Road Blocks

Our guide books have warned us that Bolivia is a country of protest and often your travels can be delayed or cancelled because of this.   We first got a glimpse of this in La Paz where workers chanted in the streets and riot police were present everywhere. 

As Colin mentioned earlier we encountered some excitement on our way to Potosi from Oruro.  About the midpoint of our journey the bus stopped and ordered us all out and onto the middle of the highway.  Colin said he could see a road block ahead and we must be getting comfortable in our travels because we picked up our bags and started trekking to the other side passing the carcass of a scorched vehicle, a smoldering pile of tires and protesters blasting flare guns into the air.  We were lucky and were able to catch a bus on the other side.

This morning we planned to head to the town of Sucre but when we asked the front desk to call us a taxi we were informed that they were on strike.   In Bolivia, strikes , again take the form of road block, the front desk clerk told us to hurry before too many blocks were set up.  We went to the main plaza and caught a micro bus which weaved in and out of the streets often having to back up due to the blocks (usually just a pile of rocks with some protesters sitting by).  We got to the bus terminal but the protesters had locked the gates, we waited a while for a taxi, and weaved our way back to the center, or as close as the driver could get.  Since leaving in the morning the amount of road blocks had doubled.  We went the rest of the way on foot back to our hostel.  We’re chalking this one up as a fun adventure and unique taste of the local culture!     

R (since the computers are not allowing us to upload picture we've taken pitures off the internet for the last two posts)