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Published: January 19th 2007
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Beautiful sunsets from the West side of island...
We sat on a wall waiting for this one and then once darkness closed in made our way to a simple eatery for a hearty soup and Trucha (trout) one of the few food choices on the island but delicious enough to want it every meal! After a few more recuperation days at Samy Wasi in Cusco we made our way overnight on the bus via Puno (Peru) to Copacabana on the Bolivan shores of lake Titicaca - the highest navigable lake in the world. Whilst there are no reed islands on this part, it housed the islands of Isla Del Sol and Luna. At the border, everyone is bundled out to change Bolivianos with the reason that there was a 5 bolivianos on the other side. It sniffs of a quick earning for the bus drivers and the moeny changer shop they were working with so if you happen to head that way, question it. Bleary eyed, we didn't. After a quick pit stop in Copacabana to refuel our bellies and buy a boat ticket to Isla del Sol, we headed on.
It was a sunny day and the lake was flat calm as we crossed with probably 50 others in the woodern ferry powered by a massive 25HP *cough, sputter* engine! On arrival at the island we had to negotiate the steep 50m+ Inka steps with full packs to get to the top of the hill where several family run basic hostels or rooms
to let - a challenge for one with still paully lungs and the other who was tired of going uphill in thin air. Several thousand coughs later we picked the nearest room we came across. Cozy with electricity and access to a communal hot shower for about USD5. A must when the water temperature was a definite less than 10.... at least.
That evening we made our way to a small cafe close by and took option number 1 of 2 - Soup/Trucha (trout)/Rice/Chips or soup/Pollo (Chicken)/Rice/Chips. As we quickly found out over the coming days, the only culinary options we were likely to encounter in this basic yet homely village was either plain spaghetti or with trout with chicken served in only some places. It became a standing joke to ask each time if they served Trucha - 'Si' always being the answer. Fortunately the Trucha was a good change from our diet of rice and chicken or beef and being healthy we didn't become bored of it. If you are passing through Isla del Sol the best place we found during the stay for.... Uhhh...Huhhhh....Trucha (for a meal or just a drink) was
Willka punku, a cozy,
well priced place at the top of the hill on the West of the island opposite the Inka steps. Like most of the establishments, other than the cerveza, there is also Bolivan wine (reasonable plonk) available for about 7USD a bottle.
Next day we were up early to make our way by means of the basic map in the guide book towards the location where the legendary founders of the Inca dynasty marked the spot to begin an epic rule. The day was bright and sunny and the walk turned out to be spectacularly scenic from its route along the highest spine of the island. The wind was so strong and cold that nether bits like ears and noses felt like they had melted away from the body. Despite this, we were not distracted from the views of terraced hillsides, rocky wind swept moorland, shepherd kids with their flocks, beautiful deep-blue bays, grazing llamas and the sweet smell of eucalyptus forests gracing us along the way. A real Andalusian type experience that gave wind-swept a new meaning. San took a real liking to the many donkeys on the island (the suaku Malaysian at play!! Plus she likes soft furry
noses) and spent much of the time collecting quality grass from amongst thorny bushes and rock crevicesfor them to eat! Hmmmmmm.... Brandy and Carina suroggates prehaps?...
Our destination at the far northern end of Isla Del Sol was an impressive set of ruins, untouched by conservation one sees in more strictly regulated sites like the pyramids in Mexico and Macchu Pichu. Local kids touting for sweets and money for pictures can be seen swinging of the thousands of years old walls and doorways in a manner that would send archealogists eyes as big as saucer plates. This is afterall the playground they grew up with and in. Given the size and being off-season, it was possible to sit back and be time-warped to the hustle and bustle the temple and village way back then.
Richy chose the more sheltered route via the eastern coastline for the way back. Speckled with quaint farm houses and villages, fertile terraces full of quina (an ancient grain a bit like couscous), corn stalks and potatoes and breath taking bays and beaches, this route although longer, presented the living face of the island. - one of which we stopped at for - yep
you've guessed it - trucha!!! A weiry and somewhat dehydrated 8 hours later from setting out we arrived back and spent the rest of the evening with our feet up reading apart from a short foray for.... Mmmmm... Trucha.....
The following days were taken up with shorter equally pleasant walks criss-crossing the island with the odd spot of donkey feeding.
The walk down the Inka steps was somewhat more pleasing than the climb three days earlier and we left Isla del Sol with recharged batteries ready to subject ourselves for the longest and most arduous leg of our trip so far (basically half the distance across Boliva) - Copacabana to La Paz - Potosi (overnight) - Uyuni......
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