Monday: Oruro

Oruro is a hap'nin' town. Bustling with activity when we arrived, it was noticeable that the women here were very different in appearance. There were still those with the traditional Bolivian Inca look complete with 'bowler hat', but there were many more with 'western' appearance and more angular features. This may have been the result of the influx of migrant workers from around the region cashing in on the tin/tungsten mining boom. Oruro is also famous for the Carnaval de Oruro, one of the most famous in South America

Towering over the town is a statue of the Virgin Mary and child sitting on a hill top. I thought of climbing this hill in the morning, but starting from a base at 3700m I thought better of it as at this altitude just climbing the stairs can result in breathlessness.

Before dinner I walk the seemingly miles and miles of market stalls selling everything from tools and bicycle parts to meat and hair care products. I've never seen such an extensive set of stalls and small shops. In places the thick throng of shoppers are parted by slow moving buses emitting noxious fumes with the engines barely idling. Dogs pick their way through the offcuts of meat discarded from the meat market and like everywhere we've seen in Bolivia the place is strewn with rubbish and detritus. As night closes in, the temperature drops and in this area it is not unknown for it to reach -10C and below at night time in the winter. We are lucky that it doesn't get this cold, but it is bracing nonetheless.

After a cold night, the next morning at breakfast we notice coca leaves among the jams and spreads on offer. This underlines Oruro's on-the-edge character.

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