Drago D22 The Moon and the Sun

By 8 we were on the roof of a little boat sailing across lake Titicaca to the peninsula. We got off below the virgin from lourdes. Bought there from France its a large pilgramage for the faithful of Bolivia and Peru in August. It was a statue hidden in a little crevice. We continued past following a inca trail across the peninsula. Climbing a small hill was tough at the altitude and breaks were needed.

Leo was an exubrant guide giving talks on history and fauna as we passed different plants. Many of the local plants are good for altitude sickness, like Muna or are halluciogenics like the St Pedro cactus. The local tree has bark that comes off like paper and is currently being replanted everywhere after eucalyptus took over after the British bought it over. Leo is an interesting character, he wore his coat like a cape for the whole day along with a bright pink hat and white eightes style wrap around glasses!

We continued down to a hidden village called Sanpaya which had beautiful stone buildings set upon the hills. We stopped for lunch on one of the terraces enjoying the sun and only two cholitas passed in that time. After a brief siesta the boat was waiting in a small harbour to take us over to moon island. Before we left brave Izzy took a dip in the lake at a balmy 12 celcius.

At moon island was a restored temple of the moon which Leo explained had housed virgins that wove for the wealthy in society. Passing market stalls on the way down James bought keyrings representing mother earth Pacchamama and a amulet of a condor for safe travel.

Arriving at Sun island afterwards we had the shock of hundreds of tourists. The island is currently undergoing a turfwar so the north of the island is closed. Leaving the south crowded. In the north there are two villages one of which is the port and the other the tourist village. For years the tourist village has taken most if the revenue and the port village got angry and have now stopped tourists for two years.

After 12km hiling we arrived at our hostel at the top of the village. A nice cold beer and a coffee with whiskey courtesy of Olly were had while watching a thunderstorm over the lake an awesome sight.Read more