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Lake Titicaca - Island of the sun.
By Tina Torres
After backpacking around Bolivia for a month everything is a bit dirty, a bit stinky and a bit worn out, especially me!
We have been constantly on the go, finding buses, finding accommodation, finding food, finding that monument that is on the map but not on the street. I am glad to be on Isla de Sol, (Island of the Sun) for a genuine break and a chance to find me. Lake Titicaca, which is situated on the border of Bolivia and Peru. Isla de Sol is one of many islands in the lake, Although it is a lake, its 230km length and 97km width make it seem more like an ocean perched at 3820m above sea level.
When you arrive in the southern village of Yumani be prepared to climb a steep Incan stair way, but don’t forget to dwell on the meaning of the three fountains that flow down their length. They represent the Incan Motto: ‘Don’t steal, don’t lie and don’t be lazy’. The last one should help you get to the summit.
You can walk around Isla de Sol comfortably in
a day, so it doesn’t take long to become familiar with the labyrinth of paths winding around the mountains. There are no vehicles on the Island and no pavements, just terrace upon terrace of gardens that support the subsistence life style of the locals. The fact that every centimetre of land has been converted from steep rock face to fertile land for crops is amazing, I mean the amount of man hours required to assemble all the walls and the motivation to do so beckons more than a few questions from its Incan past. I guess the ‘Don’t be lazy’ part of their motto comes into it!
We spent our days on the island waking without the aid of alarms, strolling to the house that sold bread and then off for a walk around the shores to discover new and exciting things that are actually very old. Heading to the north of the Island you will have to pay a fee for using the path - very ingenious yet extortionate way to earn a day’s living - which takes you to the ruins of an old Inca palace. It is a very ‘nook and cranny’ place built from stones
that inspires deep thought and contemplation as you stare out across the lake. I wonder if the people living here 500 years ago wondered the same things as me..... How can I best spend my days and my life? What shall I have for dinner?
‘Ehhhhhhhhhhh OHHHHHHhhhhhhhhh EH EH EH EH Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!’ A god forsaken cry in the serenity that causes alert in my heart.
When god was giving out all the noises for the animals I have to wonder what the reliable donkey did, to be given such a painful and effort filled roar as he has. Their near and far cries continued to stir mixed emotions of pity and hilarity throughout our stay on the Island.
There are many other ruins to visit on the Island, 160 apparently, including Puma Rock, which in the local Aymara language is Titi Kaca - the source for the lakes name. Three other important names worth remembering are Viracocha, Inti and Manco Capac. Inca legend has it that Viracocha - the father of creation emerged from the lake when the earth was in darkness and created the sun and moon, he also made man from rocks and then disappeared
across the pacific. (Connections have actually been made between the Incas Viracocha and a Polynesian Sun god - Con tici, later written: KON TIKI.) It is believed that he wanders the earth as a beggar teaching the ways of civilization and performing miracles.
Inti is the sun god worshipped by Inca and he is the son of Viracocha. Although the Sun and moon are siblings they are also husband and wife.
The first ruler of the Incan empire in the 13th century is Manco Capac and he is the son of Inti. It is interesting how all cultures and civilizations have stories of creation. I guess they help us to identify where we came from and who we are. Perhaps even hinting at who we might become.
Chilling out on Isla de Sol is definitely a good way to spend some of my days on earth. A flock of Chilean hippies also agree. Most are here to commune with nature and get away from hectic modern lives. Be careful not to interrupt people meditating at scenic points all around the Island. Most of us are on strict budgets so try to camp and cook our own meals
at night. One fellow traveller warned us that if we did decide to camp, to make sure we bring our pots inside the tent at night. The local children will come along at night and steal them. Without a pot you are forced to eat cold food or go to their parent’s restaurants.
In the evenings we got into the habit of heading to west side of the island to watch the sun set. Armed with our primus and pot of water to make tea (coca leaf), we watched not only the sun return to his resting place but also the pigs, sheep, donkeys and goats who had been grazing in fields away from the village. Sun sets are a great opportunity to reflect on the past: what was good and what was bad, what was in between. To think about the new day that will come tomorrow. When it got too cold, with head torches on we would stumble upon the stony paths back to the hostel, hoping with every step we would not slip.
It’s intriguing to watch the way in which simple lives are led here on Isla de Sol. My concern is that the
amount of tourists is corroding the integral essence of this lifestyle. For example, small children come up to you with their hand out saying, ‘photo’ when they should be in school. Others get angry when you take a photo of a house or road and say you must pay them. Some people welcome our presence, like the hostel owner, others seem hostile and resentful. I guess it is like everything in life: nothing is black and white. The world is full of colour. And upon further reflection I am sure we would have it no other way.
Did I find myself? Not a chance! But I did re-charge the batteries for the next chapter of the search.
I am reminded of a Chinese proverb: we must keep searching for the meaning of life throughout our lives. If we do this everyday, then at the end we will be granted the answer. Bit like a good movie really!
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