D123: Potosí city and drive to Uyuni :)

After such a difficult previous day visiting the mines, I have 1/2 day to "relax" and visit Potosi, before to drive few hours to another famous spot, this time pleasant: Uyuni at the border of the salt flats.

POTOSI CITY
Potosí is one of the highest city in the world, standing at about 4,100m and with about 200,000 inhabitants. As explained in the Potosi mines post, it was founded to manage the extraction and shipment of silver from the Cerro Rico mine, and quickly became a very wealthy city, and one of the largest in South America at the time.  Some of this wealth was used to build magnificent baroque churches and monasteries.

The wealthy history of Potosí is still reflected in the narrow streets, colonial mansions and the many churches, which makes the city a very pleasant place to walk around. Except that at that altitude, and despite being "high" since 10 days, you can feel you are weaker!

There are few museums to see, but I just walked for few hours around, and went up the "Torre de la Compania de Jesus", or mirador, to have a view around and above the city. The atmosphere in the streets was very nice, as everyone seemed to prepare buildings and streets to welcome the Bolivia national day the next day.

Main central square

The nice city hall on the main square

Inside a nice bulding & museum... i forgot the name and cannot find it!

A nice monastery

Main square with the view on Cerro Rico

A nice ornamented building

Another church 

Another nice building

Entrance of the mirador, or "Torre de la compania de Jesus"

View from the mirador / tower, with Nina - Marten - Stevie - George - me

DRIVE TO UYUNI Early afternoon we leave Potosi to drive to Uyuni, and enjoy a very scenic drive, through very arid landscapes.
We arrive at Uyuni just when the sun is setting down, very nice views on this enormous flat area, the day after sounds promising :-)

Dry valley view

Dry valley view

Watch-Out, lamas risk on the road ;-)

Sunset on Uyuni and the salt flats start