Cosmic Bolivia - Part 2

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New Year's on the Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun/Sun Island) sounds a little Club Med at first but it is nothing at all like that. Inca legend has it that the sun was born here and the first Incas appeared from a rock at the northern end of the island.

I spent New Year's Eve and part of New Year's Day on this island, rising from the bluest lake I've ever seen, Lago Titicaca, which sits at high altitude straddling the border between Peru and Bolivia. I wish I had pictures....but I don't. Trust me, it is bluer than you can imagine!! The sky above the lake is wide open, with views in every direction from the island's terraced hills. Aymara women, in colorful skirts and shawls draped over their shoulders, sit on the grass, chatting, selling, or pondering life. Llamas, vicunas, and alpacas munch on grass in small pens attached to modest homes (they're just waiting for their soft fur to be chopped off and made into gloves, scarves, tablecloths, hats, and blankets). Pigs roll in the mud and donkeys and sheep walk the dirt paths. There are no vehicles on the island, just the ferry boats that dock at the edge, bringing passengers from the little city of Copacabana. When we arrived, the first thing we saw were the Pilcocaina ruins. Already from the structure of the ruins we learned about the Incan devotion to the sun. After that, we crossed the island to Yumani, one of the towns, and on the way I somehow got lost!! I was following a family in front of me, and I swear we just walked straight, so I am not sure what happened. All of a sudden, we realized that no one else from our group was around....and when we looked up, up, way up to the top of the island, we saw a trail of them walking. So our next move was to trailblaze a bit, to catch up. We made it, and were rewarded by the most breathtaking view. All of us sat silently on the wall overlooking the blue water and, in the distance, Peru. Later, this wall would become the site of New Year's festivities.

But before midnight arrived, we still had all afternoon. I walked around on the narrow paths for a while, relaxed in the sun, and then sat down with everyone for dinner, a dissatisfying dinner (service and food....but oh well), then we just had to wait for the minutes to tick by. By midnight my group and several others were all outside on the terrace, ready with bottles of singani to toast to the New Year. We counted down, with a backdrop of heavy drums and a Bolivian tune, and then brought in the new year with clinking glasses, hugs and kisses. Then things got lively. The band played on, and people formed a fast-moving circle. I got pulled in a few times, and even into the center once, for the festive dancing. I had to sit down to catch my breath after!

Things quieted down when the brujo arrived. The brujo is an Aymara shaman who came to bless us all for 2007. With a mixture of items like coca leaves and fake money, he prepared an offering, then recited prayers in honor of Pachamama (Mother Earth). Everyone (except one very drunk Brazilian girl, haha) was silent, captivated, while we stood around the fire and listened to his ritual language. We couldn't understand the Aymara words but there was an energy in them. After the first blessing, the brujo made his way around the fire pit to allow everyone to touch the offering plate, thus transmitting the blessing of good health to us and our loved ones (so now all of my loved ones should be healthy in 2007, ok?). The next blessing, for love and prosperity, I missed out on but maybe I'll still have luck with those things in 2007! After the brujo left, things got crazy again, with dancing and a mix of nationalities filling the cool air, sharing the excitement of the night.

My first glimpse of daylight in 2007 began with mango juice, mate de coca, and a light breakfast, followed by a stroll around the beautiful island. I was wishing I could stay a few more days....Everything was so simple, so peaceful. And I could stare at that blue water forever....

But I ended up back in La Paz that night, to catch up on my sleep. Yesterday I said goodbye to the frenzied energy of La Paz. I spent the night freeeeezing on a bus (even though I was wearing all my warm clothing including a nice alpaca hat) to arrive this morning in Uyuni, in the south of Bolivia. Uyuni reminds me of a Wild West town. It has those low buildings lining a wide, dusty avenue, lots of neutral colors everywhere. In an hour or so I will leave for a 3-day trip of the Salar (a salt flat) and surrounding lakes and volcanoes. The scenery is rumored to be incredible...Can't wait!

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Comments

[Mom]

Wish you had pictures
Sounds like you had an exciting New Year's Eve celebration. Thanks for transmitting the blessing of good health to us. We can use love and prosperity too, but oh well... I wish you had pictures of the lake and the island :-( Maybe someone from your group can share?

[Dad]

Next New Year - try New Jersey
except for no shaman blessings, no blue lake, no dancing around the fire pit and no brazilian drunks our New Year's celebration was almost as exciting. And we could even hear the soothing sounds of New Jersey Turnpike in the distance!

[Russ]

Cold?
Ooh, a freeeeeeezing bus journey from La PAz to Uyuni. I remember it well!!!

[Trish]

"frazada no?"
Didn´t we tell you to buy a frazada???!!!! Hope the trip around the salt lake goes well. Wrap up warm. Love Trish