Sucre is known as the white city, and it is easy to see why. Lots of white buildings in the centre of the city with orange roof tiles - but further out they are similar to other cities - that brown brick that melds quietly into the brown hills.
Sad to say, I managed to get sick in Sucre and spent most of the day lying on the bed looking out at orange roof tiles and blue sky.
Harry, did the necessary nursing things (ensuring a good supply of water) and then left for the city tour. So, these photos are all his and his memories ie:
- Typical Spanish architecture - including magnificent supreme and magistrate buildings reflecting that Sucre is the judicial capital of Bolivia, but La Paz is the political capital.
- There were a lot of churches to look at - I think he was pleased he didn't go inside all of them.
- A cemetery a bit like a home - mausoleums (big family homes), small boxes (funeral apartments with ladders so they could be cleaned).
By the second day, I was feeling a bit better and Harry bought me back a vegetarian enchanada - freshly out of the oven. It was a bit like a Cornish pastie - but smaller and just as yummy. We managed to organise a late check out so I could continue to lie in bed and eventually we boarded the bus to Potasi (a very brown city which seemed to in the middle of nowhere).
The steep uphill drive was similar to the Rimutakas and the driver seemed to ignore the "no passing" signs (no tip for you I declared during one scary moment). Down below was a wide braided river, with very little water. The hills were covered in a scrubby type vegetation and unfortunately the road was lined with more plastic and lots of hungry looking dogs.
Then on to a plateau which seemed to be very large (or perhaps we were just a bit tired from sitting on the bus for too long). Irrigation wells and an unused train track dotted the landscape while in the background were snow covered mountains.
We had a loo stop along the way in a little village which seemed mainly shops strategically positioned along the road. What a place to sell toilets in the middle of nowhere (where no building seemed to be going on).
We found our rooms (everyone was pleased there were enough towels - one for each occupant) and even a bath mat!
For dinner we struck the electronic menu for the first time - scan the QR code and up comes the menu. Apparently, inflation was so rampant restaurant owners could not produce paper menus fast enough and so all converted to electronic - fair enough. Another interesting tip for travellers - this restaurant offered a 45% (that isn't a typo) discount if you paid in US dollars. Unfortunately, we didn't have them with us and so paid in Bolivianos (most places do not accept cards).
Bolivia seems to be a place which takes pride in its good dining experience. It seems to include 20 mins before the arrival of drinks and about an hour for food (a cynical person might think short staffed but I thought freshly prepared). The food generally is nice but not quite as gourmet as Peru, but much more reasonably prices.
The town has a history of silver mining and some of the group went on a tour of the current mine - I think most mines of any sort have a pretty inhumane history and even today the conditions sounded pretty tough.
The little square had some lovely buildings and museums, with many locals enjoying sitting in the sun and watching the world go by. We did the same for a while.
The next day we had a bit of free time and so we went back to the square and visited the church. The main doors were closed (we were later told that people used to demonstrate when the doors were opened and often lit dynamite!), so the doors now remain closed and the entrance is way around the back (hard to find - as it is called a museo rather than a church).
The receptionish said an English speaking tour would start in five minutes - and after the allotted time some one came and relieved him and took us around the church.
It was lovely - no electric lighting was required, as windows had been placed strategically around the building. The church is under repair, and we saw the results of hard work and money, with obviously more required. It was built in the late 1800's - and the guide enjoyed showing us around particularly the confessionals. Apparently the priest sat in the cubicle and the confessor stood outside and whispered into a slated vent. This amplified the voice so the whole congregation heard the sin and the penance. Apparently, people still confessed but I don't imagine the really juicy sins would ever have been voiced!!
Thankfully, the next day we didn't have an early start as we were travelling to Uyuni.
The trip was a bit uneventful. The road reasonably well maintained as it is the only link into central Bolivia (I don't think Bolivia has any airports). Dry stone walls walked up the hills and along terraces and didn't seem to serve any particular purpose.
There were a number of police checks, but they only wanted to talk to the driver and not screen the passengers or their luggage - thankfully.
The landscape changed from browns, to pink then purple and occasionally we saw llama footprints, but very few llama.
Uyuni is a town close to the salt mines, and where lithium has been found. Unfortunately, the town isn't benefitting as the mines are operated by overseas companies and any financial benefits to the country do not seem to be seen by the locals.
The footpaths were cobbled, pretty uneven, with rather large uncovered holes in places. Last year, we had been given hats for Christmas which have a light in them, and so we switched them on to avoid tripping over - worked a treat.
Dinner was at a pizza place - pretty good - which was dotted with lots of memorabilia including road signs of bears and kangaroos (but no kiwi). The fair was in town and there was a little ferris wheel, a few side shows and some food carts - didn't quite seem the right place for it.
Uyuni is the gateway to the next three days and I think the only reason we stayed there was because it is near the beginning of our four wheel drive adventure.
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