Sucre is, I think, my favourite place so far. I can´t really put my finger on exactly why, but it´s beautiful city. I could really see myself living there. There are large plazas with interesting sculptures and tropical plants, the people are nice, and it has an interesting history too. (Colonial, various uprisings and revolutions, and four different names since it was founded!) I don´t want to keep boring you with history lessons, but it really is beautiful there. With a Spring-like climate all year round!
The first night we watched a film called The Devil´s Miner. I recommend that everyone see it once in their life. It´s a documentary that follows a boy of 14 that works in the mines at Potosi. It is truly shocking. The situation in which so many Bolivian families find themseves is so sad and frustrating, making it almost impossible for them to even earn enough money to eat, let alone access education. Again, I don´t wish to make any of this blog preachy or pretentious, but this film really gets to you. At the end I felt sad, indignant and speechless. I wasn´t the only one crying.
On a lighter note, we took in a show another night to watch a variety of local traditional dances from all over Bolivia. It was spectacular! And great fun - at the end we all got up to join them! The costumes were amazing too. Some ideas for the carnaval in Rio!
As usual we took in the markets selling artesan bits and bobs, making the journey out of Sucre to a village in the mountains where they make and wear traditional helmets of leather. We also visited a few important buildings, even seeing the original declaration made by Simon de Bolivar. (The first Bolivian president after the clashes with the Spanish) (I must say, I´m glad I´m not a Spanish tourist here after a few comments!)
As I said, Sucre made a massive impression on me. I feel sure that I´ll return one day.
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