Day 16 - Isla Del Sol

Isla del Sol
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Today the plan was to go to the Isla del Sol, on Lake Titicaca. For the pre-Incas and the Incas, it was the place where the Sun was created. There's also a smaller Isla de la Luna next to it.

I arrived at the port in Copacabana at 8:00, bought my tickets for a full day boat trip with a visit to the north and south part of the Island. The boat left at 8:30 and that's when I realised that, well, it would take some time. I think I could have gone faster in a pedaling boat :) The advantage is that we had plenty of time to observe the landscape and take pictures.

Isla del Sol
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We arrived on the island at around 10:30. Then a local fisherman converted into a guide walked us around the different pre-Inca sites, of Tiwanaku culture. By the way, I realised that although we always insist on the short-lived Inca culture, the Tiwanaku culture had a far longer impact on the region, dominating the Titicaca and the Altiplano from 700 to 1100AD. They were masters in agriculture, inventing techniques to reach a land productivity that today's farmers still cannot achieve.

The guide was abviously very proud of this part of their history, especially as the Tiwanaku were Aymara speakers and not Quechua speakers as the future Inca invaders were. It's a bit like the Welsh being proud of their Celtic roots.

Heading to Isla del Sol
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Anyway, we had a very nice tour for about 2h30, notably visiting the Sacred Rock. The views from up there were absolutely fantastic and it's not a surprise if ancient cultures thought this place was the place of creation, as natural elements blend together in a perfect way: the water, the earth and the sky.

I then had lunch, and guess what, it was a trout. A very nice one by the way, very fresh for sure as all the inhabitants of the Island are fishermen. We then left to the south part of the Island where I went up the "Inca stairs". I really thought I was in an Indiana Jones film and a big round rock would be rolling down the stairs as soon as I would be up there. But it didn't happen.

Isla del Sol
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The tip back was long as well but again the views on the Lake were amazing.

It was a very good day. The lake Titicaca is really an impressive and peaceful place. But I have to say goodbye: tomorrow I will head to La Paz.