Around the World in as long as it takes.

We´d arranged to go and see the Tiwanaku (or Tiahuanaco) ruins as part of a day trip as it was only 35 Bolivianos for the full day trip with an English Guide (that works out about 3 pounds each !)

It was an 8am start (which wasn´t too bad) and by 9am (Bolivian Time remember !!!) we were heading off towards the ruins.

The People tht originally occupied the site were reckoned to have been there about 600BC, however, it´s not too clear what happened to them before the Ayamara and then the Inca Peoples decided to populate the site.

The Temple itself was added to around 700AD, before a "natural Phenomenon" (aka El Nino and an Large Tidal wave.... so they reckon from Titikaka) wiped the site out in what they reckon was about 1200AD (how they knew this I´ll never know !!!)

Anyway, the reason they can tell that it was definately impacted by something was that most of the monuments that stood upright were laid flat, however, they were quite a few meters away from where they were supposed to be as if they´d been lifted up and washed some way down stream .... so to speak.

The whole site was covered by silt and mud and so most of the formations and statues (although the Gold and relics etc. were pillaged by the Spanish and some religious zelots.... makes a change eh ???? !) were left relatively intact and in their final resting place (until we found them that was and put them back wher we thought they were!)

We pulled up to the site some 2 hours later where we found two museums side by side. We payed our entrance fee to our guide (who reliably informed us he´d buy the tickets) and went in.

The first was the most interesting with lots of pots and atrifacts from the site (those that remained) whilst in the second there seemed to be only one thing.... a massive megalith of Pacha Mama !

It was a great statue and used to be situated in the middle of La Paz, before it was returned to the Museum and even had a few gun shot marks on it from various revolutions!

The strange thing though, yet another annoying thing about Museums down here, was that we weren´t allowed to take photgraphs of it!

Why not ????

Not because it damaged the monolith or anything so logical, but again, because it´s copyright was to be maintained by the museum...... far be it that tourists would take their photgraphs around the world and publicise the little known artefact....

Oh no.......

Nooo......

"we can sell postcards"

of the site if tourists aren´t allowed to take pictures !!!!!

I give in.....really I do !!!!!

Anyway, it´s a cool monolith and I´d love to be able to attach a picture of it to show you......!

Having been led around the museums we were then led around the actual site itself.

One of the interesting facts was that the site itself used to be right alongside the shoreline of Lake Titikaka some 3000 years earlier and now the Lake itself was some 4 kilometres away !!!

We were led around the Akapana Pyramid, which consisted of seven distinct levels up to the top level (where we were assured lay the remains of a pool where it was reckoned water was used to reflect the stars in the sky by the Incas)

Unfortunately.... much again like many sites in South America.... we couldn´t go walk up to go and see this pool as the Guide had a plan and we were encouraged to follow him to the next site.... The Temple Subterranio!

Before we got there though we were given a good bit of information as in the Lower corner of the Akapana Pyramid a Jaguar Skull and entire skeleton had recently been discovered.

The Skeleton was found in one of the Irrigration tunnels on the side of the building as if the Animal had been trying to hide, or something, in the hole to try and survive whatever the terrible disaster was that did, unfortunately, kill it!

Very interesting indeed we thought as this indicated either the animal was tame or that they roamed around the temples !!!

Also it reaffirmed the idea that a natural disaster took place at the site some years earlier.

The Subterranian Temple hadn´t been dscovered by anyone prior to it´s excavation.

Hence the Religious zealots hadn´t had a chance to damage and destroy the Human faces that encircled a great statue of Viracocha..... one of the Original and most interesting of the Inca Gods (well.... ???)

An interesting fact about the heads that adorn the entire outer walls of the temple is that they are all of different "looking" peoples ! Honest.... some white, some black, some red.... large lips, small thin lips, one type of hat, a different type of Nose etc. etc.

And every one was different !

As if to indicate that either the original peoples of the site were a hotch potch of peoples from around the world or the people that were there were aware of these different looking people.... cool !

