PPotosi. Technically the highest city in the world sitting at 4070m. Sure, there are towns higher but we are talking cities. And what do you do for work in this city – you become a miner.
(The mine entrance)
Potosi is renowned for it’s mines…and the fact that as a tourist you can do a tour if a working mine. I approached this latest activity with more than a little trepidation. Surely it can’t be safe to let tourists into mines. What about workplace health & safety? What if the mountain collapses? But, I put on my brave boots, paid my $20 and set off.
(Getting suited up)
The mines are run by co-operatives, with around 35 in total. Each mine has up to 400 workers a day, looking for tin, silver, zinc and more. As you can imagine, the working conditions aren’t that fabulous with miners often having to look after themselves. Because of this we stopped to buy ‘gifts’ for the miners we would meet – many of them rely on tourists for the basics. These gifts included water, juice, gloves, dust masks and dynamite. Yes, you can buy a stick of dynamite for under $1. So we did!
(TNT…dynamite!)
I imagine that walking through ANY mine isn’t the easiest thing to do, let alone doing it at 4000m. We were out of breath within 5 mins due to the fact that you have to hurry along the trolley path as quickly as possible to avoid any oncoming trolleys!
(Walking through the main tunnel…and Johannes’s arse)
We spent most of the 2-3 hours doubled over like a character in a video game, walking/running through tunnels and meeting miners, the youngest was 15 and earning some money in his school holidays. Apparentky uts up to the parents at what age their kids can start in the mine…We were unable to go ‘down a level’ in the mine as the wooden ladder leading down was broken and our guide was unsure we could use the rope. So was I!
(Just hanging out)
(Tunnel)
(Electrical wiring)
(Sitting waiting)
The miners were all lovely and appreciated our gifts. The most popular gift was usually the coca leaves that the miners chew to stay awake and alert. And they liked the beer and cigarettes. Yes, you can smoke in the mine and DRINK! The drinking was carefully explained to us – the miners don’t get drunk, just tipsy to take the edge off. What?!? They also use alcohol as an offering to pacha-mama (mother earth), Tio (the devil, though we don’t call him the devil as that would be rude..) for safety and prosperity. As our tour was on a Friday afternoon we met several tipsy miner finished up and coming out of the mine for the day.
(Pushing a trolley out…and drinking the beer we gave them)
(A blaster…he had just climbed up 60m on a rope and broken ladder in around 5 mins to escape the dust)
(Tio, the Devil, complete with a lit cigarette and copious coca leaves his mouth)
(A load of silver that just came out. We drink rum with the miners and poured it on the sacks of silver for good luck)
