Jane on the boat to Isla del Sol
On the way back from La Paz to Peru, we decided to stop off for the night on the Isla del Sol staying eventually at the Hostal Inti Wayra, which had a commanding sunset view over the Andes and Titicaca from the summit of the Island.
Isla del Sol is the proverbial birthplace of the Incas and of the Sun itself. It is here that Viracocha the bearded white god and his sister/wife Mama Huaca and the first Incas all made their mystical appearances. The Ayamara and Quechua accept these as history and the island is sacred.
The boat first set out on a leg to a village to the east of Copacabana, presumably Yampupata.
Panoramas of Titicaca and Isla del Sol in the distance
It than continued on, skirting the western side of the island, arriving eventually in a bay with a woman shepherding llamas.
From there it was a steep and gruelling climb with out heavy packs in the twilight up to the very summit of the island to where the guest house sat.
However the sweeping view from the top was absolutely awesome and the hostal was pleasant to stay in.
A Wikimedia view from the island
As night set in, there was an awesome display of almost constant lightning including bright fork-lightning flashes all along the Andean range in a literal fireworks display.
Video of the lightning
Dinner at the Inti Wayra
Sunrise at Inti Waya
After reakfast, we wandered over the eastern face of the island with a little church, llama farms, and a heritage herbal botanical garden.
Layered fields built up paddy style
Massive stone wall constructions and stone stairs
We wandered down to the pier on the eastern harbour, but a boat was not coming until later in the day.
Harbour panorama
The inca spring fonts by the harbour
The little herb garden in the layered paddocks
After returning to the summit to collect our baggage, we sauntered down to the harbour to pick up the eventual day boat back to Copacabana.
Boat and lake panoramas
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