Peru to Bolivia

Sept 25 Puno to Copacabana, Bolivia

It’s time to leave Peru. Our visit was pretty quick. Since we visited the Amazon in Ecuador, we only hit the major tourist sites in Peru. The price to fun ratio was so-so, but I’m sure Peru has more to offer in places we did not visit.

Today, we take the Colectur international bus to Cocabana, Bolivia, on the southern shore of Lake Titikaka. The bus is packed with Irish, who have an amazing ability to talk non-stop for three hours, even for a 7:30AM departure.

At the border, everything goes smooth until we find that Bolivia charges US citizens a $135 “reciprocal” visa fee. We are surprised because the guide book doesn't contain this recent development. After the bus unloads our luggage and leaves us in the frontera, we weight our options. Since we are in the middle of nowhere, far from an airport or the Chile border, we decide to bite the bullet.

We walk back into Peru, change traveler's checks for a fat wad of fives and ones, and then cross back into Bolivia. Fortunately, it’s only a $1 taxi ride to Copa.

A lot of countries are now charging the $135 “reciprocal” visa fee. This is the reason we are not going to Brazil or Paraguay. I guess you could consider it fair; they charge what we charge. On the other hand, the fees are not logical. When crossing the border, there are no electronic photographs, fingerprints, computerized database, or X-ray scanning machine. Clearly, the visa fee is political backlash, and is not used to protect Bolivian citizens from American visitors.

In Copa, we check into a hotel, and eat lunch with three Americans, who recognize us from the border incident. We walk to the plaza and visit the church. Outside of the church, cars are lined up to receive blessings; holy water on the engine, flowers on the windows, and beer squirted on the tires. I wonder if the blessing more effective than an oil change.

Blessing car engine with Holy Water

Beer for the tires

Copa sunset on the waterfront

Sept 26 Copacabana to Isla Del Sol by boat

Today we take the painfully slow boat to Isla Del Sol, just off the peninsula from Copa. The Island is more like a mountain sticking out of the lake. We find Lake Titikaka to be rather unspectacular; that is until you hike up a thousand feet for a bird’s eye view.

Rack and pinion steering, 75 horses of destruction!

75 hp boats in no hurry

After a few hours boring visit to the north of the Island, we make the breathtaking climb up the Inca staircase, and then continue to the top of the southern village. We stay at a spectacular hotel, facing the sunset in the west. The little candle lit pizza restaurant next to the hotel also has spectacular views. A lightening storm fires up in the distance during sunset.
Vana learns how to shoot lightning, and then teaches another foreign woman with the same camera. (Vana: highlight of my day)

sunset at Pizza restaurant

Lightning at sunset

Sept 27 Copacabana to Oruro, by foot, boat, bus, taxi

Leaving our drapes open, we are awaken by the moon, and then again by sun rise. In the morning, the children of the village are out walking their sheep.

Moon from our room

Island of the moon at sunrise

Today, we take a long 14 hour trip, continuing our journey south as follows; hike down thousand feet, slow boat back to Copa, pick up our luggage, 4 hour bus to La Paz including a barge and boat crossing, 20 minutes in La Paz to change buses, 3.5 hour bus to Oruro, taxi to hotel.


At first we are thinking to break the trip with a night in La Paz. However, a travel agent we befriended in Copa tips us off about a strike scheduled for tomorrow. An Australian on the bus who lives in La Paz confirms the information.

While dropping into La Paz at 12000 feet from nose bleed altitude, the Australian explains how it works. There is a disadvantaged city just above La Paz, which straddles the main road leading in and out of the city. When they are unhappy about government policy or wages, they strike by blocking the road, including access to the airport. The Australian shows us the people gathering, and where the road will be blocked. Usually no one is hurt, as buses are not set ablaze until all the people and their luggage are unloaded. The strike will trap us in La Paz anywhere between 2 days and 2 weeks.No thanks.

We arrive late in Oruro and stay at the Hotel Hildago. The hotel is not great for the price, but the owner is really friendly and helpful. Oruro is a trash dump mining town, but it’s the spot for our next train connection. The people are lively and the street side fresh squeezed orange juice is a treat!

Bus dropping into La Paz, from the seats of death

Oruro downtown: potato fritter with hot dog and egg, smothered in salsa

CLICK HERE to see pictures from Copacabana to Oruro

Peru - Lake Titikaka

Sept 23 Cusco to Puno



Today we take long distance bus for the six hour ride through Peru’s alti-plano to Puno, besides Lake Titikaka. This is mostly highland country, all above 11,000 feet, with miles of mud brick houses, and indigenous farmers in traditional dress and bowler hats attending their cows, lamas, alpacha, and sheep. The little lamb are so cute!

Cruising Peru's Alti-plano

Cute little guy loves grass

Puno

Sept 24 Puno

Today we take a really fun half day tour to visit the Oros people, who live in floating islands on Lake Titikaka. These people are pretty hard core; making floating islands, houses, and boats out of reed straw which grows around the shallows of the lake. Apparently this was their method of achieving independence from the Incas, as no one bothered them on the lake.

The floor of the island is extremely soft, kind of like walking on a straw water bed. It’s pretty much guaranteed that none of the islanders have knee problems. The people are really friendly and invite us into their homes to try on traditional dress, and take pictures. A little girl of about three picks up her little brother to show him off for pictures. He is so fat, that she can barely carry him!

One of the islander’s demonstrates how to create a floating island. Afterwards, the ladies demonstrate market bartering, which is really funny. The ladies sit in a circle all talking at the same time; pulling items out of each other’s bowls and smacking each other on the head when the trading get unfair.

We ride a reed boat to another island. On departure, the islanders sing songs in Spanish, English, and German, and then conclude with “Hasta La Vista, Baby!”

Harvest some reeds

With a quick stroke

Then, saw square blocks of roots and dirt, which float

Tie them together with rope

Install the flooring

Finally, build some houses and anchor the island

And ready to open the market for bartering

Joining the village family

Vana bears children

Hasta La Vista, Baby!

In the afternoon, we visit the tiny coca museum in Puno. First, there is a video describing the various traditional dances in Peru. The dances use elaborate costumes with locals as slaves triumphing over the greedy devilish Spanish, through faith and hard work.

Dance costume

The museum also includes a historical account of the coca leaf; pre-Inca times, early twentieth century medicine, Coca-Cola, and cocaine. Apparently, the coca leave contains many vitamins, and minerals, and chewing the leaf is important for energy, health, and preventing tooth decay.

Coca facts sheet

Art relics show locals chewing coca leaves

For dinner, we tire of the Peru tourist menu, and go out for pizza. We usually avoid gringo food, but the wood fired pizza is really delicious; almost Monster Kid quality (Kevin's college buddy makes a tasty pizza). Also the wood fired pizza restaurants are nice and warm inside. Above 11000 feet, it’s cold at night!

Pizza dreamin

CLICK HERE to see Lake Titikaka pictures