25th April - Isla del Sol in Lake Titicaca
The Isla del Sol is situated a 2 hour boat ride from Copacabana. It is an island around 8 kms long from north to south and has been inhabited since the third millenium BC. Some shards of stone from Araquipa thought to date from 2,200BC have been found here, showing that the people living here at that time were trading with others at a distance. The native Aymara name for the island is Titi'kaka which may mean 'puma rock' or 'foundation stone'. There are around 80 archaeological sites on the island, most of them Inca. It is a place that is still revered by Quechua and Aymara people.
We walked down to the lake in the morning to catch a 9.00am boat. The day was dry and sunny but it was quite chilly on the boat, not surprising considering the elevation, but the thin atmosphere gave us the deep blue sky and water.
As you approach the island there are a number of smaller islands surrounding it and at one point the boat has to manoeuvre through a narrow channel between them. The island in fact lies not far from a small spur of mainland.
We passed some amazing views on the way across and in one direction there are the snow covered peaks of the Cordillero Real.
The boat called in at a little jetty to unload a passenger and then we continued up to a place called Cha'llapampa, the largest habitation on the north of the island.
In Challa'pampa we looked around a small dusty museum. There has been some underwater excavations of very early sites as the lake was a lot shallower at one time.
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| Challa'pampa |
The idea is that you walk around the bay at Challa and then strike north to the Inca sites at the northern tip. You can then walk back to Challa'pampa and catch the boat round to the south east of the island to Yumani or walk from the ruins back down the spine of the island (around 2 hours) and catch the boat from Yumani. We opted for the boat trip rather than the walk as we were meandering but the walk looks jolly fine too and if I went back I would do this.
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| Pig and boat |
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| Terraced hillside |
The islanders (around 800 families) live mainly by agriculture and fishing but now also make a good proportion of their income from tourism.
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| Quinoa growing |
There are no cars on the island and so donkey is the main form of transport. The paths are either paved with stone or just trodden earth and very dusty this time of year.
We walked up the hill past a headland which we visited on the way back down, to where a guide was talking to a group of tourists around a stone table. Some of the guide books say that this is an Inca sacrificial altar but the guide said that it was a modern picnic table, depends on your turn of mind I suppose.
We got to the ruins around lunchtime - we had brought some snacks.
There was a temple here which was built by the Incas and later expanded by the 10th Inca Tupac Inca Yupanqui. We saw no sign of this so it must have been removed for building stone. We did see the Chicana or labyrinth which is believed to be either a convent for mamaconas (chosen women) or a resting place (tambo) for visiting pilgrims.
There were lots of little rooms in the building and several impressive lintels.
We then walked back down to see the sacred rock called Titikala more closely. This is the reason why the Isla del Sol is such a special place. It was here that Viracocha the creator god was supposed to have emerged from the lake and brought the sun out from within the sacred rock. This myth is pre-Inca. However not merely content with that, he then brought Manco Capac and his wife Mama Occlo the first Incas out from the same rock, thus ensuring the continued sacredness of the site.
In its heyday the rock would have been draped with cloths decorated with silver and gold. The face of Viracocha is supposed to be apparent on the side of the rock but we had trouble finding it until a guide pointed it out.
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| A little rock hugging will do you good |
We walked back towards Challa'pampa going out to the tip of the little headland on the way.
I like the way the rock echoed the shapes of the grasses.
There was a puppy on the headland. Always nice to have something to pet.
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| View over to the Cordillera |
The beach at Challa had a number of tents on it, and the pig had moved closer. The couple I think were unaware of it.
We had a beer by the waterfront and then waited for the boat to go.
The boat landed at Yupanqui, a pretty little harbour under a steep hillside which has a set of Inca steps (205 of them) running up to the top. A spring runs in a channel down the side of the steps, the Fuente del Inca, the waters of which are supposed to impart immortality (not proven). At the bottom, the spring is forced through three sprouts and legend has it that if you drink from the three spouts at the same time you will understand the Inca, Quechua and Aymara languages. I tried it, didn't work for me unfortunately.
The Inca steps were rather marred by the grotesque Inca statues planted by the sides of them.
At the top there were two children posing with a pair of alpacas for pictures. I hadn't realised I was supposed to give money to both so the little girl turned her head away when I took the picture. The alpaca looks particularly savvy.
There were also a few stalls selling the usual stuff and some ladies having a rest on a grassy hill.
We walked back down to the shore where there was a great photographic moment! Which I haven't done justice to. Someone had lit a fire by a grove of eucalyptus trees and the sun was shining through the smoke. I only had the 16-35mm and the 50mm on me so I took it with the 50mm which does not have a lens hood. I only got one good shot, with the sun partially hidden behind a tree, as the rest of them had too much flare.
We waited by the shore for a little while and then followed the two hour journey back to Copacabana.
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| Waterside at Yupanqui |
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| Waterside at Yupanqui |
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| Naomi waiting for the boat to go |
That evening we were tempted by another trout and chip supper in one of the seafood sheds, where we watched the sun going down again.
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