The Statue of Viracocha was of a white man (yep..... white) and he has a clearly visible beard on the statue (which was said to be Red !) The Stone is red, however, they reckoned it was painted white... well his face was originally anyway?

So.... once again....... somewhere else in the world.... a God Turned up some 3000 years ago.... cultured the local population and the guy was white, had a beard and once again... dissappeared on a "boat" only to return again before another Natural disaster happens !!!

Anyway, We were then shown the Kalasasaya (where Evo Morales was Inaugarated) and the sun gate through which the Rising sun can be seen on the Summer Solstice.

Then we walked over to the far side of the site where we were allowed to view the Sun gate for a few minutes.

This was one of the monuments that was thought to have been horizontal on the main site, however, had been washed downstream some distance (and broken in two I might add!) by whatever "natural" disaster had happened some years earlier. The Archaeologists had relocated the monument to where they thought it was located.... however.... to me it looked out of place where they´d put it!

It was then that we were invited to go to a touristic restaurant for lunch.

We declined and headed off to Puma Punka ! (We´d made sandwiches already as we´re getting used to this side of the tours by now !!!)

I´d read up about Puma Punka earlier and had wanted to specifically detour to see the smaller site on the South West of the main site.

The rock formations and sculptures were said to be very different from those at the main site and we weren´t dissapointed.

There are hundreds of broken rocks and sculptures at the smaller site, however, they all seem very different and the shapes, patterns and geometrical shapes on them all are very different indeed.

On the large rocks on the floor seemed to be indentations ready to "plug" in other rocks with which they would build the temples or walls or whatever.... it was really fascinating. Also there were other rocks with small holes running along them where the wholes were exactly equidistant from one another !! Again.... different and cool !

Not to mention the Doorways, Triangles and other assorted shapes littered around the site !

I loved it !

Anyway, we hung around the site waiting for our bus back and (in True Bolivian fashion) the bus turned up some 20 minutes late ready to take us back to La Paz.

We arrived back in La Paz around 4pm and thanked our Guide (by asking him to provide us with our tickets as we wanted them as a momento Which he finally did !) and then we headed back to the hotel ready to catch our flights to the Jungle the following day !

Alan, myself and Keiran headed straight to San Pedro Prison!!

I had read the book, Marching Powder, and interested in seeing it all in real life.

We had heard that they weren´t allowing random visits anymore but it was still a possibility and worth the walk!!

I recognised the huge grey building, next to the very nice Plaza Sucre, from the book as we approached! It was deffinately visiting day as hoards of people tried there luck at the gate...... we took a peek at the prisoners who were waiting in the courtyard near the gates to see if anyone exciting was going to pay a visit!

We tried our luck with the golden toothed (a sign of wealth and authority) prison officer outside the gates BUT as we had no contact name failed to get in!!!

I actually was indifferent with the decision, not sure whether I wanted to enter a self-policing prison at all!!!! Alan, on the other hand wanted to so we went in search of the British Embassy to find out if there were any British prisoners we could visit!

It was a fair old walk to the embassy and was deffinately in the nice part of town. Alan was the only one allowed inside, it was all very official.

Unfortunately there were no Brits in San Pedro Prison but Alan did obtain two names of British Prisoners in Santa Cruz for sometime in the future!!

We also visited the Coca museum which was really interesting.

Evo Morales (El Presidente) has tried to change peoples opinion of the plant as a whole since the plant (which is indeed the source of Cocaine) is heavily used by the Indegenous peoples of the area but more as something akin to tobacco where they chew it as a mild sedative or calming effect.

It´s not anything like the drug that´s derived from it..... and unfortunately the chemical version of cocaine (which has an american patent and is ENTIRELY legal ...... and used in Coca Cola etc.... means that the natural source of Coca is given a bad rap !!!

However.... the cocaine element is still rife in Bolivia and later we´d see a drugs bust and the Bolivian DEA equivelent stripping a car and people down with small white bags being layed on the ground infront of the car !!!!

So there´s always two sides to every story !

