From Potosi to Uyuni

 Different from the open schedules listed at Google, most churches in Potosi were still closed on Saturday morning. Many of the city's churches and cathedrals were built during the height of the silver boom, funded by the wealth extracted from Cerro Rico. They are testament to the power and wealth of the Spanish colonial rulers and the Catholic Church.  Named a UNESCO World Heritage site, Potosí has some 2,000 elegant and remarkably well-preserved 16th-, 17th- and 18th-century churches, mansions, theatres and other historical buildings, that share the distinctive Mestizo-Baroque style combining Indigenous and European designs. The designs include traditional Andean symbols, such as the sun and the moon, and Catholic iconography in the grand cathedral, which overlooks the main square and hides an interior that is a wedding cake of white pillars, pink marble, stained glass and gilt edging. These Spanish colonial Baroque entrances remibd me of the rock-cut temple Hellenistic entrance architecture in Patra in Jorden. They all have elaborate details like columns, pediments, and sculptures. The key difference is that Petra's "doors" are non-functional facades directly carved into rock, while Potosí's church doors are functional entryways made of separate building materials.  

I took photos of these builings in the sun, then started walking 1.4 miles uphills to the Mirador Ticka Loma (mirador Arco de tika loma). From this lookout point, I enjoyed a panoramic view of the city and the valley below. I also saw the surrounding mountains, such as Cerro Rico and Cerro Rico Chico. It was a pity that the Bolivian election on 10/19 took away one day when I could havevised to hike around Cerro Rico or nearby overlooks to train for a big hike in La Paz, since Potosi is over 4,000 meters high. I bought street food (beef rib spaghetti, 15b = $1.2) to take out and ate back in the hostel.

I met my friend at his hostel after he finished the mine tour, and we added one more traveler to bus to Uyuni together. I was squeezed by a big local lady on the right, plus hot afternoon sun, so I saw but did not photo the Andean and altiplano landscapes of rolling hills, stony terrain, and small villages. 

The new traveler is also from Taiwan and now lives on the west coast of USA. The 2:00 pm bus arrived at Uyuni almost 6 pm. We checked in the hostel then walked around for food. I and my TW friend ate dinner in a Chinese restaurant. I had seafood fried noodles (海鮮炒麵，50b = $4) and she had beef noodle soup （牛肉麵, 60b = $4.8 ).  So nice to have Chinese food after traveling 1.5 months. I have 11 more days to enjoy the landscape, food, and low cost in Bolivia.