I think I getting the black lung pop

An ex-miner.

An established "Potosian".

A proud Man.





...Julio guaranteed me miners.


After a failed attempt two earlier (...they were all mashed) we started the day bribing them (the miners that is) with booze, fags, dynamite and coca leaves (all the important shit for a days work).
One of them (the miners), may of suggested that I was sexually inclined to the same sex, (although I thought I looked rather rugged in my helmet, boiler suit). Anyway communication difficulties work both ways and I smiled and (rather bravely) cussed back in my best English Slang (much to the delight of my tour group).

...TAKE THAT (you devil worshipping, llama sacrificing...toothless oaf!).


Running around the mines, avoiding carts, scaling ladders was a pretty intense experience.

...Occasionally we would stumble upon sweaty men being "proper hard"...

(here's me wheelbarrowing some rocks)



(... I let out a little scream to lift it)

Towards the end of the tour we were formally introduced to Tio...
Tio is...Satan...a well respected member of this mining community. He is often lavished with gifts for luck and to prevent accidents, although for some reason our particular Tio was rather excited to see us.

Whilst in Potosi I also got chased by a (rather aggressive) dog and saw a kid roundhouse an (unsuspecting) donkey.



...For a more accurate (and slightly more harrowing) insight into these working mines, check out the (rather good) doc... The Devils Miner ... the (all too common) story of the 14 year old Basilio working the mines.