07-10.03.11 Copacabana, Lake Titicaca & Isla Del Sol, Bolivia

Having recovered from Carnival we caught a bus and a ferry to the small town of Copacabana which overlooks the blue waters of the vast Lake Titicaca. With no reservations we turned up to a pleasant little hostel with a double room and ensuite for £3 each per night with breakfast included. Copacabana is seriously cheap. It seems nobody told the Bolivians Carnival is over and within 5 minutes of walking through town we were once again soaked with water. We passed groups of men decorating their cars, minibuses and trucks with flowers and ribbons then pouring copious amounts of beer over the bonnets. It was a painful sight - even at 30p a bottle!

Street parties were continuous during our 3 day stay in Copacabana

Nearly all the cars, taxi's and trucks were decorated like this

 

Copacabana is  Bolivia's most important pilgrimage sight as home to the statue Virgin de Copacabana which is where the famous Brazilian beach in Rio got it name. Not to mention the nightclub near Havana immortalised by our favourite large-nosed singer Barry Manilow! However, for us Copacabana is really just a jumping off point to visit the sacred island of the Isla Del Sol. The island was one of the most impotant religious sites of the Andean world. The indigenious people thought it was where the sun and the moon were created and where the Inca dynasty was born. We caught a boat to a village called Challapampa on the north tip of the island and walked the 9.5km to the Southern village of Yumani. Being the largest of over 40 islands with an altitude of 3,800 metres above sea level the 3.5 hour walk to catch the only boat back to Copacabana wasn't quite as easy as expected.  The scenery was incredible and the 2.5h each-way boat trip was well worth it.

The Isla Del Sol, Lake Titicaca

 

The following day we walked up the nearby Cerro Calvario, a hill that overlooks the town, for spectacular views across the lake. Even from the top we could still hear various parties, music and drums eminating from the town. Obviously nobody has told the Bolivians that Carnival is over, rumour has it it continues for another week. Whoo!

View of Copacabana from Cerro Calvario

 

The Cathedral which totally dominates the small town