With Out Cloth Ftv Modeling

the side of the Bolivian History

We start the month of June 4090m in the city of Potosi.

The Cerro Rico (Silver Mine) day

the same illuminated at night.

The journey by night from Tarija was cold, vibration of the bus were s'entrouvir windows. We, we were very happy to be warm in a duvet.
breathless the first days we go out on the streets of this city "rich" and pathetic historical past we never suspected that neither one nor the other.
Indeed, the city is dominated by a mountain of money of over 4700m.
Did you know that according to theory, Potosi was the cause of the developement of capitalism in Europe? Here's why
of how :
Everything started, according to a legend by the loss of a Lama in the mountains! Its owner, an Indian went on searching, and slept in a cave. Feeble candles, he saw elapse sister the walls of the cave, a liquid "weird" ... Around 1545, another Indian altiplano Revell one of many conquistadors presents the existence of this Orcko Sumac (the most beautiful mountain in Quechua), which turned out to be a fabulous silver mine.
Of these mines exploited by the Spaniards in the XVI to XIX century, was extracted the equivalent of $ 50 billion today, a sum which allowed Spain to get rich, certainly, but also borrow from other European countries that before this endless source of money (!) elaborated a society based on flows of capital, capitalism.
Charles V, raised to the rank of Potosi imperial city whose motto was "I am the rich Potosí, the treasure of the world, the queen of the mountains and the envy of kings. " In the sixteenth
s, this city was more populated than Paris or London (165 000 inhabitants) and is the only way to faisiat! There was even the phrase " it's worth a Potosi " signifying that it had a priceless expression that has evolved into "it is not Peru!" (Yes!)

Pleasant walk the night in Potosi ...

A fine example of colonial architecture.

It also has potosi that was built one of the 3 houses of money, a place we visit and was struck or the currency of the Kingdom of Spain!

In the courtyard of the Casa de la moneda ...

Go account, spare money then over the Atlantic by boat to serve in Europe! In this
casa de la moneda ( the largest civil building of colonial americas ) transformed into a museum since 1930, we saw the machines that struck silver coins. They were green and oak came from Cadiz (Spain ) by ship to Buenos Aires and then crossed the continent on the backs of mules to Bolivia or 14 months of travel and huge sums expended!

A famous picture in Potosi: the Virgin of Cerro Rico blessed this sacred mountain!

"I would not like to be an Indian working to hit the currency. In the early years to 1575, we tapped with hammers on the silver ingots for thinner then a controller English told us if the thickness was sufficient and then we hit the seal English. The pieces had no specific forms so you could scrape pieces of silver! But in Spain, they weighed the pieces and they realized that 'they stole the precious metal! The Spaniards were then invented a machine to make round pieces and another machine for refining silver plates to the desired thickness: a rolling mill.
So, we, was operated these machines and the parts were more regular. After it has been replaced by horses around 1752. In 1825, when the independence of Bolivia, we also hit the first parts of Bolivia. Finally in 1869, they are steam engines replaced horses and operated until 1909. Today, we import parts from Europe, it's cheaper for Bolivia it seems! As for our tickets, they are manufactured in Rennes (France)! It's not crazy, all that money taken from our country that allowed the expansion "of the world" and now our country that imports so much and has never really benefited from the wealth of the mountain! "Olivier
the Indian.

It inevitably we will visit a mine in Cerro Rico. The guide takes us first to the march of miners at the foot of the mountain. There, we buy coca leaves and soft drinks to offer to minors.
can also buy them dynamite but we, as a teacher we have opted for a few pens and notebooks for their children.

we need to wear, coveralls, boots and headlamps and there it is ...

... we enter a gallery.

It is dark and damp, we regularly have to jump on the side to let the wagon filled with a ton of ore that the miners had poured outside in a mouthful of their own. We crawl tunnel tunnel, following Don Pablo, who in the gallery taken him under his charge. In exchange for drinks, books and coca leaves, it gives us a little time. It is the process here ... The rating voyeur tourists here is a bit unhealthy ...

Her story is tragic orphan at 9 years, he has presented the mine has no boyfriend left for 30 years. He lost many of his colleagues (collapses, gas inhalation ...). All day like all minors, the coca leaf chewing. Before entering the mine, leaf by leaf, he amassed a sufficient quantity that it will not feel any fatigue or hunger or thirst. This filter also green ball (a little ) residual mineral dust explosions, the leading cause of death by disease and silicosis (damage of the airways).

At the exit, Olivier and his quid of coca ...

Minors have their protector, their Tio, the god of mine, to whom they make offerings of cigarettes, alcohol, coca so it gives them security and he directs them to a rich lode.

Fervant believer, we explain that Don Pablo thanks Tio, he avoided death several times and it will even tell us that one day he received his helmet on the rocks which originated from Tio, stating it rich ... (He he believes in us ...!)

We are not unhappy to see the end of the tunnel find relief with ambient air and natural light. We are remains a half hours underground!

