In which we head south, part 2
Wednesday, November 29
The whole day is spent soaking up the culture of Puno and its people. We take a tour of an iron boat that was built in England 150 years ago, then disassembled and hauled over the Andes by mules. We huff and puff our way around town, wander the lakefront, find soft serve ice cream, and buy lots of hand knit hats and mittens for mere pennies. The day ends with terrific hot showers in our hostel-the first hot water we've experienced in four months.
Thursday, November 30
An early morning two hour bus ride brings us to the Bolivia border. After a very stressful hour, we enter Bolivia as legal visitors. Twenty minutes in a taxi lands us in the cozy town of Copacobana, nestled on a large bay of Lake Titicaca. We find a hostel for $1.20 a night, and spend the rest of the day inspecting the Moorish-style cathedral, talking with other travelers, and hiking up one of the nearby mountains for a chilly yet spectacular view of the lake. For supper we make soup on the roof of our hostel using my backpacking stove. The night is drizzly and bitterly cold.
Friday, December 1
This morning we discover there is a time difference between Bolivia and Perú when we arrive at the harbor an hour after our boat to Isla del Sol departed. We are disappointed, but decide to wait until 1:30 pm for the next boat and spend a half day at the island instead. The afternoon boat ride turns out to be a hoot; the time flies by as we enjoy a rowdy conversation with a perky German PhD, a young Australian ER doctor, a French engineer, and a boisterous American Spanish teacher who hails from New York City. We discuss politics, currency, the best places to visit in South America, bungee jumping, and the difficulties of the Spanish language. They are surprised when we tell them we're Christian volunteers serving in the jungle.
Isla del Sol is gorgeous. It is an island that is sunny and steep, a vigorous three hour hike from one end to the other, and the said birthplace of the first Inca and also the sun and moon. We are amazed by the rugged peaks, red tile roofed mud houses, and sparkling blue lake down below. We are sad to leave, and somewhat bothered when our boat runs out of gas on the way back to Copacobana.
Sabbath, December 2
As we searched this town yesterday for an Adventist church and were completely unsuccessful, we hold services this morning in our hostel room. Sabbath school is an intense discussion about the purpose of Sabbath and also Sabbath observance. Church includes four sermonettes and some energetic hymn singing. We hit the trail in the afternoon and climb several 13,000 ft peaks on the outskirts of twon. We enjoy lovely weather and magnificent views of the town and lake. In the evening we leave a sleepy and flu-ridden Alex in bed and attend a local Catholic service, as well as grab some hot chocolate and soup at a tiny cafe.
Sunday, December 3
John heads to the plaza in the morning to bond with the locals while Alex, Jackson, and I choose to walk the stony beach along the lake. It is a sunny and warm day, we decide on an impromtu swim in the Lake Titicaca. The "swim" turns into little more than a dip, as the water is icy. Brrrrrr. Our bus for Cusco leaves from Copacobana at 1:30 in the afternoon, we arrive at our destination at midnight. Our welcome in Cusco is not warm, as we are cheated by a disgruntled taxi driver, harrassed by drunk locals in an alley, and wander around in the cold dark for ages trying to find our hidden hostel. We finally find what we're looking for, and with sore throats and stuffy noses we collapse in our little rooms.
The whole day is spent soaking up the culture of Puno and its people. We take a tour of an iron boat that was built in England 150 years ago, then disassembled and hauled over the Andes by mules. We huff and puff our way around town, wander the lakefront, find soft serve ice cream, and buy lots of hand knit hats and mittens for mere pennies. The day ends with terrific hot showers in our hostel-the first hot water we've experienced in four months.
Thursday, November 30
An early morning two hour bus ride brings us to the Bolivia border. After a very stressful hour, we enter Bolivia as legal visitors. Twenty minutes in a taxi lands us in the cozy town of Copacobana, nestled on a large bay of Lake Titicaca. We find a hostel for $1.20 a night, and spend the rest of the day inspecting the Moorish-style cathedral, talking with other travelers, and hiking up one of the nearby mountains for a chilly yet spectacular view of the lake. For supper we make soup on the roof of our hostel using my backpacking stove. The night is drizzly and bitterly cold.
Friday, December 1
This morning we discover there is a time difference between Bolivia and Perú when we arrive at the harbor an hour after our boat to Isla del Sol departed. We are disappointed, but decide to wait until 1:30 pm for the next boat and spend a half day at the island instead. The afternoon boat ride turns out to be a hoot; the time flies by as we enjoy a rowdy conversation with a perky German PhD, a young Australian ER doctor, a French engineer, and a boisterous American Spanish teacher who hails from New York City. We discuss politics, currency, the best places to visit in South America, bungee jumping, and the difficulties of the Spanish language. They are surprised when we tell them we're Christian volunteers serving in the jungle.
Isla del Sol is gorgeous. It is an island that is sunny and steep, a vigorous three hour hike from one end to the other, and the said birthplace of the first Inca and also the sun and moon. We are amazed by the rugged peaks, red tile roofed mud houses, and sparkling blue lake down below. We are sad to leave, and somewhat bothered when our boat runs out of gas on the way back to Copacobana.
Sabbath, December 2
As we searched this town yesterday for an Adventist church and were completely unsuccessful, we hold services this morning in our hostel room. Sabbath school is an intense discussion about the purpose of Sabbath and also Sabbath observance. Church includes four sermonettes and some energetic hymn singing. We hit the trail in the afternoon and climb several 13,000 ft peaks on the outskirts of twon. We enjoy lovely weather and magnificent views of the town and lake. In the evening we leave a sleepy and flu-ridden Alex in bed and attend a local Catholic service, as well as grab some hot chocolate and soup at a tiny cafe.
Sunday, December 3
John heads to the plaza in the morning to bond with the locals while Alex, Jackson, and I choose to walk the stony beach along the lake. It is a sunny and warm day, we decide on an impromtu swim in the Lake Titicaca. The "swim" turns into little more than a dip, as the water is icy. Brrrrrr. Our bus for Cusco leaves from Copacobana at 1:30 in the afternoon, we arrive at our destination at midnight. Our welcome in Cusco is not warm, as we are cheated by a disgruntled taxi driver, harrassed by drunk locals in an alley, and wander around in the cold dark for ages trying to find our hidden hostel. We finally find what we're looking for, and with sore throats and stuffy noses we collapse in our little rooms.
posted by Ansley at 5:52 AM
3 Comments:
Wonderful descriptions, Ansley. I would have loved to sit in on your conversations with other travelers and hear the 4 sermonettes on the purpose of the Sabbath and Sabbath observance.
So John's taken to bonding with the locals? He's always been a social dude.
Do you have pictures or video of your dip in Lake Titicaca? I would love to see it!! I agree with Ted that your impromptu Sabbath school and church sound awesome!
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