Lago Titicaca

This past weekend I went to Lake Titicaca which is South America's second largest freshwater lake. The lake sits between Bolivia and Peru and contains several islands with traditional Aymaran villages. We took the bus there on Saturday morning, spent the night in Copacabana (a touristy beach town) and then toured one of the islands (Isla del Sol) on Sunday before heading back to La Paz. Below are some pictures capturing the beauty of the lake (which has an almost Aegean look), the tiny traditional villages of the islands, and the ancient ruins.

Our bus...no idea why is it called 2 de febrero...but the price was right. It cost 15 bolivianos (about $2 USD) for a 3.5 hour ride from La Paz to the lake. It reminded me of the Chinatown buses in New York City. At one point we had to cross a part of the lake and everyone had to get off the bus and take small boats across. The bus went on a small ferry although it appeared like it would sink at any minute. I am glad we did not ride in the bus across the lake!









The town of Copacabana. We climbed to the top of that peak (Cerro Calvario) at sunset for great views of the town and the lake! It was quite a hike, but well worth the views! Trucha (trout) from the lake was available everywhere in Copacabana!












Views from the top of Cerro Calvario. The sunset over the lake was beautiful! The trail to the top climbs past the 14 stations of the cross - which document the hours leading up to Christ's death on the cross.

























Views of the lake from our journey on Sunday to Isla de Sol (Island of the Sun)



























A day touring is not complete without a relaxing lunch. Here is Liz and I trying out the Bolivian's national beer, Pacena, in Copacabana. It costs 10 bolivianos - about $1.50 USD.









Also, for those of you who haven't heard -- Greg and I are quite the travelers these days! As I write this, Greg is headed to Singapore for a week for work. Stay tuned for pictures hopefully from that side of the world!