On May 25th, 1809, students and nationalists in Sucre declared independence from the Spanish Empire. Known as the "Grito de la Libertad", or Shout of Liberty, this was the first of many popular uprisings all across South America. Today, Sucre is rightfully proud to be the birthplace of South American independence.
Sucre is known around Bolivia as the City with Four Names. From its indigenous roots, through the Spanish Empire and into its present-day name which honors a revolutionary hero, Sucre has always had a bit of an identity problem.
Young kids hard at work is all too common a scene on Sucre's streets. From shoeshiners to car washers, boys and girls are spending their childhood in Bolivia's unofficial labor force. Just yesterday, I bought a newspaper, gum and a woven blanket from kids who couldn't have been over ten.
Before arriving in Sucre, I really didn't know what to expect! My knowledge of the city and country were near zero, so I've been spending a lot of times in the streets to educate myself. I hope you enjoy this set of pictures, which represent my first impressions of this incredible place.
It was our first day in Sucre, and the women in the tourist office seemed to be competing over who could be the most helpful. The younger lady took an early lead by piling brochures into my hands, offering advice on bus connections and informing us about upcoming festivals. However, her opponent, older and more deliberate, claimed victory after hearing Juergen say he was a photographer. "Ah! I bet you want a view over the city." Yes, that is exactly what we want!
In May 2011, Aerosur brought us from Buenos Aires to our new home in Sucre, Bolivia. The "white city" is heralded as the country's most beautiful, and would be our base of operations for the next three months as we explored Bolivia's nature, towns and landscapes, met its people, and learned about their customs and culture.
