Spanish for Bolivia

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Notebook · Explore Lake Titicaca and Copacabana

Explore Lake Titicaca & Copacabana

Six chapters of a two-day Lake Titicaca trip from La Paz, to Copacabana by bus with the Estrecho de Tiquina crossing, one night on the Isla del Sol, and back: handle the two tickets at the strait, settle into a base by the lake, read the boat schedule board at the dock, walk the sacred island overnight with its small community aportes, approach the Basilica of the Virgen de Copacabana and the ch’allas with the deepest respect, and close a calm wind-stranded return, asking and observing at every step, photographing only with permission, and never a boat, a lake or a crossing called safe, and never a sacred meaning asserted.

Never seen water this blue ✎
  1. The Tiquina crossing, into Copacabana

    Start on the La Paz to Copacabana bus (Bs 30) and meet the Estrecho de Tiquina, where the bus crosses on a barge and you cross in a separate little lancha (Bs 2), asking (usted) whether you cross by boat here, where to wait across the water, and how long it takes, then settle into a hostal by the lake in Copacabana and order una trucha a la plancha.

  2. The Tiquina crossing: the two tickets← You are here

    Take the La Paz to Copacabana bus and, at the Estrecho de Tiquina, handle the two tickets, the bus crosses on a barge while you cross in a separate little lancha.

    Start chapter 1

  3. Copacabana: a base by the lake

    In Copacabana, settle into a hostal by the lake, ask Doña Rosa for a room and an extra blanket, order a trucha at the shore, and ask when the basilica opens.

  4. The boat to the Isla del Sol

    At the Copacabana dock, read the lancha schedule board for the Isla del Sol, and ask the crew which parts are open and the last boat back, because that is not on the board.

  5. Walking the island, one night

    Walk the Isla del Sol and stay one night, ask how hard the path is, about the small community aportes, a simple room, and, at altitude, where a health post is.

  6. Sacred sites and ch’allas

    See the Basilica, watch the ch’allas by the church and climb the Cerro Calvario, greeting in usted, asking permission before a photo, and never assuming what anything means.

  7. The wind stopped the boats

    The wind has stopped the return lanchas, message the boatman to ask when the next one goes and whether there is another way back, and let La Paz know you will be late.

  8. The sacred island and the wind that stopped the boats

    Finish having read the boat board and asked which parts of the island are open, walked the Isla del Sol overnight with its community aportes and the altitude taken slowly, approached the Basilica, the ch’allas and the Cerro Calvario with the deepest respect, asking permission before any photo and never assuming what anything means, and handled a calm wind-stranded return, asking the boatman (usted, extra respect) when the next lancha goes and letting La Paz know, never calling the lake safe or unsafe.

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