Las Heroínas

From our apartment window, we can see a small hill surmounted by a statue. This is la colina San Sebastián, and the monument was erected in honour of the brave cochabambinas who attempted to defend their home against a royalist invasion in Bolivia's War of Independence over two hundred years ago.

Heroic women (and Christ)

We took the short walk to the top of the hill, known as La Coronilla to get a closer look at the monument. Underneath the obligatory statue of Christ is a huddle of women and children. The central figure raises a walking stick in a posture of defiance. This is Mañuela Gandarillas, a blind lady who, on 27th May 1812, led the women of the town onto the streets, crying "Nuestro hogar es sagrado!" (Our home is sacred).

Emboldened by recent victories, Goyeneche led the royalist troops to quash rebels uprisings where he found them. Esteban Arze, to whom there is a monument at the foot of the hill on Avenida Aroma, led a guerrilla movement against Goyeneche, but had recently suffered defeat at Pocona. His forces were weakened and had little preparation for the attack on Cochabamba.

Therefore, the women took it upon themselves to defend their homes, digging in at San Sebastian hill. Sadly, Goyeneche and his men entered the city, captured those on the hill after only a two-hour battle, and executed the revolutionary leaders, thereby destroying the local resistance.

The women heroines are honoured with this monument and, since 1920, El Día de la Madre (Mother's Day) is celebrated each year on 27th May in commemoration.

Having returned from La Coronilla via the market, we prepared ourselves lunch at home in the Bolivian style. This meant salad, a soup, and a segundo, which was a tomato stuffed with quinoa and cheese.

Stuffed tomato

In town, a small stall had set up selling equally diminutive cakes. Like the flamboyant cakes available at the market, only on miniature, these were perfectly sized for one and I couldn't help buying one at only 8bs.

Cake!