Blogs from Copacabana, La Paz Department, Bolivia, South America

Vo Travellers hani ghört das de Titicacasee viel schöner vo bolivianischer Siite zbewundere isch als vom peruanische Puno us. Im chline, touristische Copacabana achoo, haut mi fräch eini vo Holland ah. Woni hüt Abig schlaf, öbmer wännd es Hostelzimmer teile. So guet wiemer ois verstande händ, hämer beschlosse, am nächschte Tag no mitme Kolleg wo gnau so sponti dezue gstosse isch, d Isla del Sol (Sunneinsle ufm Titicacasee) zbsueche und zbewandere. Ufme gwagglige Boot simmer nach 2h all froh gsi, äntli uf de Sunneinsle acho zsi! Als erschts häts mal 3h in Norde voe Insle wandere gheisse, bevormer ois ufd Suechi nachme Hostel gmacht händ. Willmer vor Sunneuntergang händ wele über d Insle tschumplett sii, hämer ois gad uf de Weg gmacht. Die schöne Ussichte händ ois während de ganze Wanderig zum stuune bracht! Ufm Wäg ... read more

Titicaca means mother of water. I visited both the Peruvian and Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. I have to say I favor the Bolivian side a little more. Isla Del Sol is on the Bolivian side, Copacaba is a smaller town where as Puno is much larger and busier. Bolivia is mas economical and they sell Cuba libres in a can for a buck. I visited the floating islands on both sides. I went to the sacred rock on Isla Del Sol. Ivan explained that there is an energy triangle between Chichen Itza, Isla Del Sol, and Cuzco and pilgrims come to harness the energy. After I come back from Cuzco, I will have completed the triangle, so watch out!... read more

Day 330 Wednesday 5th September Well the bus was fairly uncomfortable but we were both able to get a few hours sleep. We stopped at 2.00am for a food and toilet stop and yes people got off to eat. I looked out the window to discover the toilet was the wall across the street so I decided to use the bus, but the door would not open and when I asked the assistant he pointed to the wall. I noticed a few women walking just around the corner into the dark with their toilet paper, thank goodness I was not busting and could hold on till La Paz. We reached La Paz at 7.15 and as soon as we arrived I ran off to find the toilets with Scott calling out hurry we need to get ... read more

In Puno, we decided to play it safe and get the visa at the embassy before heading to the border. So, on Monday morning, 6 August, we headed out bright and early to the embassy. Armed with all the required documents that is needed for the American visa (passports, yellow fever vaccination, detailed itinerary, accommodation booking, copy of credit cards plus a kidney or two, just in case!), we walked in quite confident that the process would be a synch. So it turns out it wasn’t going to be easy. Of all the luck, we had arrived at the embassy on Bolivia’s National Independence Day, and theoretically the embassy was closed! We just happened to catch the secretary coming in to water his plants (well, that’s what it seemed like it when we first walked in), ... read more

Hola Amigos, mein letzter Tag in Bolivien: nach der gemeinsamen Inseltour mit meinen chilenischen Amigos trennten sich unsere Wege in Copacabana. Waehrend die Gruppe zurueck nach La Paz reiste um einen Flieger nach Santiago de Chile zu erreichen, nahm ich den Bus nach Puno, als ueber die Grenze nach Peru. Schon als ich den Bus nach Puno betrat, machte sich peruanisches Feeling und bolivianisches Heimweh breit. Obwohl dies ein normaler Reisebus war, merkte ich dennoch einen qualitativen Unterschied zwischen peruanischen und bolivianischen Bussen. Nach 15 Minuten Busfahrt erreichten wir das Grenzdorf zu Peru und Bolivien. Der Grenzuebertritt erwies sich als erschwerlicher als erwartet. Etwa 200m vor dem Grenzuebergang mussten alle Passagiere aussteigen und zu Fuss zum Grenzamt spazieren. Hier stellten wir uns mit anderen Grenzgaengern an einer Schlange vor dem Grenzposten an. A... read more

Hola from Bolivia! First impressions of Bolivia, garnered from the border crossing experience, were positive. From the immigration officer who joked with me about my gender when i messed up the form (instead of looking at me with disdain as every other immigration officer does) to the yellow church right on the borderline, packed with people seemingly singing ´The Sounds of Silence´by Simon and Garfunkel. I have no idea why. But I liked it. Another hour and we were at the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca, in copacabana. Not only was barry manilow nowhere to be seen, but it also was not north of havana, nor hot. Particularly at night. It is in fact very very cold Stupid altitude. Copacabana seems to be taken advantage of its high altitude ( 3841 m) to get a little ... read more