Fathers, husbands and sons work in the Potosi mines endlessly enduring dangerous, appalling, medieval-like conditions all for a few precious metals they may be able to extract and sell for a small profit. The price of wealth was paid in millions of deaths as African slaves and indigenous people were conscripted to work in hellish conditions. So why on earth would anyone be crazy enough to take a tour into this dark, claustrophobic and frightening underworld? We asked ourselves the same question as we handed over 60 Bolivianos 9 USD per person to the tour agent and reserved our visit to the mines for the following morning.
Huge baskets of coca leaves were also for sale and our guide explained that the miners eat these leaves all day long, initially de-veining them, then chewing them into a ball and holding them in a pouch at the side of their mouth. The miners believe the coca leaves give them strength, stamina and reduces hunger whilst they work up to 12 hours per day and until they arrive home.
The leaves are also meant to be good for relieving altitude sickness. Everyone in our group took some leaves to sample — stripping the green leaf from its wiry stalk, we tentatively put them in our mouths. The leaves were not entirely unpleasant and had a bitter, almost medicinal plant-like taste.
After a little while, the leaves made the insides of our mouths tingle and feel a little numb. We all bought plentiful supplies to take with us as gifts for a very small price.
Even though our bags were filled with the most unhealthy of products we hoped that we would brighten up someones day. Our guide had one final surprise in store and took us to a shop where we could buy dynamite for the miners. Where else would we ever have this opportunity so in a matter of minutes, with no credential check, we were the proud owners of a block of dynamite, a short fuse and a detonator all for the sum of 25 Bolivianos 4 USD!!