That afternoon we found a nice restaurant for an Almuerzo and since it was xmas time and the whole city was so hectic.... it was nice to chill out for a wee while.

The following day we had a very early start with the locally owned company ´Extreme Downhill´!

We were about to ride the death road.... de de der!!!!!!!

Alan and Keiran teased me, about falling off the side of the cliff, all the way to the starting point! I obviously found this hilarious!!!!!!!!!!

There were only the three of us and the guide biking with the driver accompanied by the guides wife and young son in the minibus that followed us (well closely me as I was always at the back) down the infamous road!

After a little breakfast we kitted ourselves with warm clothes and set off on the easy tarmac road....... presumably to get used to the bikes!

The interesting part of the tarmac road was a tunnel ..... without any lights apart from a car whizzing towards us, beeping his horn........ scary!

Eventually we arrived at the main event, Death Road itself! We left the main, new tarmac road and joined the gravel steep one. Last year the road was made into a one way system and most of the traffic was moved onto the new tarmac road so the chance of dying was slim ha ha!!! Infact its not that dangerous at all if you take your time and I personally did just this!!!

Alan and Keiran whizzed off with the guide but I just took my time, taking in the views that were quite spectacular as the mist started to clear..... especially the massive sheer drops inches away from the bicycle wheel!

We passed numerous crosses, 15 people had died in the last 8 years.... 9 of which were Israeli!?!?!

It was great fun as we cycled through small streams and got thoroughly dirty riding through thick mud........ which meant showering under the waterfalls as we drove under them!

There was a snack half way down which consisted of burgers followed by fruit and yoghurt!

Somehow none of us managed to fall off, it must of been the fact that we were highly skilled riders (although hard core Alan got a puncture and had to have a new bike)...... or that a donkey could of passed me as I steadily cycled down the road!!!

At the end of the road we had a cerveza to celebrate that we were all alive....... very dramatic I know!

We were then taken to a restuarant in Coroico for a hot shower before a huge lunch... very nice!

So the $35 we had spent for the trip went quite far as we even received a cool t.shirt and photo cd...... so forget the American Owned Gravity Assisted expensive trip at $99 a piece........... we recommend local owned!

We reached La Paz on a coach, in the centre at friday afternoon rush hour! Not just any friday but the friday before christmas!!! It took ages just to get into the city centre as the traffic was pure madness! The bus dropped us off quite a way from the Wild Rover Hostal, where we had reservations, and a taxi didn´t think it was worth his while to take us there so we walked with backpacks an´ all!

I was completely shattered when we arrived at the hostal to find Jackie (the lady who we met on the inca trail) looking shattered too. Apparently having no sleep due to the bar being next door to her dorm.... no if you run a hostal with a bar and fairly young clientel and a middle aged lady wants a dorm room it would probably make more sense to place them in a room away from the bar!!!????

We later learned that there was no place away from the bar, that the bar was extremely loud with a crowd of people who obviously thought seeing La Paz consisted of frequenting the irish owned hostal bar every night, all night!!!

Alan, myself and Cullen (who had travelled with us on the bus to La Paz) were a bit hungry so found a british owned curry house....... it did live up to expectations...... just like anywhere in Bradford yum yum!!!

Unfortunately I felt really faint after the meal and needed Alan to lean on while we walked back to the hostal..... all very dramatic ha ha..... I even needed a break half way at the interesting Plaza Pedro D Murillo (home of El Presidente.... and the flags were flying)!!

The beds at the hostal were super comfy and above the bar noise we managed to get a few winks!

Alan, though, had been up all night with the runs.... bless!

Well breakfast was quiet due to everyone still recovering in bed. Jackie informed that someone had rolled her over in the wee hours of the morning to check who she was and Cullen informed us of sick all over the bathroom near his room!!! Jesus..... you would think we were on a school trip!

We decided to walk the whole of La Paz 3 times over to find a nice hostal big enough for four of us.... Alan, Cullen, myself and Keiran (who was joining us christmas eve)! We managed to find a hotel with a self contained flat at the top with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen and a living room.... perfecto!

