Sucre, the beautiful white city

1 January - 9 January 2010
   On New Years Day there were no buses going from Potosí to Sucre (about 3 hours) and I was pretty clean to collect my laundry and leave. The night before I had chatted to some (3) Argentinians and they had said they were planning to take a taxi to Sucre, at a cost of about $4.50 each, and there would be a spare seat for me if I would like to join them. They were kind enough to wait for me to rescue my wet clothes (see previous blog), and then we headed off together in search of a Taxi.
    Being New Years Day everybody wanted more money (most wanted $12 per person), and we had to be careful to find a driver who wasn´t still drunk or hungover from the night before. Finally we acquired a taxi for about $8 per person. My new friends were Carlos, Pablo and Maxi.
   These guys were great company. In Sucre we had trouble finding accomodation for 4 people (being New Years Day), but eventually we found a room in a really horrible hostel (well our room was up the top corner, up a dark unlit staircases, and with a shared bathroom stripped to its very basics). At least the company was good and we spent the afternoon and the next morning sightseeing together before they caught a bus to La Paz. (I was invited, but thought it better that I stick to my plan.)
   I moved to nicer accomodations the next day, intending to spent a couple of days in Sucre before departing to Tarija in the South to do some volunteer work (WWOOFing) on an organic farm. But the farm owner postponed the work a week and I ended up staying in Sucre to do some Spanish Classes.
   Sucre is a really beautiful place. An easy place to spend some time and do Spanish Classes. Although I speak fondly of the Spanish Classes I took in Antigua Guatemala, these classes undoubtedly were of better quality. They also cost more here. My teacher, Fernando, was very good, and I highly recommend his ability.

Taking a taxi cost more than a bus, but it´s still not a bad price to pay. And the driver stopped the car to show us things.

The central Plaza of Sucre is very leafy, lots of seating. And lots of kids begging to let them shine your shoes.

In Sucre´s central Mercado I realised I had entered the land of potatoes.

Fresh produce in the Mercado.

If a gringo (a white person....me) sits in a restaurant or cafe, the beggars sit waiting outside.

I´m just a little jealous. These gringos rode into Sucre while I was sitting in a restaurant near the Plaza. I had to say hello. They started out individually in the USA, and joined forces along the way. One couple (sharing a bike) were from Australia. Travelling by bus frustrates me... I can´t stop whereever I want and am very constrained. I´d love to have independent transport (and a like minded companion for it).

Notes:
Accomodation first night: Hostal Amigo * $6.
Accomodation afterwards: Colon 220 **** $6 I loved it because I could step from my room into a sunny courtyard.
Private classes in Spanish: Academia de Español $6 per hour. Classes are also available with this school in Cuzco, Peru, and Quito, Ecuador.
Typical Lunch, 3 courses: $1.50 (why cook when I can do this?)