Bolivia - Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is over 9000 sq kms and at an elevation of 3820m is the place where the sun was born (according to legend). I (Michelle) arrived here by local bus - great place to meet the most interesting local characters. My current location is Copacabana - a small town on the lake again at over 3800 mtrs. Its a cute little town with two main streets leading down to the lake. At the top of the town is a huge Moorish-style cathedral where I saw several weddings taking place everyday. The rules to get married in this cathedral are strict even by RC standards !



(nice weather for ducks!)
North of the town is a hill called Cerro Calvario (3966mtrs) where locals make pilgrimages doing the stations of the cross. Its a tough climb but the view is worth it at the top. There´s a local guy stationed there called Ernesto who for want of a better word is the local "holyman". For the price of 5 bolivianos I got a blessing from God, the Virgin Mary, Pachamama (mother earth) and the sacred lake itself. The ceremony itself is worth the money just to see him in action.



Isla del Sol is an island in Lake Titicaca (on the bolivian side) - a two hour boat trip from Copacabana where you can see many Inca ruins, the tables they used to sacrifice humans and animals and the Chincana complex where the sacred rock lies. There is a network of walking tracks around the island but the sun and altitude does make things difficult. We decided to walk the 8kms across the mountain ridge (from north to south) - it took the 3hrs (as per the guide) and we were absolutely shattered after it. We did get to walk down the Inca stairway - Escalera del Inca and we got the boat back from Fuente del Inca. That evening as a reward for our strenuous climb that day we had pancakes with melted chocolate, ice-cream and strawberries !

(views leaving Copacabana)