Llama Llama Llama Llama Llama Chameleon

I finally saw llamas! In fact, I have now seen lots of them, being in the highlands and all. I am actually in Potosi, officially the highest city in the world. It is over 4000 metres above sea level which means that even the simplest tasks (like putting on a jumper) can leave you uncomfortably out of breath.

Potosi is, however, probably one of the saddest places that you'll ever go to, predominantly because in the 16th century, when the Spanish discovered that the neighbouring mountain Cerro Rico was the world's richest silver deposit, an estimated eight million black and Indian slaves died in what were appalling conditions in the mines. Collapses were regular, but more often than enough, it was the use of mercury and noxious gases that brought on a simultaneously long and short death. Freeman and I are going into the mines tomorrow which will most likely be harrowing enough without imagining eight million ghosts pursuing us in the tunnels.

That said, the city now still has remnants of its old colonial glory, which are great to enjoy if you're not clutching your chest and wondering where all the oxygen went.

I have become quite addicted to coca tea. Apparently, thanks to the U.S government, all coca and its derivatives (from the apparently innocent, such as tea to the less innocent but much-in-demand-in-the-West cocaine) is completely illegal. Despite this, Mike is still trying to work out ways to sneak coca liquor back to Ireland / Canada. The rest of us have sensibly decided on alpaca products.