We journeyed to Lago Titicaca to visit Isla del Sol, a spectacular alpine island on the Bolivian side of the lake. We travelled via 'tourist' coach, meaning no locals on board. However, our return coach was also sold as 'tourist' but unlike its punctual predecessor, it waited and waited and waited to fill its seats, and with no success it proceeded to stop literally every 5 minutes to pick up the local indigenous along the road until there was no an empty space left. Of course this meant that once in La Paz, we stopped every 5 minutes to drop them off.
Yet time is of no essence high in the Andes. To get to the island, we took the two-hour winding road from La Paz to the waterfront, which we crossed - passengers on one boat, coach on a separate barge - before continuing onto Copacabana, where we took the two-hour (normally half-hour) ferry to the largest and most spiritual of the islands, Isla del Sol (Sun Island).
My first few moments once back on land were spent in the toilet being ridiculously sick with yet another stomach buy combined with altitude sickness. A mug of mate later I was climbing the 206 steep steps built by the Inca up the hillside. The Island is basically one giant mound surrounded by sweeping blue water, the resting place for the dead according to the Inca. The higher we climbed, the more spectacular the view became.
Two young boys led us up to their mother's hostel and bartered with us for a night's stay. Once settled on the eastern bank, we walked further upwards; the altitude shortening our breaths to difficult gulps but once at the top, it was like looking through panorama lenses. We chose a cafe on the western side to watch the sunset over a glass of red wine. As the sun said goodnight, the cool air said hello and the electricity was gone. It was an early night for us all.
The following morning we awoke early to witness the sunrise from the porch just outside our bedroom window. Then off we set across the island. It took us a solid 3-4 hours and was worth every step. The island is scattered with old ruins from the Inca, who believed their sun god arose from the lake to create their world. The sun god definitely seemed present that day; we all got sunburnt and deceived by the high altitude's cool air and direct sunlight.
There are no cars on the island, just noisy mules that sound like they're screaming in agony from their endless heavy loads, and there are two main paths leading around the island to see more than 180 different ruins. Yet it is the view that took my breath away high on the hill (pun intended). Whether is be witnessing the sunrise, sunset or midday sun, Isla del Sol is definitely a recommended place to visit.
Although it's not just the island but also the lake itself that contains so many intriguing mysteries worth investigating, from the recently discovered ruins of an underwater city at its depths to the eclectic groups of indigenous that calls its islands and banks home.
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