Who: Leslie Anderson and daughter Gabrielle of Golden
Where: Southern Bolivia, between Tupiza and Potosi
Out and about: Our “Express” bus broke a huge spring as we traveled a primitive national road through desert and scrub, near where Butch and Sundance died. The driver and shotgun immediately donned coveralls, became mechanics and fixed the problem on the spot. Twelve rough hours later in darkness, we reached Potosi, 13,000 feet high, 120,000 people, a World Heritage Site. Potosi is the best-preserved 16th-century Spanish city in the world and was once the largest city in the Western Hemisphere. Its silver gave Spain its wealth for 200 years. It now has amazing architecture, colorful markets with beautiful handmade textiles, friendly people, challenging bathrooms and a couple of good restaurants.
Travel tips: Bus travel in Bolivia is adventure and survival travel combined. One bus left a half hour early, our prepaid reservations ignored. Our refund request was refused, more was demanded for a later bus, and then thieves cleverly relieved us of a backpack while we waited. Better to go by car if at all possible.
