The big trip: La Paz, Copacabana, Isla del Sol and Peru

La Paz, Bolivia. We arrived early in the morning to a dirty, unorganized city that I

instantly did not like. Our bus from Sucre was big and fairly comfortable, with several

stops along the way (so I could go and sqaut with the other women by the side of the

road) including the stop where we blew a tire at 1:30 am and had to wait 2.5 hours for it

be changed. But we had one day here and I was determined to buy a new camera (my

"new" one from Buenos Aires seemed permanently damaged after using it on a windy

day in the desert.) With two hours to spare before going on a city tour, I made my way

down to where the traffic cop told me I could find the microbuses. Misobbuses are vans

that drive along different avenues, like a bus, but their destinations are listed in the

window on interchangable, handwritten cards. They have two "staff" members: the driver, and the guy who hangs out the window chanting the destinations in order to lure you into this

bus as opposed to the one behind it. You flag them down, pay the caller, and squeeze in

along with 20 other people to your destination.

After finding another Panasonic Lumix, I happily made my way back to the hostel on foot to meet Michael for the city tour. After getting to another end of the city, only to find out that our sightseeing bus had broken down, we walked back to the hostel, getting a different perpesctive that made me change my mind about La Paz. I liked it, a lot. It was a city of organized chaos and it was too bad that we could not stay longer but we had to get to Cusco to prepare for the

trek to Machu Picchu.

The next day we made our way to Copacabana, where we took a small overloaded boat

across Lake Titicaca to Isla del Sol, the birthplace of the sun as well as the Inkas. We

took a walk to the Pilco Kaima ruins with our own private guide and learned about the

Inkas and the Spaniards.

The next day took us back to Copacabana, over the border to Peru (which was a relatively

easy crossing), through Puno and finally to Cusco, around midnight.

I had been starting to feel a bit unwell in my belly already in Sucre (ok, I remember I

took a sip of tap water there before realizing it was tap water but my troubles began before that) so I took a day resting in bed at the hostel.

At 4 in the morning on what was to be day 1 of the 4-day, three-night trek on the Inka

Trail to Machu Picchu, I unfortunately realized that I was not well enough to go with

Michael, so I stayed behind.

After feeling sorry for myself for a day and a half, I took the advice of the hostel owner

and went to the clinic (really, the ER at the hospital). After a series of going up and down

the stairs between reception, the doctor's office, the lab, the bathroom, the lab,

reception, and the doctors office again, I was informed that I had a bacterial infection.

And parasites. And salmonella. "You have a zoo in your stomach. You're not going on the

Inka Trail, are you?" My guilt of not going on the trip because I had a belly ache quickly disappeared and I spent the best 70 dollars of my time in Peru on 3 different medications,

and a bottle of Gatorade.

Luckily I was able to catch a train the day before my group arrived at Machu Picchu to

the town of Machu Picchu so I could take an early bus on the day of, to meet the group.

Another early morning got me to the entrance of Machu Picchu to meet my group to walk around the ruins together. They arrived and we walked the small way up to the lost

Inka town.

My experience was different than theirs but we took the last day in all together. Our

guide was well informed and a good story teller and the sights were amazing.

Sad as I was to miss all the experiences that the rest of the group got (inside jokes and

all), I was happy I forced myself past the stomach cramps and made it up to the final destination of Machu Picchu.

Hopefully I'll get another chance to have the experience of a lifetime in the next few months...

Locals in the park in La Paz

A town on the way to Copacabana

Locals doing their daily business

What looks like shanty towns. Half built or half torn down?

First view of anything Titikaka

Lake Titicaca

The overcrowded boat we took from Copacabana to Isla del Sol.

Popcorn avenue

The main drag in Copacabana

The cars rolling in to be blessed

A few of the things you can buy to bless your car with

Cars lining up to be blessed

Locals praying and lighting candles for fortune (or a house or a car...)

They believe that if you draw the item of your desire in candlewax on the wall, the better your chances are of fulfilling said wish.

A to the K

Geting ready to eat trucha

Fresh lake trout, not a native fish to Lake Titicaca, but tasty all the same.

First image of the port of Isla del Sol

Burro blanco!

Pic on the sly. Most local women dress like this.

Another picture on the sly. "Señorita, you have to pay!"

Llamas, pigs, burros, sheep

This llama snuck up behind me and mercilessly stepped on my foot while reaching for a snack.

Local woman tending her flock

At the ruins

Looked like a hand reaching across the sky...if you believe in that sort of thing.

A house which roof had just been finished. So it was blessed with flowers and booze.

Burro blanco!

We tried Argentine wine in Argentina, Chilean wine in Chile and of course, now Bolivian wine in Bolivia. I had hoped it would warm me up but at room remperature, it was quite chilly.

THis shot was taken right after I dropped my brand new, not-even-two-days-old camera on the ground. It still worked but needed a bit of repair so this was my last shot until Cusco. Can you see the look of hope in my face that it didn't break?

Plaza San Blas in Cusco

Jan 6 day celebration in Plaza de Armas

My own "Inka (T)rail"

Cron on the cob snacks for the train ride.

In case you didn't already buy a silly hat, or bag, or insect repellent...

This is the point where the group got off the bus and started walking. I just kept going on the train.

Machu Picchu town (Aguas Calientes)

big-ass bug. You can't see it here but it was *this* big *holds fingers 6 inches apart*.

Big-ass bug

My dinner companion. No, not a stray.

Finally...

Classic view

Contemplating

Trying to re-create the photo that Hiram Bingham took.

Cool bug. Not big-ass.

Passionfruit plant. They had a little tropical plant garden in the middle of everything.

Lizard

Part of the quarry from which the Incas chisled the stones to build the city.

This stone apparently gives off energy that you can get if you put your hands close enough (but don't touch!). Miss Candy and Miss Cindy, this is for you. ;-)