Dizzying heights of Potosi
Trip Start
Nov 24, 2010
1
32
98
Trip End
Sep 23, 2011
Where I stayed
Potosi, Potosí, Bolivia
Friday, February 4, 2011
We left Uyuni and the salt flats behind
To take a five hour bus to Potosi to see what we could find
Potosi in fact as a city is very very high
Over 4,100 metres up in the sky
It is the highest city in all the worlds land
That is what we have read and understand
We arrived intending to stay for at least two nights
But quickly realised there were no worthwhile sights
So for only one night we will stay
Then get a bus to Sucre and be on our way
Potosi had at least one attractive square
That you could sit and admire whilst breathing the thin air
We walked to the top of the Mirador Cafe
For the views where you can see far far away
The hot chocolate they sold wasnt something to be desired
Whoever made it should have been fired
There is a lot of rubbish and poor hygiene everywhere
This makes Lisa want to pull out all her hair
For things in Potosi (Bolivia) are very basic
Lisa doesnt know how long she can face it
So twenty four hours in Potosi and very very high
These two Brits just want to say goodbye
To do this the only way is to go down
We say with a smile, hopefully not a frown
We hope the travel down makes us feel great
And that the bus is not running late
Jon says one thing - at least its cheap
But the high altitude is not good for the sleep
At this very moment to leave Bolivia will make our day
We dream of a land (any land) far far away
As we move on we both hope and pray
That things will improve when we reach Sucre!
Bus journeys in Bolivia
Travel by bus in Bolivia does not make you feel at ease
As reading this poem you will see it is no breeze
You have time to write as there is no chance of sleep
The constant bumps in the road make your eyes weep
As the bus shakes, rattles and rolls
The driver seems to deliberately hit all the pot holes
The scenery at least provides some solace
As we dream of flat roads in the land of promise
With so many bumps you are sure to find
The feeling goes completely from your behind
As we listen to the engine moan and roar
We pray the bus keeps on going forever more
Everytime the bus stops we hope the engine restarts
The thought of being stranded gives a jump to our hearts
The scenery at least provides some solace
As we dream of flat roads in the land of promise
Some corners the bus turns we are right on the edge
As the bus clings on to the roadside ledge
At least this time our bags are in the back
Not getting wet on the roof rack
With so many stops as people embark each with a huge bag
My word how this makes the journey drag
The scenery at least provides some solace
As we dream of flat roads in the land of promise!
Set on a desolate, windswept plain amid barren mountains at almost 4100m above sea level, Potosi is the highest city in the world. Given it's remote and inhospitable location, it's difficult to see at first glance why it was ever built here!
