maverickbirdThe Copacabana tour started early the next day at 8 in the morning and I left bright shawls and precariously perched bowler hats behind at La Paz. Located on the Bolivian shore of Lake Titicaca, Copacabana is a favourite getaway for locals and tourists alike. This original Copacabana lent its name to the famous beach in Rio, Brazil and the region used to be revered by the Incas even before the Spaniards built their chapel of the Virgin and turned it into a Catholic pilgrimage site.
It took 3 and half hours to reach the Tiquina Strait, the narrowest point of Lake Titicaca and I fell asleep after passing the scrawny, dusty sprawl of El Alto. The bus was very comfortable and the morning quiet was sleep inducing. Snores filled inside the bus as we raced across the Bolivian countryside and I woke up as we rumbled to a stop at the Strait and got off with the other passengers to stretch my legs. The day turned to be bright and sunshiny and the replica of the famous tortora reed boat next to pier gleamed in the light. Tortora reed boats were used to ancient Titicaca based civilizations and even today along tortora reed artisans adobe hut villages dot its shores.
Lake Titicaca is huge and spreads over an incredible area of 8300 square kilometers. It is one of the most ancient lakes on earth, along with being the highest navigable lake in the world. Lake Titicaca has a number of floating islands out of which Isla de Sol and Isla de la Luna are the most popular with tourists. Approximately 60% of the lake belongs to Peru with a mere 40% falling into the Bolivian side. However most of the Tiquina peninsula (the point where lake narrows almost into 2) which juts out from the Peruvian shore belongs to its neighbour, Bolivia.
Titicaca was the base of most important pre Spanish cultures of the Andean region and is the ancestral land of the Quechuas, Aymaras, Uros, Pacajes and Puquinas (indigenous South American cultures). Many independent kingdoms grew out of this fertile area and these rival empires flourished from the beginning of 9th century until the middle of the 15th century, when the Incas conquered the whole region. Because of its wool and meat production capabilities Incas considered the Titicaca region to be very important and even today, a lot of ancient lake rooted customs are still followed by present day Bolivians.
The famous Tiwanaku ruins lie very close to Lake Titicaca and it is believed that during those days, the lake spread over a larger area, thus being the lifeblood of this Pre-Incan civilization. It is a World Heritage Site and surrounded by mountain ranges and Lake Titicaca on its west (though not visible). The massive, solid blocks of a stone not indigenous to the flat plateau lead to the site’s nickname, “the Stonehenge of the Americas” and for years Tiwanaku mystery had remained unsolved. Even today, it lies shrouded in some unanswered questions giving rise to alien civilization theories.
During excavation and archaeological work on this ruin, an amazing collection of Tiwanakan artefacts were discovered, including a 13,000 years old skeleton and these provided some valuable insight into this mysterious culture. Interestingly a lot of treasures and artefacts excavated from the depths of Lake Titicaca gave rise to theoretical conflicts and more unsolved mysteries.The saddest part however was the revelation of the fact, that this ancient mysterious water body is slowly dying and shrinking away from the face of the earth.
I pushed these cloudy thoughts away and looked around, while we waited. A Bolivian man in ancient indigenous costume sat in the reed boat with a furry alpaca and charged for souvenir photos. I got a souvenir photo taken before patiently letting the Bolivian immigration officers do a double take at the sight of my unfamiliar passport. Because of the close proximity to the international open border with Peru it is customary for Bolivian immigration to check tourists’ passports at Copacabana. It was a tedious wait and the queue which kept getting longer by the minute, moved at snail’s pace. To kill boredom, I went on a street food spree and sampled grub from nearly every vendor there. Empanadas, humitas, saltenas, famous Peruvian ceviche (raw fish marinated with lime and spiced with aji/chili peppers, onions, salt and coriander), baked sweet potato and  cups of fresh citrus juice filled me up and by the time we were ready to leave, I was bursting from eating too much.
Finally we got divided in small groups for a quick ferry ride across the Tiquina Strait (Bs 1.50) to board the bus (which was ferried across by a barge) on the other side of the lake. It was a wobbly motor boat and I looked down at the ancient water as we cut across its glassy surface. Lake Titicaca spread like a deep blue sheet, calm on top, almost unruffled but on closer inspection large hands of weeds, teeming with life reached out from its depths towards the sun hungrily. The tiny boat rocked and lurched but we reached the other side of the lake uneventfully.
TRAVEL TIP –Â All buses arriving in Copacabana, stop at Plaza 2 de Febrero and leave from Plaza Sucre boat pier, and if traveling on your own look out for transportation which are always available from these points.
We boarded the bus again and another 15 minutes of driving  took us to the other side of Copacabana. It was a lovely drive and trees breezed fragrantly as we went up and down the forested hills. Patches of different shades of blue peeped from between the hills and took our collective breathes away. The sky was a shade of a delicious blue and the lake glowed in an incredible colour of molten sapphire. Between these 2 a thin line of white peaks dazzled faintly in the horizon. Mt Illimani was also there staring back at us from busy La Paz. But as we passed the tiny obscure hamlets and the fields bedecked in rich gold, La Paz seemed to be another planet. The stark contrast of the blue and gold was dazzlingly beautiful and the pastoral beauty was almost virginal.
We got down again at Plaza 2 de Febrero, the main square to visit the legendary beauty of the striking Copacabana Cathedral. A fine example of Moorish style architecture, Copacabana Cathedral is one of oldest and most revered churches in Bolivia. Completed in 1619 it houses the statue of  La Virgen de la Candelaria (also called the “Dark Virgin”) which reputedly has miraculous healing powers. The original statue was carved from cactus in 1583 by Francisco Tito Yupanqui, nephew of the great Inca emperor Huayna Capac and the cathedral is always crowded with pilgrims who throng to it from far and wide.
