Bolivia - The Runaway Bus

Upon arriving in La Paz at the crack of dawn and standing in line for an hour and a half to get our visas, we finally made it to the bus station and started the four-hour ride to Copacabana, a small town on the shores of humongous Lake Titcaca. 

There was a quick stop a few hours in.  When Kerri and I came out of the restroom, the bus was nowhere to be seen.  Ummm....this could be a problem.  Scanning all around, I finally spotted our bus on a ferry crossing the lake....without us.  Luckily, we saw our fellow passengers and quickly bought tickets for our own ferry to carry us to the other side. 

 

 

At 12,602 feet, Copacabana was quite chilly.  We were grateful our hostel room had the sun pouring in through the windows and immediately went out to buy some mittens and a ski cap. 

 

Kerri plastered herself against the panes to soak in the heat. 

 

 

The next day, we took a three-hour boat ride to the northern part of Isla del Sol, where the Incas believed the Sun God was born.  There were some ancient ruins we hiked around before being dropped off a small town on Isla del Sol, Ch'allapampa.  There were pigs roaming around throughout the town, sheep bleating, and just a general air of peacefulness.  

 



The views were spectacular no matter which way we turned. 

 

 



In the northern parts of Bolivia, as in Copacabana and La Paz, the women were dressed in long skirts and several layers.  Many times we would see these women carrying heavy burdens over their shoulders with only sandals to support all the weight.  These are the Aymara people, one of at least 36 indigenous groups in Bolivia.