The Road to Lake Titicaca

I have to be honest, I wasn't pumped about going to Lake Titicaca. It's listed as a must-see in most Bolivian (and Peruvian) guidebooks, but I couldn't really figure out what the big deal was. It's just a lake, right?

But after two days of city living, I was easily convinced that a trip to the lake and then a night on the island of Isla del Sol would satisfy the taste of the outdoors that I needed. With the help of my trusted taxi driver, Arturo, at 8am I boarded a mini-bus for the 4 hour journey to Copacabana, the closest city to the lake.

The most important thing to know about the road to Lake Titicaca is that there is a huge body of water that falls right in the middle of it. For some, this would seem like a difficult obstacle. They might drive around the body of water adding hours to the trip, or maybe some industrious organization or government department would build a bridge to link the capital city to this important site. But no, a entirely different system has been rigged up.

All four wheel transport stops at the edge of the strait and the passengers disembark to buy a modestly-priced ticket to be ferried across the river by one of the many 16-20 person boats docked there. Then the cars, vans, buses, or whatever, are then precariously perched onto these large floating wooden flats, which are slowly pulled across the water.

On the ferry, you are able to easily spot your mode of transport (most likely still holding your backpack and other large valuables in it), teetering along. Cap-sizing is not an uncommon occurrence.

To make matters a bit worse, apparently if anyone is to fall into this body of water, none of the fisherman will jump in to save you. Its perceived as an offering to the river god. Which I must admit, is one thing I wish I hadn't read in the guidebook before going on this trip.