Titicaca and Boliva

After leaving Cusco I took a bus to Puno which included a stop to buy souvenirs and an interesting looking blue yed alpaca. I stayed in Puno to visit some floating Islands on Lake Titicaca. This was once again a tourist activity, but quite interesting as people use the Totora reeds from the lake to build boats, houses, islands, and for food. I have a picture of myself on a reed boat and of the general island scenery.


After that, I caught a bus to the Copacabana, a small town on the other side of the border, also on Lake Titcaca. It is essentially a small Hippy town that has boat rides to the Isla del Sol, where according to Inca tradition, the first humans came from. While on the island, I was playing with some kids and ended up taking their picture. They promptly asked for 1 Boliviano each, and I paid the mother. After that, I figured I had to put their picture online. If you notice, the girl is on a rock that is too big for her to get down from. It was fun watching her try though. Anyway, I took a 3 hour hike to the south of the island, before catching a 2 hour boat ride back (about $1) and then caught a bus to Lima.

When I arrived in Lima, I negotiated for a cheap room, and went for a walk, having some street vendor egg and beef sandwich and a haircut. That is right, I shaved, cut my hair, and then went to bed.

Today, I walked around and started talking to a travel agent about stuff to do when I return, and how to get to Argentina. I was offered a job as a mountain bike guide down the ¨worlds most dangerous road¨ because I can bike and speak a few languages and she liked me. I guess several hundred people die on the road annually, mostly buses that go off the edge. Anyway, something to think about. I also inquired about housing and land as the location of Lima is great in terms of mountains, rainforest, inca ruins, close to Peru, etc... It is also extremely cheap. I bought some souvenirs for the first time as I am close to being done with S. America. I also bought a sweater of Alpaca wool. I can actually look somewhat respectable at the moment. I am sure that won´t last long though.