Mine Tour in Potosi

After travelling to Potosi, Bolivia (with our favorite Brits of course) we decided to do the famous mine tour. The life of a miner was never conveyed as being easy but after seeing it first hand, we all love our jobs (or in my case, the jobs I once had). Here we go...

First Stop: Buy Coca leaves, cigarettes,
and 90 proof alcohol in the market to give to the miners.





Second Stop: Buy dynamite and other assorted chemicals in order to create a bomb.











Third Stop: Suit up. (there was a kung fu theme that day)
Presenting the famous Barny & Caroline.......







Fourth Stop: Blow stuff up.











Fifth Stop: Meet miners resting outside of the mines.
Proceed to drink the vicious alcohol that they consume.
Pour one splash on the ground for Pachi Mama,
another splash for the mine spirit (see pic below)
and then take a chug...mmm rubbing alcohol!




Sixth Stop: Enter the mine..."what's that smell"...Santo simply replies "arsenic"... mmm arsenic!








Seventh Stop: A visit to the colorfully decorated
and well endowed mine god. It is at this spot that twice
a year they drag a llama down to sacrifice to the god. There
are companies that also sacrifice fetus' as well but once you
make the sacrifice you must come back and make the same
sacrifice every year in order to maintain your luck in the mines.