The good news was there was only around 10 of us on the bus and we were supplied with blankets. The bad news was as soon as we got out of La Paz it started raining and did not let up! This continued all the way to Copacabana. To get to Copacabana you have to do a crossing of part of the huge Lake Titicaca. This involved the bus going on a transporter on it's own and us in a small passenger boat. We got drenched! Firstly from waiting in the rain to get on our boat, then on the boat, then waiting for the bus on the other side! That was the bulk of the journey though and we were soon in Copacabana.
We had booked a really nice room in a rather quirky place with numerous oddly built rooms. These included a turtle shaped one and an under construction snail! The room was great, and the rain did let up around 2pm. We went and got some local trout on the seafront and planned our excursion to the Isla del Sol the next morning. We decided we would buy a boat ticket and sort the rest out when we got there. We had a quiet night in our room awaiting an early start again.
Sadly, when we got up it was chucking it down again. We made the decision to skip the island and head into Peru as there were more islands there and hopefully better weather!
So we boarded another bus across the Bolivia-Peru border at Copacabana, heading to Puno in Peru. This was a very easy crossing and we were soon on our way into Peru for the first time. Thankfully the weather also improved as we were travelling. This meant quite a nice ride through numerous communities on the edges of Lake Titicaca. We arrived in Puno quite late and the high altitude hit us whilst ascending to our fourth floor room!
Next morning we booked an island boat tour with an overnight family stay for the next morning. We then headed into Puno to go to the Coca Museum. Whilst very small it had a very interesting history of coca, as well as a run through of festivals and dress for them. With Puno holding the second biggest festival in South America, the Candelabra, this was also very interesting. We then took a guided tour to a historical site called Sillustani. This is a group of funerary towers where important people were buried. Some towers were up to 12ft tall!
Next morning we got up early to head to the port and our island tour. We would visit 3 islands, Uros, Amantani and Taquile and stay overnight on Amantani.
First up was the Islas Uros. These are a group of over 70 manmade islands made of reeds that float on the Titicaca lake. Our tour guide was born on one and was very informative the entire trip. The island we visited had 10 families, I think it's about average, and they welcomed us with a well rehearsed song. The chief of the island also gave a demonstration of how the islands are constructed. The whole thing was very 'touristy', but when they rely on it so much it's not surprising. It was nonetheless very interesting.
Second was Isla Amantani. After arriving we were introduced to the family we would stay with overnight. This turned out to be possibly the oldest couple on the island! They were lovely though. We walked up a steep trek to the islands temple of the sun after a hearty lunch and had a great view of the sunset. Then it was back down to dinner, more hearty fare like quinoa soup. In the evening we got to wear traditional clothes and go dancing in the local hall. Our elderly host Bernavar was up like a shot and spinning Tasha round! Good fun.
After breakfast next day we bid adieu to our hosts and boarded the boat for our last stop, Isla Taquile. The most traditional island in the area with a reputation for fine clothing. We had a long walk up to the main plaza where we got to see some of the impressive handicrafts. Then lunch with an explanation of how the islanders clothing denotes there status. For instance, the hat you wear can indicate your marital status depending on where the floppy bit hangs!
Whilst the whole thing felt quite 'touristy' at times it was a good couple of days. Next up was the valleys of Arequipa...
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