Turns out it's fiesta centro in Potosi. How fortunate for us to spend 3 days here, immersing ourselves in to the spirit of it all.
Celebrating the 207th Anniversary of Independence from Spain, the population of Potosi certainly know how to put on a show. Marching Bands a plenty, local Potosina beer flowing freely and eye popping traditional costumes all around it was a special event. It seemed to go on for the whole time we were there, day and night. We heard the marching band beats in our sleep!
But Potosi has a hidden demon otherwise known as the Cerro Rico or 'Rich Hill' full of silver, also called the Mountain that Eats Men! Back in 1545 as soon as ore was discovered the silver extracted here bankrolled the Spanish empire. Back then the conquistadors got their hands on Potosi and it's rich hill and made the locals lives a misery.
The local miners still dig out silver from Cerro Rico working under the most abysmal conditions imaginable. Some say if you go on a mine tour and see the miner's suffering you'll be left stunned or ill. Miners have a life expectancy of just 45! We didn't visit the mines. It didn't seem right.
