Mines of Potosi Bolivia

Perched at 13,343 feet above sea level, Potosí, Bolivia is one of the highest cities in the world. Mount Rico looms over the city, reminding everyone of the glory days when silver poured from its mines, funding the Spanish armada as the crown jewel of the empire.

“abogado” or law offices in Potosi Bolivia

As you wander the city streets you notice a few things, the steep-slope streets, charming houses with bay window balconies, everyone carries everything in colorful textiles tied around their neck, and the incredible amount of “abogado” or law offices, like the one above, at every turn. There are enough accidents inside the mines and disputes over mineral rights, that the army of lawyers is never short of work.

Saint Day Parade in Potosi Bolivia

As luck would have it in this sunny Saturday in Potosí, it was a very important Saint Day. We had no idea their was a parade brewing, but in our exploring we ran into a slew of costume-clad men, ladies dressed to the nines, fireworks, and instruments bringing the streets to life.

Costumes at Parade in Potosi Bolivia

The outfits were so ornate and well done that we thought we’d be teleported back to Carnival in Rio.

Women with bowler hats wrapped in tassled shawls in Potosi Bolivia

Bolivia was never short on culture and traditional dress. Women wearing bowler hats wrapped in colorful shawls were definitely the standard over jeans and t-shirts.

Processional of cars rounding out the parade Potosi Bolivia

This processional of cars rounding out the parade was too good not to share. The first few cars were draped with mystical comforters and silver serving sets (see the slide-show for that goodness) and the second slew of vehicles was adorned with offerings of giant teddy bears and miscellaneous stuffed animals…for which reason we are just not sure.

Houses where the wealthier miners lived at the foot of the mountain Potosi Bolivia

Though to get a true handle on Potosí, I had to visit the mines. A tour though the treacherous mine shafts didn’t sound as appealing to Anne for some reason, so she sat this one out but I had a day I’ll never forget. (Above you can see the houses where the wealthier miners lived at the foot of the mountain.)

Geared up for the mine with rubber suits, wellies, miners helmets, headlamps and battery belts Potosi Bolivia

Here, our tour is geared up for the mine with rubber suits, wellies, miners helmets, headlamps and battery belts. At first, we felt like our get-up was part of the show and a bit of overkill but upon entering the mine, ducking under broken wooden roof supports, shimmying up and down slippery mine shafts…we quickly realized they were 100% necessary.

To get a sense of miner culture, we went to their underground “church Potosi Mine Tour

To get a sense of miner culture, we went to their underground “church,” a four-foot tall room with a Virgin Mary altar. Full of superstition and fear of god, they say this is the one place in the mine not owned by the Devil. It is also ironically the place where the miners congregate to smoke and take sips of their 192 proof liquor. Above you can see one of the miners creating a cup with an old bottle and a hacksaw.

Holes in the mine at Potosi Mine Tour

Out of respect, and partly because they kept regaling us with the most harrowing stories, we participated in the Church festivities for well over an hour…entering the lives of the miners, if only for a day. Little did we know the next few hours would be spent navigating around 75-foot deep holes (seen above) with buckets of nickel and iron ore flying by, and literally running from lit dynamite.

When the miner passed around the stick of dynamite we were intrigued Potosi Mine Tour

When the miner passed around the stick of dynamite we were intrigued, when he pounded a three-foot spike into the ceiling we were captivated, when he lit a fuse we chuckled nervously, but when our guide started sprinting away from the mine shaft we knew this was no joke. Run or die. (Video of that experience coming soon).

The light at the end of the tunnel...the good kind. Potosi Mine Tour

The light at the end of the tunnel…the good kind.

After hearing the dynamite explode, and making it out alive, we were all smiles

After hearing the dynamite explode in the very area we were sitting a few minutes earlier, and escaping the mine with nothing more than a hang-over and some dirty clothes, we were all smiles.

Headin home from the Potosi Mine Tour in Bolivia

We were nothing short of humbled by the tremendous risk these miners take to provide food and shelter for their families. Though you must have a brush with death to understand this town, this tour was the best way to understand Potosí.

Similar Posts

16 Comments

  1. Mike,  I can’t believe you went into a mine.  Ann, I can understand why you didn’t.  My grandfather was a mining engineer in Columbia 80+ years ago.
    Love from L.A.  Alison Z.

    1. Alison, it was such a blast (no pun intended :). After she saw the pictures Anne was VERY glad she made the “right” choice. Wow 80+ years ago in Columbia must have been madness. Love from Malawi!

  2. Anne Collins’ father didn’t raise no dummy.  Never go in any place dark that doesn’t have an alternate exit and DO NOT play with dynamite. 

  3. David Carillet says:

    Looking forward to that video. 🙂

    1. slideshow is live (internet has been horrible here in africa), let me see if this internet cafe can handle a 1 GB video…..laughs out loud!

  4. Jay Knight says:

    Haha…funniest post yet.

    1. glad you liked that one Jay, check out the photos if you liked the post, i just posted the full slideshow from the journey to Potosi….you will like some of them 🙂

  5. Hahahahaha the odds of getting your mom in there is nil ! Unless maybe if we told her it was the world’s largest and most exclusive underground French wine cellar…

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.