Later on we headed out to the cinema to watch whatever film was in English. Back at Wild Rover the bar didn´t look inviting so we headed off to bed!

This time it was my turn to be sitting on the toilet all night, we had obviously eaten something really bad!!!!!!

The next morning we left Wild Rotter (whoops sorry Rover) and headed to our penthouse, among the market madness!!!

After getting a few christmas provisions Alan and myself were shattered.... whatever bug we had had taken its toll so we just flopped on the sofa and watched numerous christmas specials of friends!!!!!

At 8am Keiran woke us all up on christmas eve so after a brief catch up over a cuppa we hit the market stalls!!! The whole of the surrounding streets were market stalls, it was complete chaos but great fun.

We managed to get some great bargains, vegetables, fruit, christmas cards with llamas on (class) and even a christmas tree complete with lights (Steph had to have one)!!! Although Alan and myself still felt weak we were having great fun (inbetween running to the toilet) bartering and chatting with local vendors. Alan even managed to buy a whole chicken, intact with head, feet and heart yummo!!!

Later on that evening we had a meal at Sol y Luna before some drinks at Olivers travels. The owner was completely pissed and a bit of a prat but we had a few drinks to bring in christmas!!!

Merry Christmas.......... Feliz Navidad

Alan got straight to work with the christmas dinner while the rest of us sat around drinking and talking.

We pulled the table out of the kitchen and placed it in the living room before decorating it with christmas napkins and party hats!!! Along with the christmas tree it all looked very festive!

Well the meal was fantastic, salad and brushetta for starters, chicken and the works for the main and the sweet was put to the side for later as we were stuffed ha ha!!! Well done Alan (and Cullen for the salad and sweet)!!!!

Alan and myself phoned everyone at home to wish them merry christmas........ it was so nice to chat to everyone (some had been on the booze already ha ha....... but it was 9pmish so they had a good excuse ha ha)!

Then Mark (an ozzie we met in Huaraz) turned up with some friends and a cake that said merry xmas Alan and Steph. I thought this was really sweet! So we had lots to drink and some cake!!!

Alan and myself exchanged christmas presents....... I received quality streets and Alan got pringles!!!!!!!!!

I managed to drink three bottles of wine all to myself while Alan had few beers........ we all enjoyed ourselves, complete with party hats!!!!

Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

Boxing day....... Alan watched football all morning while I had a bit of a lie in...... not due to a hangover ofcourse ha ha!!!

We did the typical thing on boxing day, had left overs, watched tv and ate chocolates!

Later on we managed to drag ourselves out to sol y luna for dinner to say goodbye to Cullen who was leaving the next day!

A few more drinks were had.......... well it was christmas!!!

As the bus drove around Lago Titicaca we realised just how bloody big the lake was, passing plenty of farms and a flock of flamingo's!

We reached the border for Bolivia, just before Copacabana! Alan and myself were really excited as we have heard so many nice things about Bolivia and Bolivianos!!!

It all went smoothly as the immigration officers only seemed interested in the fees from American tourists!

5 hours after we left Puno we arrived in Copacabana, on the edge of Lago Titicaca. Immediately we warmed to Bolivianos who gave us directions to the Hotel Cupula (even the hostal touts waiting at the bus stops) and even better they were correct!!!

Hotel Cupula was great.... we were given a room with a fantastic view over the lake with a balcony..... this surely wasn´t backpacking!!!???

We spent the rest of the afternoon checking out the small town and bumping into fellow travellers we had previously met.... the gringo world is small!

In the evening we had a fantastic meal at La Cupula Restuarant.... I recommend the Mousaka!!! The temperature suddenly turned cooler but fortunately we had a nice comfy, warm bed....... luxury!

After a nice breakfast in La Cupula we walked down to the beach front (well it is a beach but not quite so fancy to call it a beach front and the water is bloody cold!) to catch the boat to Isla Del Sol. The boat was somewhat simple with wooden chairs and many leaky windows BUT for 10 Bolivians each way musn´t grumble!!!

