According to legend, the Inca civilization was born when Manco Capac and his sister Mama Ocllo , children of the sun, emerged from Lake Titicaca. We found the two siblings relaxing on Copacabana beach - statues of them actually - as we strolled round the bay.
A friendly dog from the town accompanied us as our tour guide - and introduced us to 25 of his mates who live in the woods on the far side of the bay! Time to head back and catch the Ferry to the Isla del Sol 11km across the lake. At lake level the altitude here is 3,808 metres, but it looks like a sea! The largest lake in South America, there's no land on the distant horizon!!
Isla del Sol is traffic free - no cars - in fact no roads either! There is however the Escalera del Inca - or path of a thousand steps - a 1km walk which climbs the 200 metres to the highest point on the Isla. Few of our forty fellow ferry passengers made the full Escalera, only David actually!! Photos in the Gallery as proof. The Isla del Sol was said by the Incas to be the birthplace of humanity. They must have had well developed lungs!!
Back on the Ferry, the Captain oddly asked all the passengers to sit on the Starboard side of the boat. We had noticed him baling out water from the Port side of the engine room whilst moored at Yumani! Concerned we asked a young Bolivian chap who was on the boat and he said "Oh yes, the Ferry has developed a leak on the left side , but nothing to worry about!"
Eleven kilometres of choppy water later, a relieved couple of tourists stepped ashore in Copacabana and headed back to the Hotel Las Olas (yes we've moved from La Cupula to a Suite at Las Olas - sleeps 7 - 2 bathrooms - 4 hammocks) to celebrate their safe arrival back on terra firma!!
