A little breather in Copacabana

Instead of going straight back into Peru like we’d planned, we decided to stop for a day or two in the lovely Copacabana.

Our bus ferrying across the lake

 It’s a lake side town, the lake being the beautiful Lake Titicaca. I was here once before, three and a half years prior when I was in Bolivia for a mission’s trip, I was based mainly in La Paz but we ventured to Copacabana for our “vacation”. Anyhow, we found a place to stay on the lake front called Hotel Mirador, big room with a crazy good view and we stayed two nights, spent about $15 for those two nights. We were proud of ourselves!

The outside of Hotel Mirador

View out our window

 Tyler wasn’t feeling all too well again but we went to eat at a little food stall down by the water. They’re known for their rainbow trout consumption here so I decided to try ‘trucha chicharron’ and Tyler had something with meat and rice like he does. Mine turned out to be pieces of trout not battered but fried, it was a little too salty but was accompanied by some tomatoes and lettuce and lime that helped tone it down.

The next few hours we spent walking around getting acquainted with the little town and walking up the massive hill on the one side that offers exceptional views of the little city and the blue world of water beyond.

 Later we searched for the right company to go to the Isla Del Sol and Isla De La Luna with, I think most of them were connected which just made it confusing but we did choose one eventually and after dinner and a bit more walking we got Tyler to sleep so he’d hopefully feel better in the morning. 

He did! And our breakfast was included and finally someone gave us fruit instead of just bread and jam! We were very happy eating our bananas and watermelon J After some confusion because the lady we booked with told us the wrong boat to go to, we made it on and took off, it was a long long ride, I slept. First we visited the ruins on Isla De La Luna, the island of the moon; I remembered these ruins and was so excited for Tyler to see them because even though there isn’t much to them, they’re fantastic. We rushed up to see the ruins before everyone on our boat so we could experience it without the extra people and then we went and walked along the water till it was time to go.

Gotta love that view! The one behind him too ;)

The Isla Del Sol, or island of the sun, is much bigger than its counterpart and we spent our allotted time here walking. We followed a path that wound around the island, we didn’t even make it halfway but we got to see a lot of beauty on the island; lots of animals, especially donkeys and llamas, tons of plots of land with dozens of different crops being grown, and a constant view of all that dazzling blue water. Even though it was warm, we were high enough and far away enough that the air tasted fresh and clear. 

Tyler having a conversation with a donkey

When we’d nearly made it back to the boat we realized we were both hungry and very dehydrated. We hadn’t brought enough water for the day and the ride back was miserable, I felt really awful. Tyler hurried off the boat and met me at our room with a bottle of Gatorade and we spent a little time re-hydrating our bodies.

 We did a little walking to buy bus tickets for the next day, and then found some food in a fun restaurant by the water playing all oldies loud with their music videos, I mean like Queen, AC DC, Kiss, etc. It was entertaining! We even got an appetizer we were so hungry, they had nachos! And they were delicious. I had an undercooked cannoli and Tyler had spaghetti with trout. I really wanted some hot chocolate but decided I’d pass, thought maybe I’d grab some in the morning before our bus. 

 Next morning when we came down for breakfast there was more bread, jam, bananas, watermelon, and a bowl of hot chocolate powder. I don’t know how they read my mind but man was I grateful they did! The next bus that took us out of Copacabana at 9 AM was one of the most awful bus rides thus far; well it didn’t start out that way I suppose. First we had a short bus ride and an uneventful border crossing, then a couple hour drive to Puno, then we got on another bus. A bus with a thing for Rambo, yes Rambo, that guy who runs around and kills people. The bus played four of those movies consecutively, in Spanish, loud. It was impossible to sleep through and really hard to keep your eyes off of even though it wasn’t interesting at all. We couldn’t wait for the ride to be over.. 

Needless to say, I don't think I can ever watch Rambo again, no offense to Sylvester Stallone but those movies are so repetitive! So happy it is over. They say all things must come to an end and sometimes it's a sad end, like leaving the beautiful sunny Copacabana, but sometimes it's a happy end, like the end of a Rambo saga. If all things must come to an end, I suppose we should do our best to enjoy them while they're here. :)

Back to Peru!