Potosi - Hot showers, silver mines and warmth!

The bus that got us to Potosi
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Monday 23^rd July – Uyuni – Potosi

Today included a 6 hour bus ride from Uyuni to Potosi. The bus wasn't as bad as expected being half size, however it quickly got overloaded with people standing for the full journey and obviously paying very little. It got a little annoying when they kept leaning on you, but I spose that's what tiredness does! The journey itself was full of spectacular sites. Again it was a completely new view every time we took a corner. The rock formations are amazing and at one point we were thinking it looked like the President's in Mount Rushmore. We stopped in a tiny little town on the way, unfortunately we missed the name of it, but not to worry as it was very smelly and we were relieved to get back on the bus. We eventually arrived in Potosi at around 2.30pm. We had a nice touch as a lady was walking around the bus station giving out cards to a hostel and a free transfer there. We quickly agreed to go there and were stoked to see that it was the very Hostel we were heading before we meet her. Well what can we say, a warm room with an en-suite including a HOT shower. Absolute luxury!!

Jo the mule pushing the coin press
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We realised we were on to a good thing, so we booked an extra night in Potosi. We then decided to go for a walk around the town and were pleasantly surprised to find a real little buzzing place. We wandered the markets then went out for dinner, which was an experience, as we didn't exactly get what we ordered! But for the price, how can we complain!! To top off the day of luxury we went back to our hostel and watched a couple of DVD's... WOW!

Tuesday 24^th July – Potosi

After a small sleep in as remember we are heading to bed pretty early at the moment, we had breakfast. This consisted of 2 stale buns and jam, yum! We then headed off to the Casa Real de la Mondea, which is a mint (where they made coins). This was really fascinating! It is tipped as one of the best museums in Bolivia and we can definitely agree. The building itself is beautiful, with mixed brick and rock walls and amazing wooden beams, all very well preserved. The machines to flaten the coins where there still and there are 3 of them, powered by mules a storey below. There are also several different machines to stamp the coins, which at the end of the tour, we made our own!! As you walk through the museum the machines change through the years and obviously improve to make a better quality coin that started off shapeless and is now circular (like today). What we found ironic is the coins were produced for Spain in this factory between the 17^th century – 1950's, but now Spain produces all the coins for Bolivia... outsourcing!! We then decided to have a second try at breakfast, as we heard about a restaurant that serves cereal! Leigh had a tortilla, which he loved and Jo had granola, yoghurt and fruit... it was unbelievable!

Leigh checking out his new currency
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We then wandered the markets and Leigh haggled for a watch, as we haven't had one for the past couple of months and thought it would be good to get to places on time. In the afternoon we went to the Museo & Convento de Santa Theresa and decided to do a tour. We didn't know much about it, but thought it would probably be quite interesting. Well it probably would have been if it didn't last 3 hours, being repeated in Espanol and English!! We went from room to room and each of them had lovely paintings, but it just seemed like torture as it was like every room was the same. It was also quite funny as every door had a massive bolt and padlock and we were wandering just how naughty the nun's could be that they have to bolt all the doors up (he he he)! Once we were released we went out for dinner. After wandering around we decided to go back to the place we had breakfast at. What a good decision! We had a four course meal for a total of 3 quid! It was super yummy! We then headed back to our luxurious hostel for another DVD.