Lago de Titicaca (Puno and Copacabana)

After the Highlight of Machu Picchu we went to the lake of Titicaca, one of the highest shipable lakes. Arriving in Puno (still in Peru), the city was not the small fishing town we thought, but quite nice on the seconde view. We had a very nice and funny welcome in our hostal and booked the tour for the floating islands and the island of Taquile for the next day. Then we walked until the harbor. Unfortunately they have some problems with algues, but the sunset was nice. Even better was our discovery for food. We found a small place (Lago de Flores) where they serve pizza and guniea pig right from their oven. The cook and owner Freddy caught us with his delicious guinea pig :D

Boattrip

The trip to the Islas Flotantes was very interesting but touristy. The charming girl from the island showed us how they build the islands with reed (Schilf), how they build their houses and boats. In the evening Freddy (we had to go back for the menu ;) affirmed our suspicion that most of the people there live in Puno and just go there for the tourists. And he also told us, that the islanders were the last rebellions against the Inka (if they can not live on the land, they hide on the lake).

Afterwards we spend hours on the boat, freezing by the wind and burning by the sun at the same time until we arrived at the Isla de Taquile. It is famous for its weaving and knitting men - and we really saw them knitting! As we did not want to take the lunch with the group (they told us before we could chose our own restaurant and in the end we should all eat in a special one...), we climbed up the island and were almost in time to get the boat back. At least we lost no one of our group, as the guide and husband we met that were looking for a french woman...

Von Lago de Titicaca

Von Lago de Titicaca

Von Lago de Titicaca

Copacabana

Finally we went on to Bolivia with a bus of tourist. The agency was well prepared with a guide explaining the three offices we have to go to get stamps and leave papers. Fortunately the official in Bolivia did not see the wrong stamp on our entry document to Peru :)

Arriving in Copacabana the city was far away from white sand and beautiful sea (as the twin-beach in Brazil) and really enhance the nice atmosphere in Puno. There was one quite decent street, the rest was the remains of an exploded city. Maybe once it was nice, but now the mayority of the houses are not finished, even in front of the high class hotels you can find waste, the shore is smelling and the pilgrim path up to the viewpoint is full of graffiti. Even the trout we ate in the evening seemed like frozen fish filet from the freezer...

So we skipped Isla del Sol (the origin of the Inka) and went straight to La Paz which we enjoyed much more :)

Von Lago de Titicaca

Von Lago de Titicaca