Copacabana - At the Copa....

Our next stop was our 4th South American country, Bolivia, and more specifically Copacabana on the shores of Lake Titicaca.

Despite its altitude of 4000 metres the days are hot and sunny, although the nights are pretty chilly. We decided to stay here for 2 nights, so that we could spend a day chilling out, and a day on Isla del Sol, an island on the lake. The day we arrived was as described above, hot and sunny, so were able to wander around the town, visit the cathedral, and have some trout from the lake for lunch. In the evening we walked up to the viewpoint, to satisfy our new love of sunsets and good views, and this was one of the best yet! We had a warm beer and looked out over Lake Titicaca.

The next day we booked tickets to go over to Isla del Sol, and there was no sun in sight, Isla del rain more like! It took 2 hours on a very slow boat to reach the north shore, which is where we began a 3 hour hike to the south shore. Our pledge not to hike for a few weeks back in Colca Canyon, had lasted 2 days!! The walk was worth it however, as we pasted inca ruins and little villages, until eventually the sun came out, revealing a more beautiful side to the island, with clear blue waters, and flourishing flora and fauna. After the amazing trout we had already tasted from the lake and the appetite we had built up during the hike, we decided to have some more for lunch. However the restaurant we chose, served us a third of a piece which had been fried and refried...we were gutted!

On our return to the mainland we went off to search for book bus tickets to La Paz, however there was an indefinite blockade on the main road, and so no buses were leaving. There is no atm in Copacabana, so we counted our money and discussed a plan of action, which included crisps and chocolate for dinner. Luckily the next day buses had worked out an alternative route which involved leaving Bolivia entering Peru, crossing at another border back into Bolivia, and taking another road to La Paz. As we were short of money and did not want to spend antoher night in Copa, we jumped on this bus and headed off!

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