The weather in Copacabana was rainy and cold but two and a half hours later as we reached the north side of Isla Del Sol the island lived up to its name and the sun shone!

Isla Del Sol was very important to the Incas as it is the place where the sun was actually created..... according to Incan Beliefs.

We arrived at Cha'llapampa where we bought provisions (chocolate) and bought our tickets to enable us to view the ruins and museum (for 10 bolivians).

The museum was a bit of a dissapointment... although it did have a few artifacts from Marka Pampa, a lost city under Lake Titicaca (they don't know much about it but have found ceramics and ruins under the water)!?

It was then a walk across the beach where we some how obtained a 10 year old guide, Oscar!

Our guide took us to the Piedra Sagrada (Sacred Stone) and then onto Chincana Ruins.

Chicana, overlooking the beach, was pretty impressive. It had a room in the shape of the andean/incan cross and a natural well!

Near Chincana there is the Mesa Ceremonica where it is believed sacrifices (human and animal) took place.... nice!

Titikhar'ka, the most important to the Incas, is a rock resembling a Puma is also near. This is where the sun supposedly first appeared..... it was pretty hot!?

After taking many pictures we had to leave Oscar (and the other local children interested in the crazy gringos) as his mum would be mad if he ventured south!

So we were on our own again and had to tackle the 'one path' walk across the top ridge of the island towards the south!

It was a gorgeous walk that took about 2 hours, we saw many flowers, sheep and the famous 'lake titicaca sail boats'!

We reached Yumani and needed a cold drink, we also ordered sandwiches but half an hour after ordering they informed us there was no bread. Oh well, with no more time to spare we wandered down the Escalera Del Inca towards the boat that would take us back to Copacabana!

The crew gave us a chance to stay for 15 minutes to have a look around Pilko Kaina Ruins on the southern tip but the majority voted against it. We would have liked to see it but the majority ruled!!!! It looked pretty from the water anyway!

After a busy day we had a meal in La Cupula, too tired to venture down the hill, it was nice again!

Mmmmmm a nice lie in before being a little adventurous and heading into town for breakfast and very nice it was!

We then headed up to Horca Del Inca, an incan made astronomical gate on the top of a hill. During the winter solstice the sun shines through the gate!

It was a bit of a climb but well worth it purely for the views over Copacabana and Lago Titicaca. Flamingos were even in sight on the edge of the lake!

We spent a while up there, taking in the views and tranquility before clambering down over the rocks.

A visit to the cathedral was next on the agenda, the bell tower at the front of the cathedral being very impressive. I also liked the simplicity of the cathedral ceiling and windows! Next to the cathedral there is a room where people light candles to thank Camarin de la Virgen for her miracles........ for example helping someone to buy a house or a motorbike ...... those sort of miracles!

This led Alan and myself to the Cerro Calvario. It was a bit of a climb (especially in the heat of the day) to a site that was dedicated to Camarin de la Virgen. Locals bought minutures of what they would wish for, say a car or a boat, and throw it off the side of the hill with a bottle of beer for good luck (obviously the Virgen was partial to a beer or two)! As the result of this tradition there was glass and broken plastic everywhere, it was a bit of a mess really. Alan and myself had bought a minuture hostel (in the hope that the Virgen would be nice to us and let us have a real size one somewhere nice one day) but couldn't bring ourselves to throw it off the side!

In my haste to descend the hill (due to my bladder being full from the 2 litres of water I drank on the way up... doh) I slipped and hit my cocyx on a nice jagged rock..... ouch!

Limping we arrived back in Hotel Cupula for a shower before we headed into town, with some friends, to the big smoke and the Cafe Bistrot where we had a meal that was half the amount for twice the price of La Cupula!!

I still have the little hostal in my backpack, waiting for the oppurtunity to make the wish!!!!!!!!

We left Cusco for Puno and Lake Titicaca with Cruz Del Sur, the gringo bingo bus (the bus that makes you play bingo.... well its good to practice counting in spanish)!!!

