South Bolivia

Potosi

South Bolivia is an area of deep poverty, lots of gold mines, incredible colonial beauties and... no oxigen!

Beautiful Andean lanscapes make way to colonial towns, ofetn located at over 4,500 meters of altitude. Large gold and silver mines, once the biggest in the world, meant that Spain created some fine colonial towns, like Potosi, the biggest gold mine in history, and Sucre, the official (although not administrative  capital of Bolivia...

Potosi main square

The mines

Potosi was at one point the biggest gold and silver mine in the world, and most of the gold in Spain is from Potosi'. A trip at the mines, where miners still work in awful conditions, was a strong experience, especially as the lack of oxigen combines with fumes of all sorts...

With dynamite

At the mines

Coca for the miners (kinda...)

Gold and silver on this stone

Inside the mine, with arsenic dust

Sucre

'La ciudad blanca' is another fine colonial city, with a young vibe due to numerous universities...