Next to a lake....we must be at sea level!
Trip Start
Sep 22, 2011
1
21
36
Trip End
Mar 09, 2012
Copacabana, Bolivia
Saturday, December 3, 2011
We arrived at a port on the shores and we were told to disembark the bus and buy tickets to cross the lake in water taxi's. The bus meanwhile was going to cross on the most unsafe looking ferry ever. We waited somewhat aprehensively on the other side, our goods and chattels still on the bus. It arrived 15 minutes after us and in one piece, time to leave for Copacabana, another hour away. The rest of the journey wound its way around the penninsula on the far side of which Copacabana rested, we steadily climbed about 1000m giving us unprecedented views accross the high Andes at this point, and with clear skies our beach resort was looking promising. The decent down was somewhat hair raising to say the least, the bus driver was yet again another contesteant in his own rally. We made it to Copacabana in one piece however, and from afar it looked a pretty descent sized town.
We were greeted off the bus and wished Vanessa well on her boat trip to Isla del Sol, and our taxi took us 1 mile along the shores of the lake to our hostel for the night. Our hostel was infact an eco retreat with individual mud huts built on a hill facing the lake. Built a 15 minute walk from the main body of the town along a tree lined track, it had the views and the calmness we had hoped for. We were taken to our own private hut which was very modern inside, and we even had our own little terrace.
Taking a walk back into town it became obvious that Copacabana is Bolivia's tourist retreat complete with paddle boats shaped like swans and beach huts. Still, it was a world away from the busy streets of La Paz. Walking up into the main square we discovered a huge church which was infact a 16th-century shrine, the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana, the
patron saint of Bolivia. From the cars outside laden with flowers, balloons and ribbons we deduced there must be a wedding inside, along with the fire crackers constantly being set off we assumed the wedded couple must still be within, however as ever you cannot judge what is happening in South America by appearances and no couple could be seen anywhere. After a while more wanderings and sampling the variety of hats available a spot of late lunch was in order. Dining on the local cuisine of Trout, caught of course from the lake, we made our plans for the next couple of days. A day trip to Isla del Sol, followed by another night in the eco lodge and then off to Cusco.
Upon our return to the lodge we discovered there was a small ant infestation in the room so all foodstuffs were raised above the ground, at least we had beaten the ants to the grub. That night another meal out was called for as there were no facilities to cook in the lodge so warmer clothes and the short walk to town. Once in town we realised a taxi back was the only way the track back was unlit. Copacabana is not short of eateries so we finally picked one to be greeted by a young lad no more than 8 years old who seated us and got us a menu. Sat behind the till was what must have been his older brother (by maybe 2 years) and a young girl of about 12 came out to take our order. It was like being in Peter Pan! Unfortunately they were somewhat short of choices so we left, feeling somwhat uncomfotable to boot. Downhill and we found the stangest little eaterie, very hippie and empty with one man apparently doing everything. The place was decorated in what could only be descibed as the remains of a car boot sale! Food consumed we headed off to try and get a taxi back, eventually a waiter in a restaurant had to help us as we couldn't find one for love nor money, and the lodge closed the gates at 11pm.
Early the next day we set off to catch our boat, getting there in plenty of time we took our seats downstairs and watched as the boat became fuller and fuller. The departure time of 8.30am was approaching and still there was a queue of people. Once all the tourists had boarded the locals turned up on-mass and found seats anywhere they could. Fully laden we set off on our 2 hour boat trip Cha'llapampa, the town on the northern side of Isla del Sol, soon discovering that it
wasn't actually a great distance we had to cover, but the boat that had 40+ passengers was powered by 2 small out-board motors, if there had been a path we could have walked quicker!
Isla del Sol is a sacred Inca island where it is believed the sun god first appeared, there are over 80 ruins on the island most of which date to the Inca period circa 15th century, however evidence has been found that the island was inhabited as far back as 3rd millenium BC. The island is completely covered in agricultural terraces, many are still used today, while others
proving too difficult to farm. The local industry is based around farming, fishing and tourism, and they have become quite dab hands at squeezing the money out of toursists, not that anything was remotely expensive, even the boat trip only cost a couple of pounds apiece.
Arriving in Cha'llapampa we were given the departure times for the return boat at various parts of the island in case anyone fancied trekking back to the first stop on the southern most part of the Isla, some 15 or so Km. After an initial 'where are we in relation to the trails?!' we headed off across the beach and joined a track to a small set of ruins. The remnants of an Inca village with obligatory sarificial stone were pretty cool, and our first real encounter with the South Americans heritage. Deciding it was time for lunch and we wouldn't be able to reach the southern shore in time for the boat we headed back the way we came. Arriving in the village the locals were parading along the shore, drums bashing and flutes shrieking, heading into a small square in the village, we assumed it was some kind of Sunday Lunch ritual, the men sat along the wall with the women at their feet.
Back on the boat and a short trip to the southern town of Yumani where we had an hour to
explore before departing, Hannah headed up the Inca Steps whilst Neil refreshed himself, though afterwards Hannah had to admit she didn't make it to the top as the steps seemed to go on forever. The boat trip back was painfully slow, this time with just one motor running, fortunately the boat wasn't full this time!
Back in Copacabana Hannah took a turn for the worse again and spent the evening in the bathroom whilst Neil did his best to spend the last of our BOB's, Bolivian currency. Hats and food on the adgenda off he went to town. A couple of hours later with hats, a scarf for Hannah made of the softest wool in the world and two bus tickets for the morning to Puno (just 3 hours compared to the 10 to Cusco seemed like a wise move with Hannah in the bathroom) the trip to Copacabana was almost over, a quick sleep and away we would go into deepest darkest Peru!