A bustling local shopping complex stood near the cathedral and I soaked up the beautiful candy colours of popcorn markets and local street food restaurants. Fruits, vegetables, popcorn and fish were sold in piles along with  local handicrafts, alpaca wool garments and quirky handmade jewelry sold by hippies in dreadlocks. I bought a nice llama embroidered woolen bag and fell in love with its softness. Copacabana is famous for trout dishes and being a shameless glutton I lunched on an amazing fresh trout with generous helpings of quinoa and potato soup. Titicaca trout was indeed one of the most tastiest fish I ever had and deserved its accolades. The lunch made me super drowsy and I nearly fell asleep at the warm sunny garden restaurant. But Spanish flew like noisy mosquitoes and drove the sleep away as large crowds of loud Bolivians trooped in and out of the restaurant f
or lunch.
Lake Titicaca is very precious to Bolivians and they love visiting it in hordes. It makes up for their lack of ocean in a landlocked country and also nurtures their spiritual duties. I pushed the pall of sleep away and somehow managed to waddle across to the beach. Boats bobbed in colourful clusters and called out for passengers going to the lake’s various islands. I got into another boat to visit Isla del Sol and stared at the seemingly endless calm sapphire water. Isla del Sol and Isla del Luna are the 2 most important and popular islands on the lake and Incas believed that the Sun and the Moon resided there. Both host an impressive collection of Inca ruins, stunning hikes and quaint villages. I had enough time to pay Isla del Sol a visit and reached the island after braving freezing winds for one and half hours.
We passed by several small islands on the way where life looked very old and and as the backdrop of the touristy tortora reed boats (which were used by Incas earlier) they definitely looked time warped. Finally the Island of the Sun arrived and I streamed out with other tourists and went straight into the arms of an Inca warrior. A huge statue stood welcoming us and children offered donkey rides around the island. I denied the donkey ride and it turned out to be a huge mistake. Isla del Sol has no modes of transportation other than walking and animal rides and hiking after so much of food was a torture. But it was pretty as a picture and looked paradisaical enough to be the residence of the Sun God. According to Inca legends, Viracocha, the bearded god who made the universe emerged from Lake Titicaca to create the sun on that island and with no roads, noise and motorized traffic, Isla de Sol remained timeless.
Cha’llapampa, my jumping off point was a town on the northern end of the island and housed the Gold Museum (Museo de Oro) which displayed Inca treasures discovered underwater. There were also several Inca ruins on that side of the island including the stained stone platform called Inca Table which was supposedly used for human sacrifices. I walked around from Cha”llapampa up north to Yumani in the south and descended down the Inca Steps to the shore of Lake Titicaca. My return ferry was docked there and it bobbed placidly on the blue Titicaca water.
Although lung bursting, the stupendous views which accompanied the entire walk were breathtaking. Eucalyptus trees whispered in the breeze as I stared at the mystic calm waters and the distant snowy mountain peaks bordering the horizon. The lake definitely possessed some kind of hypnotic charm and I could have sat and stared at its relaxing effect the whole day. An ancient pastoral scene spread below my hill top perch and I watched sleepy looking shepherds guiding sheep past stone stepped houses and riot of flowers. Cholitas in bowler hats sat by the steps of their homes and sold trinkets while grubby children offered their pet llamas and donkeys to tourists for souvenir photos.
I soaked up the peace, beauty and tranquility like a hungry sponge and a wonderful feeling filled every cell of my body. Slowly the reason of its exalted spiritual status dawned on me and I sighed happily as Titicaca stared back placidly. The lake was indeed a nurturer, a wellspring of all the goodness in life and well being. Time was running out and as the air grew colder I left my special Titicaca moments to walk past a dilapidated Inca temple ruin and return to Plaza Sucre in Copacabana.
The trip back to La Paz was not very pleasant and made me fervently wish that I had stayed back. A long queue snaked for the bus to La Paz and it took me well over an hour to finally board one rickety contraption. I skipped my dinner to get on an earlier bus and spent 4 hours with a massive cholita’s elbow digging into my ribs. The old Cholita could neither see or hear well, and assuming me to be a Bolivian, due to my non white skin, held a torrential monologue in Aymara language all the way to La Paz.
La Paz was sleeping by the time we reached there and I spent the night lying awake due to hunger. I recollected the beautiful moments as I lay in bed and slowly my discomfort slipped out of my mind. It been a lovely day and Lake Titicaca had somehow managed to calm even the usual fussy, prissy me. Steamy jungle times in Bolivian pampas awaited me the next day and after the magical lake I wondered if I would even like it there. My TAM flight was scheduled for a very early morning departure and I had to count only a few hours to find out.
Flower filled Isla de Sol welcomed
Along with the Inca warrior with open arms and a spear
To the shores of legendary Lake Titicaca
It is a spiritual hot seat
With beautiful churches
Religious Festivity
And family celebrations
Aymara fashion
And colourful local culture
Still presided in the ancient region
I lunched on fresh trout
Shopped with indigenous ladies at the Copacabana vegetable market
Before heading towards Isla de Sol
A tortora boat ride
And a steep climb up Isla de Sol
Took me to to island depths
I paused for a long lake watch
Remembered the Incas
Rested at the pastoral serendipity
It was a beautiful thought provoking day
Followed by a lovelier sunset
But I wished to stay on
And savour the power of the lake forever
RESPONSIBLE TRAVELING-BECAUSE I CARE
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