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Published: November 16th 2012
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You know, there are these moments when you don't want to do the über-touristy thing, but it's just so much more comfortable than the alternative.. So we caved in, and paid an amount no local would ever think of paying for a seat on the tourist bus with AC that would make 4 sight seeing and 1 lunch stop. The verdict? Well, not all of the stops were very impressive, we for instance decided not to pay to enter an unimpressive small local church, or the tiny ceramic museum. However, some other sights were fun, such as the Raqchi "Temple of Wiracocha" or a quick stop at the Raya pass just to take some great pictures. Plus, it was always nice to get to wander around a random town and stretch our legs. Lunch was unimpressive, but convenient. And the bus was indeed comfortable. So, when we arrived in Puno after 9.5 hrs (of which about 6.5-7 hrs driving) we agreed that sometimes there are benefits to traveling on routes that are so popular with tourists that special tourist services emerge..
We didn't have much time in Puno, as we had decided to visit the lake from the Bolivian
side. Based on what we did see though, I would agree with what I had also heard from both friends who had visited and the locals in Cusco: other than for the nice lake views, Puno is not the most attractive town to visit. We did have a great seafood dinner on the central plaza (all towns seem to have a beautiful central plaza with a pretty church, that's where most of the money seems to go), but that was about it.
The next morning we had to embark our next bus, this time to the Bolivian side of lake Titicaca. Crossing the border was easy enough: get off the bus, go by the Peruvian police to have your entry permit stamped, then to the Peruvian immigration to have your passport stamped, walk across the border, get your new Bolivian entry permit and passport stamped (no need to pay unless you're an American..), and wait for the bus to cross the border too. You'd even be able to just completely bypass all these desks and walk to Copacabana, you would just get in some trouble once you'd want to return.. So better to stick to the process 😉.
Then - voila, you're in Bolivia, and within 10 mins, in Copacabana.
Copacabana is a small town with lots and lots of backpackers, and many shops, restaurants and hostals that cater to them. There's quite a pleasant vibe, pretty laidback, and everything is even cheaper than in Peru. Copacabana itself doesn't have many sights to visit, other than a few nice churches, and, the most interesting one, a hill with the fourteen stations of the cross. Climbing the hill was both literally and figuratively breath-taking (I was secretly pleased when I noticed that 2 local girls walking just behind us, and placing a little stone at each of the stations, also seemed to be breathing a tad heavilier than normal.. So it wasn't just us). The views over the lake were truly amazing though and totally worth it!
But the main reason most people come to Copacabana for is Isla del Sol. It's a somewhat small, hilly island, where the only way to get around is by boat or donkey (there are loads of llama's too, but I don't think you can ride those). For the full experience, it's recommended to spend the night in one
of the guesthouses, and experience the perfect peace and quietness, the sunset and sunrise. We however already had several single night stays somewhere coming up, and were keen to spend the 2 nights in the same place, and not having to pack-check-out-check-in-unpack just for one night. So we made it a day trip, taking a (packed!) 2 hour long boat trip to the north end of the island, and hiking all the way to the south, where we could take the boat back again. It's quite a nice hike, with some great views over the island and the lake. It also takes you through some of the local villages, with the pigs, lamas and sheep roaming around freely. One of the things we had already read much debate about, was the levying of entrance fees by locals at 3 points across the islands. The total of these fees was almost equal to a simple meal for two, and that for just wandering across the island. At the one hand, it feels a bit like abusing tourists, as there is no clear service provided in exchange (i.e. no facilities provided, no signs, nothing). I guess we can try and compare it
to some national park fee... Ah well, we paid them and continued to enjoy our hike.
After a so-so lunch (lower quality at a higher price than the mainland, the joys of island life) and 3 hours of hiking in the full sun, we did feel a bit drained though, and in need of some good rest once we got off the boat again.. Stephen was even feeling a bit sick. And when you then get back to your chilly hotel room without heating, with a shower that varies between steaming hot and cold water, and at times gives off a little electrical shock (honestly!), that´s when you wonder ¨Why again aren´t we in our nice warm, comfortable home?¨
But hey, you know those moments occur.. And after a good night of sleep, we were in a much better mood again to board our next bus, which was going to be our last longer distance bus for a while.. La Paz, here we come, but only for a short while.. Because Uyuni is calling!
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