Christi and I stroll to the Cafe Gourmet Mirador in the foothills of Cerro Churuquella today for views over the historic colonial center of Sucre. The views are wonderful as is the freshly squeezed OJ and the chocolates we demolish while we indulge in our decadent lifestyle. Sucre is just a gem of a city – up there with Cuenca as one of our favorites of the entire trip to date. On our return to downtown Sucre disaster strikes: my Tevas need some running repairs and a guy on the street with a sewing machine obliges. I take a quick snap of his handy work, but the camera slips from my hands and crashes to the floor. My heart skips a beat as I rescue it and assess the damage. I have broken the flash unit; it could have been much worse. A camera shop in town say they can fix it – maybe.
The main square in Sucre, the Plaza 25 de Mayo, is very busy today. First there appears to be a demonstration against the narcotics trade, then a very vocal parade of women and traditional bands. And finally there is a series of poetry readings. Christi and I lounge in the square eating more rich, delicious chocolates from some very fancy confectioners that dot the plaza and watch this odd assortment of entertainment. Such a decadent life.
Later we have dinner at the Joy Ride Café so that we can watch the documentary-cum-movie entitled, The Devil’s Miner. It’s the harrowing story of a 14-year-old boy forced to work in the dangerous Cerro Rico silver mines of Potosi where 8 million miners died over the last 450 years. The grim working class town of Potosi paid for Sucre’s expensive colonial make-over and the extravagancies enjoyed by the Spanish Empire for 200 years – and us!
Blog post by Roderick Phillips author of Weary Heart – a gut-wrenching, heart-wrenching, laugh-wrenching ride.
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