South by South America Tour – Bolivia Part 8
Tuesday, September 24, 2019
Potosi, Bolivia
The lovely Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago with an ugly black tarp in front of it in Potosi, Bolivia.
A statue inside the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago in Potosi, Bolivia.
A large pipe organ inside the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago in Potosi, Bolivia.
The bell tower on top of the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago in Potosi, Bolivia.
Cerro Rico, as seen from the bell tower on top of the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago in Potosi, Bolivia.
The Obelisco Potosi, as seen from the bell tower on top of the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago in Potosi, Bolivia.
Cerro Rico, as seen from the bell tower on top of the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago in Potosi, Bolivia.
Today, I hit up two spots, the first of which was the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago, the biggest church in Potosi, boasting twin bell towers which sits right on the Plaza de 10 Noviembre. It was really hard to find a way in, as the front and back doors are closed except when there are services. I had to ask someone next door how to enter and they told me there is a small museum attached to the church, where I had to pay to get in. So, I went there and after paying a nominal fee, a nice, young lady unlocked the back doors and gave me a quick tour of the church, from the main hall, to the big pipe organ upstairs and all the way to the top of the bell tower! Spectacular views of Potosi are to be found up there! She didn’t speak English, but I managed to decipher a little bit of what she said.
The Plaza de 10 Noviembre, as seen from the bell tower on top of the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago in Potosi, Bolivia.
The bell tower on top of the Catedral Metropolitana del Apóstol Santiago in Potosi, Bolivia.
Decapitated cattle heads at the central market in Potosi, Bolivia.
The entrance to the Casa Moneda in Potosi, Bolivia.
An intersection on Calle Bolivar in Potosi, Bolivia.
A pedestrian-only back lane in Potosi, Bolivia.
A panoply of protuberances at Plaza de 10 Noviembre in Potosi, Bolivia.
A picturesque arch in Potosi, Bolivia.
The Obelisco Potosi all lit up at night in Potosi, Bolivia.
After that, I moseyed a couple of blocks over to the Casa de Moneda, where after standing in line with other foreigners for a short while, we got an English-speaking guide, who gave us a tour through the facilities, which included a few rooms of Christian religious paintings from a few centuries back, plus a history of silver mining and coin production in Potosi. The methods of coin production ranged from giant, room-sized wooden wheel contraptions powered by horses downstairs, to belt-driven machines and more modern electric-powered versions. The interior of the building was freezing cold, thanks not to air con, but the huge, thick stones that make up the walls. There were also plenty of tripping hazards—think nuts and bolts and other random protuberances—built into the floor. For the grand finale of the day, I walked a few blocks west from the Plaza de 10 Noviembre and hung out at a scenic arch which perfectly framed the Cerro Rico in the distance. Although it’s cramped and crowded, central Potosi is a really scenic town that is fun to walk around.
Words and photos ©2019 Arcane Candy.
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