Sucre

I knew I would like Sucre, only the name makes me want to visit it. The buildings are all white and look like sugar and I would personally have thought the city received its name because of this. General Sucre, the revolutionary leader fighting for Bolivia’s independence gave his name to the town, is what I learned in Casa de la Libertad, where the Bolivian constitution was signed. Nowadays, La Paz is the Capital of Bolivia whereas Sucre remains the constitutional capital and they are very proud of it. I am particularly interested in the indigenous culture, so I first go to the mask museum, where different masks used for ceremonies are kept. Diablada, Cueca, Puillay are only one of the few dances I remember. Each dance has a special story, and special masks that go with it, a wolf, a devil, a pig… It has been a long time since I have climbed a hill, so I decide to go to the Mirador, Elke has told me they have the best hot chocolate in town there, which is true. A nice sandwich, sun, a beautiful view, a fresh fruit juice, and a hot chocolate, what more can I ask for?

If you ever go to Sucre, you must visit the museum of indigenous art. It is one of the most beautiful museums I have seen, and the explanations are clear and extensive. Bolivian women, and men make remarkable weavings; of heaven, of earth, and of hell. There is also a section on music instruments, clothing, archeology and other subjects related to indigenous art, history and culture.  Have a look, I wasn’t allowed to take pictures there:

http://www.asur.org.bo/en/museum/rooms/tinkipaya

In the evening, Elke and Daniel invite me to join them to see a performance of traditional dances, of course I want to! It is beautiful, and I can see how all the masks, costumes and musical instruments I have seen during the day are used.

The Sunday market in Tarabuco is very famous. Indigenous people from surrounding villages flock to this quiet little town to sell their production of weavings but also fruits and vegetables. Nice but a bit touristy, and the dance performance at lunch does not match what I saw yesterday.

Next day is a lazy day in Sucre with Katja and Vero, from the mine tour, walking around, eating, talking…

photos Sucre - Tarabuco