“Catch your dreams before they slip away……………..”, Cusco, June 2nd, 2011

Last time we left La Paz we knew we would come back. This time we do not know but for a different reason you would think. Most backpackers in this region either come from Peru (Machu Picchu) heading via lake Titicaca south into Bolivia or visa versa. Since three weeks now, however, the border of south Peru is closed. Farmers are protesting violently against Canadian mine companies exploiting and destroying their Land. On top of that coming Sunday are elections here with a tight race expected. Some tourists decide to fly (e.g. La Paz Lima), most change their plans to avoid the border crossing. Thomas and I speculate on time as well as the army which is supposed to clear things up. Already the bus ride to lake town Copacabana is well worth the effort, climbing the local and holy mountain just as well. What an effort it is to hike just a few meters at an altitude of about 4000 you can hear in the following video. There is no talking but still you need to listen, sound up!!!!!!!!!!!

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We finished the day with “Trucha”, the local fish, at a even more local resta….……lets say…….place to eat. It was wonderful, right at lake side, but some of us had to pay the price with a rather unpleasant night. Oh well, better at night than on the small ferry boat, which took us to famous “Isla del Sol” early next morning. Its famous as the Inca founded their religious culture here and trust me, they know what they were doing, sun, more sun, and a location that makes you having to believe in something. Up to today you will not find anything motorized here, so the locals carrying everything themselves or with donkeys.

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Sheep can not carry too much but they are still fun to walk through.

The island is about 12km long from north to south and its exactly that distance which tourist walk, most of them only one way, going back to Copacabana the same day. We planned to stay one night and took our time to enjoy the view, the people, the animals and vegetation, just like to Incas………

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A touching moment was about to happen. All of us have dreams and very often they are connected to places we would like to see once in our lifetime. Well, for Thomas it is lake Titicaca connecting Peru and Bolivia. On this Monday, May 30^th, 2011, at about sun set, alone on a amazing stretch of beach, on Inca chosen Isla del Sol, Thomas catched his dream, (well) before it slipped away. (Mick Jagger). I am thankful to be part of it.

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Normally I would now mention how romantic and beautiful this little village was were we spent the night. How they only have electricity since 5 years, how kind the people are, how great the dinner location and how simple our room. But it was all topped by the next morning. We still believe it must have been a set up by the Bolivian tourist organisation to make us promote the island. It worked, take a look yourself…………

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Just as we thought things are getting a bit more normal we took a break at a path going uphill with a little house along it. Check out what came around the corner, the set up continued right there…..

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We accepted our destiny of being so fortunate today and getting the chance to see the island at its best. For lunch “the director” had chosen another highlight location and we enjoyed our fish and chicken to the fullest, of course served by a local lady, friendly as can be.

Mid afternoon on this Tuesday the few tourists cathered at the southern port and 2 or 3 small ferry boats took them back to Facebook, or no, sorry, to Copacabana, where internet is available.

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I mention this Facebook mania here because it was that day it annoyed us. Arriving back in town bus companies stormed towards us:

“The border is open now, tomorrow nobody knows!!! Want to go to Cusco, Peru?????” With the experience of the last 3 weeks (tourist had told us about the border situation) and knowing that the alternative route to Peru via Chile means 3 days on a bus we decided to go for it. Leaving Bolivia so quickly, feeling not really ready for it yet, was hard, almost like leaving a love behind. A quick mail to our loved ones was hard to realize as the internet cafe was packed with people, 9 out of 10 on Facebook, with no hope they would finish soon as it was around 6pm and not around midnight. Facebook is cool, I have it too, but crazy, how many people spend soooo much time on it.

Puno, the center of the violence in Peru is normally known for its floating city. We only changed busses here but we did see the remains of 3 violent weeks. Happy to get through it unharmed we felt asleep in our reclining seats, wondering if Peru will live up to its name and up to its Bolivian counterpart. Well, it started with a good effort, named Cusco. This city is the old Inca capital, later conquered and “rebuilt” by the Spanish. Beautiful at day, fascinating at night but most of all, the basis for all going to Machu Picchu. We booked a 4 day tour starting tomorrow…………………………….

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