We decided to spend a week in Sucre, as we had heard from lots of other travellers that it was a great place for Spanish school. Plus when you're on the road all the time travelling, the idea of being in one place for a whole week is really appealing.
The night before we cruised into Sucre was a really bizarre one. We had ended up miscalculating on our route and found ourselves in the absolute middle of nowhere. It was still another 5 hours to Sucre, and we decided to just stop for the night. We found a place out in the country side on the bald-ass altiplano. It puts the Prairies to shame. We hadn't wildcamped in Bolivia yet, as it was pretty cheap even to get rooms, plus in poorer countries it can be unsafe. So when we were all set up and in bed we were slightly perturbed when a vehicle drove by super erratically, flashing their blinkers, hazards, and swerving all over the dirt road, getting high-centered on rocks and taking FOREVER to get going again. It was pretty obvious they were wasted. Never in my life had I seen someone drive that drunk, it was ridiculous. They drove by a couple times that night, and I was super freaked out and did not sleep much. The next morning we were up early to get the heck out of dodge, and the same guy showed up in his vehicle, still driving like an idiot. He got out and started chatting with Jared like it was the most normal thing in the world, asking about our travels and which way we were heading. He drunkenly pointed out the direction of Sucre, Potosí and Oruru for us (thanks for the hot tips......). Then he topped it all off with a nice handshake, which Jared said was very sticky. Looking back on it now, we laugh at old 'sticky fingers', but at the time I thought we would have to make a mad dash out of there at 3 am.......and hence this is why we didn't do much wildcamping in Bolivia!
Villages we drove through on the way to Sucre.....we were really out there 😕
We got into Sucre that night and found a nice AirBnb. Anything was going to be an improvement over the night before, but this place was really nice because the woman always wanted to speak Spanish with us, and it was good practice. We also had a great view of the city from the rooftop terrace, and we would catch lots of sunsets from up there.
Our week of Spanish classes were really great, Sucre is a cool place and it didn't hurt that it was all pretty cheap!
The picture below is of the Casa de la Libertad, it is important because of the bell tower, the sight of the 'first cry for freedom' in Latin America. It was here on May 25, 1809 that one of the revolutionaries demanding independence from Spanish rule climbed the bell tower and rang it so hard it cracked. Bolivia did not become independent until 1825, but the event fomented the desire for freedom in the people, and it set off an unstoppable chain of events that eventually led to independence.
One of the other highlights of the touristy things we did that week was to visit the Museo de Arte y Indigena, which showcased the amazing weaving talents of the Jal'qa and Tarabuco cultures of the area.
You couldn't take pictures inside the museum, a rule I sometimes obide by, like today. This was from the gift shop. You could actually purchase these modern-day weavings made with all the ancient techniques, and they were practically giving them away for 500-1000 cdn. We didn't buy any, because it's too much for our wee backpacker budget, but the thought of what that would cost in Canada is a little mind blowing!
These little figures were no bigger than the tips of my fingers, and there was an entire tapestry like that.
Admiring some traditional dress. Men are actually very involved in this art of weaving, and can do as much as the women.
A weaving in progress
One really cool aspect of these weaving was that they could be viewed from all four directions once completed, and there were little figures that would be 'right side up' no matter which way you looked at it. How complicated would that be to be thinking about 4 directions as you are weaving?!?
A great view over the city from the mirador right beside the museum
Walking a rather steep street back home
Doing some Spanish homework on the terrace. Not bad for $11 a night.
There a so many nice buildings to see walking around. You just get your camera put away and it's out again 😁
And before we knew it our week of rest, relaxation and Spanish school was over. Next up was the silver mines of Potosí, full of history and still operational today.
Until Next Time!
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