Copacabana & Isla del Sol

There are so many beautiful cities and towns and this one makes my top 10. This Bolivian city is nestled between two hills and is perched right on the edge of Lake Titicaca, supposedly the highest navigable lake in the world. Copacabana was for centuries the site of religious pilgrimages, and today the pilgrims flock to fiestas – the locals LOVE to party. Today it’s a small tourist and fishing town with loads of fresh fish restaurants lining the water’s edge and a tourist agency on every corner.

We spent one night here before heading out to isla del sol (island of the sun).

Isla Del Sol

Isla Del Sol is the legendary Inca creation site and is the birthplace of the sun in Inca Mythology. It was here that the bearded white god Viracocha and the first Incas, Manco Capa and his sister-wife Mama Hucaca made their mystical appearances. Isla del Sol has a population of around 5,000 and is dotted with serveral villages around the island. There are three main sections of the island; the north, the middle, and the south. As a visitor you have to pay between 5-10 soles to enter each section of the island. 

On the north part of the island, where we got dropped off, is the site of the sacred rock where the Inca creation legend began. The ruins are incredible, there used to be a whole civilization living here.

On the north side of the island there is a city buried underwater just off the coast where divers have found many Inca artifacts including gold statues and figurines. They are still currently diving to uncover more artifacts and to learn more about the civilization that inhabited this island.

After the ruins we walked 3 hours along the ridgeline to Yumani, the southernmost village. There we found a beautiful hostel that had the most exquisite view of Lake Titicaca.  We spent the evening relaxing, eating mangos, and absorbing the atmosphere. 

This funny random sheep just chilling on the ridge line munching on some grass.

This hostel has one of the most beautiful views in the world!

Fresh mango's, can't get enough of the amazing fruit down here.

We enjoyed a candlelit dinner while watching the sun set, romantic ;)

Map of the islands

La Paz

Welcome to La Paz: Altitude sickness, Diarrhea , and food rotting in your stomach.

La Paz is dizzying in every respect, not only for its high altitude (3660 meters) but for is unique beauty. The first glimpse of La Paz will take your breath away. The city’s buildings cling to the sides of the canyon and spill down the sides of the hills, you almost thing at any moments the houses are going to come tumbling down. The hardest part about getting used to La Paz is all the hills you have to climb. Mike and I usually have to have a “half way there break” as were walking up the streets. 

From Uyuni, where we ended our tour, we took a bus up to La Paz 11 hours on unpaved roads. Please whoever is reading this, don’t take paved roads for granted!

In La Paz they have the market negro (black market) and calle bruja (witches street) these are two places that you will find everything you can think of, beware if you are claustrophobic these markets will make your body and brain scream. In the calle burja they have llama embryos and baby llamas that have died at birth dried just hanging in their little stores. They have powders, rocks, and beads for luck, health, happiness, money, love etc… They also have a lot of “card readers” sitting around the market waiting for a local (they don’t do gringos) who wants their fortune/future read.

 Market Mania

Bolivians = the toughest and strongest people I know

In the market we met the sweetest lady who wanted Mike to be her kids God father

When you order meat, they give you MEAT. This was a meal for two, we ended up eating only about 1/4 of the massive thing.

The women in La Paz are very distinct and very traditional, they dress and look the same as they did 100 years ago.

La Paz is a massive city that sits in a valley. Its main street is the lowest street in the city so if you’re ever lost all you have to do is walk down hill. You get winded and plenty of exercise navigating yourself up and down the streets. 

Check out those braids, seriously every lady has these massively long braids.

Day 4: House of Salt

Today we woke up again at 4 am and headed out to the world’s largest salt flats to see the sun rise, to have breakfast in the salt hotel, and take pictures. Because it was just the rainy season almost the entire salt plains were covered with water. To get into the salt hotel we had to jump from the jeap onto the banks. In the salt hotel literally everything is made from salt; the walls, tables, décor, chairs, beds etc… It was pretty unique.