The gulps al exterior.

What hard lives a life of minor. 400 years after the use of English, they are still slaves. While the king of Toledo had 1572 introduces compulsory labor system by rotation: the mita ( like the 3 / 8 ), the conquistadors were subsequently restored by the work performance, and today, the Mine belongs to cooperatives bolioviennes. Over the minor works, the more he risks his life but the more he wins. Obviously, the disengagement of the state resulting from the low rate of silver still present in the mountains.
Despite what we write, difficult transcribe our resentment on this visit, this life, and finally this city ...

"Do of minor parents, I am a minor, there's nothing else to do here, but mine is nothing. " it says here ... in 2009 ...

A Potosi, artists have a compost critique bottomless ...................

In the city we also visited, with a dynamic guide ... and excited, the convent of Santa Theresa .

"I would not like to be the youngest of a wealthy English family in Bolivia at that time ... Why?
One marvels for the rich conquistadors was to send their second daughter the day of his 15 years at the convent of Santa Theresa Potosi. Payaiet parents a dowry which tantamount to 6000 U.S. dollars today! ... Once back at the convent, the girl became sister and never went forth again (that rule was abolished in 1972). They took their sumptuous clothes to make vestments. They cut their hair to style statues of virgins ... The place is decorated tables prestigious (from dots), the retaple the church is a concentrate of gold and silver ... sisters lived here briefly in the Luxury! So's mine, the Spaniards exploited the Indians paying them a pittance ... "Helene

In the cloister with Grey, a guide memorable!

the evening, leaving a restaurant, we followed a procession of school children ... the lanterns! The school, still in school!

New itinerary. No night bus this time! We travel day to the White City: Sugar. Pronounce "Soucret"
Sugar has nothing to do with sucrose or glucose.

" Small " historical detour!

Bolivia is named after Simon Bolivar was a Venezuelan did in 1783. This one went into France and return its political hue is the revolutionary ideals of 1789 and the Napoleonic project of European unification. He wants to drive the English and unite South America into a great strength: Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Peru ( at that time so the upper lands covered Peru's current Bolivia).
This city was home of the 1624 the first university in the country.

plugged the university!

The city was the birthplace of independence (first cry liberator launched in May 1809

Unfortunately the project will remain a dead letter, and Simon Bolivar stayed one year as chair of this new state, leaving his right arm, Marshal Sucre (leading a coalition of America against the Spaniards and won the battle of Ayacucho), the post of president of this great land Twice the size of France.
Finally, the two fathers of Bolivia are Venezuelan. The first gave the country its name, the second is its capital.
La casa de la libertad aptly traces the name and accession to the freedom of this country. Here we learned the history of the country, also binds to the story of a woman, Doña Juana de Padilla Azurduy who commanded an army of over 10,000 men. Battles in battles, it will continue its fight against the Spaniards into the north of Argentina to the side of San Martin. Argentina will make him a fine tribute to next year, it will be the highest efigie banknotes from Argentina.
In the prefecture of the city, a mural summarizing the history of Bolivian represents the odds of Bolivar and Sucre.

Doña Juana Azurduy Padilla

the right Bolivar and Sucre.

The roofs of the same prefecture, overlooking the city and we will enjoy a stunning view of this colonial city. The Bolivian flag flapping in the wind ... It therefore consists of a headband red representing the blood of patriots, a yellow for mineral wealth of the country and a green for its natural wealth. In the center, the Andean condor throne on the crest of the Bolivian ... so rich.

In weaning songs from Tarija (ears Helene break!), Olivier did not miss the opportunity to visit a school of music deemed: " Los Masis . We will attend a course given to children, pan flutes and drums galore: local music warranty - and yes, at that time Michael Jackson was not dead!

Two small photos of the cemetery of Sucre, oddly a very pleasant place or the people come to rest ...

under our belt, two marches in the city:

The market town of Sucre, which proposed among other things, fruit salad giant ...

And Sunday, June 7, we go to market traditional Tarabucco, focused on local handicrafts.

historic struggle and reconciliation.

Many french there! Hello to Pierre and Marie has crossed Barreal and Julie and Alex, the Chtite mop encounters in Cambodia!

Helene will purchase some gloves, poncho and vest in anticipation of freezing temperatures of the Salar, and that Olivier walking his camera on faces Bolivia.

"Returning from Tarabucco, horny like a flea I was welcome Cecile, my sister at the airport in Sucre ... The aircraft eventually landed with 1 hour delay ... 1 person, 10, 30 off the plane and no Cecile!
I run on the tarmac to check me even if it did not remain on the plane !!... Cecile brief arrive a day later, the reason for the delay: the overbooking in Miami ... "Helene

To give us our emotions, we share a shisha and some glasses with Lola found here pepuis our woofing, and Melissa and Stephen of Tours.

"You have understood, in the next article, double dose Kerckhove ... hang on Rossi!"
OlivierOR.