Machacamarca - Tin and Train Ghost Town

Oruro Rotarians took us to a mining ghost town today called Machacamarca. The train station was full of school kids on a field trip to the same town and so it seemed liked we would have a crowded train. As it turned out, we had the dining car completely to ourselves.

Machacamarca was in its prime during the 1950’s, but started to empty out as the world tin market begain to decline. Tin was replaced by plastic and this little town began to look like a reject movie set from a Hollywood Western. We visited the very well maintained train museum and were impressed with how they had restored and kept their trains in pristine condition (unlike Snoqualmie’s Train Museum, where many of the trains are turning into big rust wagons).

Later we visited a women’s cooperative in Korikollo. The women in the village started a small child care business for the local families who work in Oruro. From that grew the idea of picking Quinoa, drying it, dying it, and exporting it to countries who use the stalks in flower arrangements. They are sending the Quinoa to Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada and Brazil. See them on the web at www.QuinoaFlor.com. Our guide was Limber Sanchez, a Rotarian who has worked for non-profits for many years and whose club has been working directly with Quinoa Flor. Limber’s non-profit has help campesinos of Bolivia raise llamas, better their cultivation techniques, and mechanize agricultural production.

Our presentation to the Oruro Rotary Club was open to other clubs, but not many managed to make the lunch. This was only our second presentation since arriving in Bolivia, but it felt as if it flowed much better.

To relax, they took us out to Karaoke from 10 pm to 2 am. I only fell asleep 3 times, but I couldn’t miss the chance to sing Love Me Tender and Leaving on a Jet Plane!