Bolivia - Sucre: Colonial Bolivia

While Potosi had the silver, it also had a cold climate. Not surprisingly, once some Spaniards became rich and didn’t really need to be at the mine, they moved to a more temperate place, namely Sucre.  Sucre is now a lovely, peaceful old colonial town (and a favorite place for tourists and Spanish language schools). It is also the birthplace of Bolivian independence from Spain.  The Casa de Libertad, where the document declaring independence was signed, is just off the main square.

One of our most delightful experiences in Sucre was our hotel, the Parador de Santa Maria Real. Sucre was the seat of government in the area during the Spanish colonial period. The hotel is where the colonial administrative offices were located as well as the residential quarters for the Spanish government officials. Walking around the hotel was like stepping back into the 17^th century imperial Spain, but with electric lights, wifi, etc. and without the foul smells and other inconveniences of that era.

 The hotel has several courtyards. Above is the blue courtyard, just off the lobby.

Our room was off this courtyard (we walked through the blue one to get to it).

Yet another courtyard

The basement (wine cellar in a earlier time) included a museum with 17th and 18th century clothing, guns and other accessories of the colonial era.

This was the dining room in the basement all set up for the period (we never ate there). However, we did have the breakfast in dining room off the lobby where we ran into a mother from Utah, her son and his friend who were visiting their friend who was a temple worker at the Cochabamba temple.  Their friend was from Shreveport, Louisiana and had worked in the Dallas Temple!  We enjoyed talking with them. It is a small world.

Sucre (as well as other South American towns) like to clown around. This day for reasons we did not understand these zebras were out around the plaza helping people cross the street. One decided to help Sister Hyer and to be her friend.

Sucre is the "constitutional" capital of Bolivia, although La Paz is the administrative and functional capital. No one ever provided a logical explanation for this; it is just the way it worked out. As the constitutional capital, the Supreme Court of Bolivia, officially know as the Supreme Tribunal of Justice, is here. Above is the Supreme Court building (a neoclassical structure that looks like a supreme court building).

Inside the main courtyard of the building. The statute is of Dr. Pantaleon Dalence, an 19th century judge credited with creating the justice system in Bolivia.

The is the "Salon de Debates," where the hearings are actually held. Unfortunately, none were scheduled the day we were there.

The building includes the official library, which much like those in courthouses in the US is used by local attorneys and students, as well as the judges. In Bolivia, like other Latin American countries, the text of new laws and court orders are published in a gazette. This is a copy of the first edition of such gazette in 1858.

Evie and our tour guide in the room known as the Salon de los Espejos (hall of mirrors), which is used largely for official receptions.

Just outside Sucre is a national park where you can see thousands of dinosaurs tracks. We weren't able to go, but near the supreme court building is a really nice park and playground with a dinosaur theme  (we visualized our grand kids playing on all the cool stuff). 

Walking back looking for a place for lunch we saw a sign at this church, La Iglesia de San Miguel, for the "cafe de torre." Being hungry, we went in and found two young men really excited to have some customers. They had opened this cafe in the bell tower of this old church as a way to help fund its restoration.

This is the concept: A table and interesting furnishings at each landing on the stairway up the bell tower.

We, like everyone else, struggled up to the top where you get stunning views of the city. Despite the climb, it is a great place for a light lunch (I'm not sure how well it works out for the waiters).

While we were waiting for our orders (and we did wait a long time), a British couple came up, and since the only other table was taken, accepted our offer to join us. They were a nice couple, and we had very interesting conversations. They were part of a group touring Brazil and Bolivia.

Sucre sits in a bowl and at the top of one the side of the bowl is the Church and Convent of the Recoleta. It is an operating convent and runs a school to the right of this picture. But the real importance of the Recoleta is this:

The mirador de la Recoleta - the overlook that is the best place to get pictures of Sucre. There are also merchants selling here and we bought a few things.

Sunset from the mirador, on our way back to the hotel.

Sucre has developed a reputation for great chocolates with several  "artisan" chocolate makers here. The most well known is "Chocolate Para Ti." They offered tours of the chocolate factory along with a museum and presentation about chocolate making. It was fun and we got some free cocoa beans (although, after seeing all that goes into making chocolate, I have no idea what we'll do with them).

Of course, we bought some chocolates at the factory store for gifts. Sorry, we ate them instead.