Copacabana is a small but over-hyped tourist town in a beautiful, almost Mediterranean setting on Lake Titicaca. A typical street towards the water
And up the hill a bit looking back towards the lake
Normally I don’t take church photos but this one was monolithic and outsized for such a small town
Another view
We got a boat out to Isle del Sol
When I took the camera out of my pack later I failed to notice that the dial controlling aperture stops was maxed down so the pictures are all dark.
The next day, we head out for La Paz (the full beautiful name is Nuestra Señora de La Paz, Our Lady of Peace).
The day’s track
First we gas up. If you hadn’t heard about Bolivia, gas and tourists – the details: they can change you what they like (but generally 2 or 3 times the pump price) if they decide to sell you gas at all. It’s just the way it is. So I pull up
He shoves a calculator in my face. It says 8.76. I look at the the pump. It says 3.76 (Bolivianos per litre). I laugh. He fills and collects.
Then off. Copacabana below
Very beautiful
Into hills
Very fast twisty riding through a mainly sheep-grazed landscape
Back beside the lake. Lake Titicaca is stuffed with Rainbow Trout brought in from BC (the Kamloops area specifically) in the 40’s by boat, train and horseback. Millions of eggs in barrels
One of the best things: a boat ride crossing a narrows. The town of Tiquina
Some kids are getting a class photo, or something
And the wonderful boats
In the line-up
On we go. The same strange feeling of peace we always get floating
We pass a couple of other boats
A bus even
Maneuvered into position at the other side
Done. That was great Lucinda says
It’s a short 100 miles to La Paz. The weather looks bad but we only get drizzled on. The Cordillera in the background
It’s a dull ride
Washing in the river, weather improving
The bus has a flat, everyone out
Then into the city with the reputation for the most dangerous and chaotic driving in the western hemisphere, hated by all riders, Our Lady of Peace. To the left a video of us trying (successfully though illegally) to get from one one-way corridor to another (click, enlarge, hit the HD button) and a nice look at downtown La Paz’ers in the wealthier area of town
Saludos
