10/02/2012 - 8,000,000 Deaths +1?

Yesterday Mitch and I organized to go on the mine tour; we had to make it down to the tour office by 9:00 where we were thrown on a bus with a bunch of others, two of which I had met before. Both older French woman one I met more recently on the Huayna potosi trek and the other in guatemala over a year ago. Myself and the bus load of people went to put on gear needed of the tour, this included headlamps, helmets, boots and overalls - all things that were necessary as the mine was dark, dusty, small and muddy.
Before entering the mine we were asked to purchase gifts for the miners we all had to buy something cheap like juice, cigarettes and coca leaves but one thing that interested in was that you could buy dynamite and at $2 a pop with the fuse a bargain too; unfortunately I didn't buy any - probably for the best.
The mine tour was held in a working mine with miners struggling to push trolleys filled with tonnes rock being rushed about on the broken tracks that ran throughout the mine.
Many times we had to find some open space on the walls to avoid being run down.
Whilst in the mines the workers worship and make offerings to a devil god named Tio who protects the workers from injury and death while in the mine but only while inside, outside the people revert to God and Jesus.
Deeper into the catacombs of the mine it got hot, almost unbearably hot and with more levels beneath you can understand why so many people die in this mine, whether it is the dust, heat, danger or other factors. still an estimated 8 million people have died in this mountain, no wonder why it is known as the mountain that eats you alive.
With a bad neck from always bending over and constantly bashin my head against the ceiling I was glad when I saw the light at the end of the tunnel.
It was a good tour but also exhausting, returning to the hotel I decided to stay another night to catch up on sleep telling Bo and Mitch I'd see them in Sucre the following day, also as it was Bo's birthday I thought I'd give the couple some time alone.
Btw, I still haven't had a good Bolivian meal - in so sick of soggy fries with rice. Why would anyone want to do cooking lessons here?