Casa Verde Hostel had good write ups about the breakfast that was included in the room price and we weren't disappointed. We were given fresh melon to start with and then yoghurt with granola. Eggs and bacon were then delivered hot to the table with very good, freshly ground coffee. If that was not enough for us, there was bread, butter and kiwi jam.

Feeling adequately full and satisfied from breakfast, we were ready to take our dirty laundry through town to LavaRap, which is probably the most professional laundry we have used since arriving in Mexico in March. As well as weighing the laundry, every piece was counted and recorded on computer for a proper ticket to be printed.

Round the corner from the Lavanderia was a 'Peluqueria' which was perfect because David needed a haircut. It wasn't quite long enough to get in his eyes but long enough to be annoying for him. The little lady in the shop quickly had his head clipped with a number 1 razor for only Bs.25.

We wandered round town afterwards but everything was closed for lunch. Bolivia seems to still work on a strict lunch break between midday and 2:30pm so there wasn't much else to do but go back to hostel and sit in the sun.

Andy and Carlee were arriving in Sucre today and we'd arranged to meet them for a bite to eat late afternoon. Our luck with finding places open today wasn't getting any better. After walking around town three times, we ended up back at Abis Patio. Everyone seemed to be going healthy with salads except David who went with extra spicy chicken wings and chips. There were no complaints about the food, everything was delicious.

We went to Joyride afterwards to see a movie with some free tickets that Carlee got from their hostel but they were not accepted, because for unknown reason they weren't showing movies during the whole week.

Our next option was Amsterdam Bar, officially movie we wanted to see, The Devil's Miner, was not being shown until Wednesday but they said they could put it on especially for us if we paid Bs.10 each to a charity for children. The Devil's Miner is a documentary about the Potosi silver mines and with litre steins of beer, we settled in to watch.

THE DEVIL’S MINER is the story of 14-year-old Basilio Vargas and his 12-year-old brother Bernardino, who work in the ancient Cerro Rico silver mines of Bolivia. It is believed that over eight million workers have perished in the mines since the 16th century.

Raised without a father and living in extreme poverty with their mother and six-year-old sister on the slopes of the mine, the boys assume many adult responsibilities. It takes two months’ work just to afford the clothing and supplies vital to their education. Without an education, the brothers have no chance to escape their destiny in the silver mines.

The Vargas boys chew coca leaves to stave off hunger and keep their wits about them during their long hours in the mines, where they also present offerings to El Tío, the malevolent spirit that is believed to reside there. Each mine has its own statue of the horned demon who guards the mine’s riches. According to local legend the mines are the exclusive province of El Tío, the protector and destroyer of the miners. El Tío is a miner’s only hope of salvation in this heavily Catholic region, where the people believe that the spirit of God does not exist in the hellish underworld inside the mountain.(http://www.pbs.org/independen tlens/devilsminer/film.html)

It was interesting and very good to see before actually going to Potosi in a couple of days time. It's possible to take tours inside the mines even though they are highly dangerous. None of us particularly wanted to go inside mines but after the film we are definitely not going on the tour. We will still have a stopover in the town before heading to Tupiza, to make the bus trip shorter.

When we asked for the bill, an alcoholic jelly shot was brought for everyone... nice touch.

On the way back to the hostel, we picked up our laundry. It looked neatly folded in the plastic bags but when we took it out, we were pleasantly surprised how clean and fresh it all smelt. It's perhaps the first time our clothes have been washed in warm water for months. Small things can make the day of a long term traveller.