It happened to be Cullens' birthday, an american amigo who was also travelling from Cusco to Puno with us! This seemed to cause great excitement with the Cruz Del Sur guy who, after noticing the birthdate on the passport, sang happy birthday over the microphone on the bus ha ha!!

Puno was just a working city with very little except Lake Titicaca, so we would stay only a few days here! We decided to stay at Inkas Rest Hostal where the owners were very nice indeedy who, after hearing about Cullens birthday celebrations, proceeded to ply us with numerous shots! This was at lunch time!!! After 4 or 5 we decided we better head for food before we were sozzled ha ha! A little later we arrived back to find a birthday cake waiting at the hostal which I thought was very nice and even though it was neither Alans or my birthday we had to have a slice, it would be rude not to!!!

Much later we found ourselves in a good bar with a few cervezas...... surprise surprise!!!!

The next day Alan and myself had an early start to visit the Uros Floating Islands and Taquille Island!

After leaving Puno the boat shortly arrived at one of the floating islands on the massive Lake Titicaca. The Uros Islands are made completely with reeds and do literally float! The Ayamari people do still live on them (apparently) and speak little spanish (but enough to sell the odd gringo a miniture reed boat or two)!

The people welcomed us with a traditional dance before greeting us off the boat and on to the squidgy reed island!! It was a little touristy with woman selling numerous artisans in their big skirts and pom poms in their plaited hair BUT it was good fun and everybody was very friendly!!

Walking on the islands was a little weird, it felt like you could put your foot straight through to the water..... but no one did!!!

As we crossed to a second reed island we passed an old woman rowing, in the most inefficient and awkard position of standing tall! They all seemed to like this position!!???

The second island was very similar with more artisans to sell but no hassle all the same!! We also saw a tame Heron that would chirp around the island asking for food ! Not too sure if it gave anything back in reply to the Locals people feeding it though ?

It was then onto Taquille Island.... a little further on Lake Titicaca.

We must have been travelling on one of the slowest boats ever made and so it seemed a life time to arrive.

Ayamari people also inhabit the island (like all of Lake Titicaca) and as we stepped onto the harbour jetty we could see many of the locals, all dressed in their traditional clothes!!

The walk around the island to the main plaza took us past many terraces and small farm buildings! It was extremely pretty in the bright sunshine and one thing we noticed was the cleanliness. The place was litter free which was unusual for Peru! The people obviously were quite proud of their island!

We reached the plaza to find it extremely touristy, not in any particular way only that there were more gringos than locals!!!!!

Kids consistently tried to sell their 1 sol bracelets. One little girl put a bracelet around my arm and tied it in the tightest knot she could in the hope I would give in and just buy it........ but cold hearted me ........ and the fact that she has to learn that gringos are not just the bank of Peru...... let her relunctantly untie the bracelet! They were giggly and nice enough though!

The town Hall seemed quite posh and a few important men, in traditional smart dress, piled out with briefcases..... obviously the guys who made all the decisions here!

It was then time for Almuerzo......... we would have prefered to spend the time wandering around the island but I must say it was a very nice almuerzo, even though it was a little pricey at 12 sols!!!

After the food we walked past more farmhouses and down the inca steps to the port on the other side of the island. As we looked from the very top step we could see a procession of gringos like army ants. A pre toddler was perched precariously on the wall selling bracelets... obviously put there by some money scheming adult!!!

We descended the gringo steps and boarded our boat. The port was a hustle and bustle of both locals and visitors, it was very colourfull! As we sat on the roof of the boat, waiting for the other passengers, we watched local kids playing and woman fishing.... so this is where everyone was!!

Well that was Taquille Island, we both thought it was very touristy and unfortunately we didn't seem to see that much at all!

The boat took just as painfully long on the way back but it made time for a decent snooze ha ha!

Lake Titicaca and the islands had been sunny all of the time but as soon as we came near to Puno the rain hit, suddenly and very hard!!! It seems the lake has its own micro climate!

Later on we visited the local bar again but not too many cervezas as we had another early start and a border crossing......... Bolivia here we come!!!