Sunday, April 29, 2012

Isla del Sol

Titicaca is said to be the highest navigable lake in the world, at 3800 meters. Its largest island is Isla del Sol, reachable by a very very slow boat. There is no way to go from the harbor but up a very long stairway. At the top is another very long stairway. Followed by another. Then some stairs. And some more. All that in Bolivia's thin air. But not a single direction sign. When we finally got to our chosen hotel, we had once again topped 4000 meters.

The upside, so to speak, was that the place was right on the ridge, and our room had fantastic lake views on both sides. What it didn't have is heating (but good ventilation due to cracks in the wall), and it has no Internet. Neither do the restaurants advertising Internet access. There are no motor vehicles on the island, perhaps because there's scarcely a level path here, no asphalt, but lots of donkeys and llamas.