Many people work in 3 shifts around the clock in this mine, closest to town - the typical worker earns between $4.50 to $10 per day with an average life expectancy of 35. The local market closest to the mine supplies the employees with their daily needs of coca leaves, clothing, flashlights, and dynamite...the sale of which is completely unregulated in this town only - we could have bought it if we wanted!
The town of Sucre is the constitutional capital of Bolivia, and birthplace of the Bolivian nation. Many museums and lots of history - a very nice and relaxing town to have spent the Easter holidays. The bonus to everything was the prices - we bought lunch for both of us for under $5!
One of the most incredible parts of the trip so far was the rock quarry where dinosaur footprints were discovered a few years ago. The area is not under the constant study of palaeontologists and one can see - literally - thousands of dinosaur footprints from 60million years ago - mind boggling...
From Sucre we flew to the tropical east of Bolivia and ended up in Samaipata - one of the historical centers of the Incan empire, where the Incan empire traded with the tribes from the Amazon.
El Fuerte was carved by an Amazonian tribe that pre-dated the Incas - at least 700 years go. The hill is sandstone, and the site was carved right into the mound. It was later taken over by the Incas, and after that, the Spanish Conquistadors.
The following day we went for a hike up a considerable verticle incline to find a cave with some old, but unidentified paintings.
On the way down, we decided to take a picture with a very unique local cactus - ouch!
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