are particularly unfriendly. Dorms and Private rooms with breakfast 35 Bs pp - 61 Bs pp..  edit Koala Den, Junín 56, 4 blocks from the square, (02)6226467 (papaimilla@hotmail.com). Has heating in the rooms! Book exchange, fast Internet with Wi-Fi. Dorm bed with excellent breakfast including eggs and fruit! 35-45 Bs. Also doubles and triples. Has highly recommended tours of the silver mines even though they are a bit more expensive than other tour companies. Has a great view of the mountain from the rooftop. Residencial Tarija, Av Serrudo 252, Cheap but quiet rooms set back from the road. Shared bathroom and showers. Single Bs25., Bs60. for two bed or double bed room. Residencial Felcar, Av Serrudo esq. Bustillos 345, (02)6224966. Another favorite spot by travellers. It has a nice, sunny patio and hot showers from 8am to 10pm. Some of the singles are tiny. Single Bs25. Hotel Jerusalem with beautiful views over Potosi from breakfast room and from roof top. Carlos Hostal V, Calle Linares No 42, ☎ 02 6231010. Here is a great new hostel in the heart of Centro Potosi. Great beds, fast wifi, medium to warm showers, and a great lounging area. from 70b.  edit Sky Hacienda Hotel, Mosoj Llajta (In between Potosi and Sucre), ☎ (591)72888044, [3]. checkin: 13.00; checkout: 12.00. An architecturally unique hotel situated above the Yotala valley, surrounded by 360 degree panoramic views of the mountains. from $95.  edit Stay safe Potosi is relatively safe. But, like most other places in Bolivia it is advised not to walk alone at night outside the main Plaza. Get out Hot Springs. Tarapaya/Miraflores (Ojo del Inca) and Chaqui Baño are easy half-day trip from Potosi. Tarapaya is about half hour colectivo/van ride from mercado Chuquima, where close to ex-terminal and train station (Bs. 4). There are three kinds of pools in the area (one is Balneario Tarapaya with pools, restaurant and hotel), but the most popular among tourists is a big warm lagoon (30 degree celcius year around) called Ojo del Inca. The lagoon is supposed to be 25m deep and even at edge it drops 1.5m deep so "it is very important you can swim" as the fee collector says. (Bs. 10) To get there ask the driver to drop you off at Ojo del Inca. You cross the bridge and turn left going up the hill as you see a covered swimming pool and people washing cloths on the right. Walk about 20 minutes along the road and you see round big pond with three huts around. Chaqui Baño is one hour away from Potosi towards Sucre. Every hour on the hour from 6:00 bus leaves from Mercado Uyuni (Bs. 7). Buses are rather old but the road is good. There are four kinds of pools and saunas. If you worry about your belonging choose "Natural Sauna" as you get your own change room with a pad lock (Bs. 10). It also has a small pool. "Pool 1 and Sauna" has bigger pool and sauna but change room doesn't have a door (Bs. 9). "Pool 4" is Bs. 4. There is also small free pool up the hill. There are basic alojamientos available from Bs. 15. Typical Bolivian food stalls and stores selling drinks and bathing suits if you forget to bring one (Saunas are not German style). As of September 2012 a new hotel with indoor pool, and indoor market are under construction. You may continue to tranquil white colonial capital city of Sucre (3-4 hours) or Uyuni (3 hours) to visit word's largest salt flat. This article is an outline and needs more content. It has a template, but there is not enough information present. Please plunge forward and help it grow!