Oruro: Welcome to the Devils' Town

The day before Celia and I left for Oruro, a smaller settlement of the Southern Altiplano, I worked a 24 hour shift at the girls' home. Oruro is a miners' city, has an extremely rough, tough climate, which coupled with poverty, has hardened the people. Most of the inhabitants are indigenous and speak Quechua. But, despite the extreme cold and the very high altitude, I enjoyed Oruro, the place with the biggest, most famous Carnaval celebration in Bolivia. Hence, the city of the Devil, as the Morenada, a traditional dance of Bolivia, was created here in this small Altiplano city.

Oruro is about 4-5 hours by bus from Cochabamba, and we arrived around 8:30 AM after waking up in the middle of the night to head to the bus terminal. We arrived, found a hotel, got ready, and set out to explore the city. Our first stop was for a Saltena (A traditional Bolivian snack that is like a pot pie, but picked up, shaken, and eaten.) Because of the altitude, looking back, this was not the best idea, but that part of the story comes later. We then headed to the northern part of the city to the Kantuta market, which is huge! Vendors and sellers line street after street offering deals for clothes and shoes, animals and school supplies, etc. After a few hours, I began to feel the affects of the altitude, and sadly, after getting sick in the market, put an end, and a damper on our first day.

The next day, after getting sleep and becoming more acclimatized, we headed to Obrajes, natural, hot pools about 20 minutes outside of the city. We spent the whole morning relaxing and chatting, while enjoying the nice, warm waters. However, leaving the pools and entering the very cold, chilly air was the worst part.

The main pool at Obrajes, but there are other smaller pools around this one.

After trying to get as dry and warm as possible, and getting dressed, we had a relaxing lunch and then headed back into the city. After dropping our wet clothes off at the hotel, we walked around the city, taking pictures, stopping for warm drinks, and entering small shops. We met up with Celia's friend and made plans for later that night. After a quick shower, we had dinner with Celia's friend, her boyfriend, and two kids. After, we went out to dance and celebrate San Juan, the longest, coldest night in Bolivia. Traditionally, people make bonfires to keep warm and cook hot dogs, while waiting for the sun to come up.

Our last day was packed--we went to see where the famous Carnaval celebration happens every year--Sanctuario de la Virgen de Socavon. Today, a church stands with a portrait of the Virgen, and during the festivities, the dancers enter the church on their knees, crawling to the Virgen, and promising to dance 3 years. However, years ago, this was a mine. This is an interesting parallel--a church, and a mine, which is considered a type of hell by many in Bolivia.

Celia and I in front of the monument to Miners outside of the Sanctuario de la Virgen de  Socavon. 

The Sanctuario de la Virgen de Socavon, the Sacro Museum, and the mining museum.

After walking around the church, we climbed down into the old mine, and saw tools used, the old tunnels, and the "Tio," the spirit of the underground. The miners give coca, cigarettes, and alcohol to the "Tio" to protect them and keep them safe during their time underground. Upstairs, is the Sacro Museum, which holds old dance costumes, church artifacts, etc.

Inside the Santuario--the ceiling is absolutely beautiful, and depicts the Virgen fighting certain evil entities. 

After, we headed to the Faro, where Bolivia's red, gold, and green flag was raised for the first time in 1851. (Red for the courage of the Bolivian army, gold for the country's mineral wealth, and green for its agricultural wealth.) Today, a huge platform with a column topped with a glass globe stands to commemorate this event. From the Faro, you can see the whole city!

The Faro

View of a section of the city from the Faro. 

After the Faro, we walked around and visited plazas and small streets with very old, antique buildings. The zoo was our last stop, and we were accompanied by Celia's friends kids. It was fun to watch as they ran around excitedly looking at the animals. Not wanting to leave, we headed to the bus station around 5 to head back to the city of eternal spring, Cochabamba.

Despite the horrible altitude sickness and the extreme cold, Oruro is an interesting city, hardened by their past of poverty and mining to make a living, as well as the extreme weather. The small city is full of character and history, but is a hidden gem that few have experienced.