Day 60 - Copacabana, Lake Titicaca, Bolivia

Up bright and early this morning and feeling a lot better. Great to wake up to an amazing view of the lake. 

After breakfast go for a trek to the top of Cerro Calvario, the big hill overlooking the town. It's a moderately strenous 30 minute climb with fourteen stations of the cross along the way. We take the opportunities to pray for better lungs at each one.  

A lady carrying a heavy load showing us up along the way. 

Don't let the zoom fool you. She is actually getting further and further away as we get slower and have more breaks!

Mid way point. Not far now!!

Little rest over looking the lake. 

Well worth it when we get to the top. Phenomenal view of Copacabana. Feels almost like a birds eye view. 

This is actually the original Copacabana. The beach in Rio stole its name. The name derives from the Aymara kota kawana, meaning "view of the lake". Fact. (And yes I did steal that fact from Wikipedia).

Our hotel from above

I was worried at the 6th station that they may be equidistant apart and we had ages to go but luckily there are seven in a row at the top. The top is a bit crazy. So many shops selling toy cars. I have no idea what makes them think that is a good business idea!

The locals also keep setting off fire crackers too which keeps making us brick ourselves. 

Fantastic panorama of the lake. Apart from the massive pole in the way. 

Walking down the hill down was almost as challenging as the walk up. It doesn't look it but this was almost too steep for us to walk down. We walk down it like a couple of trannys! Once again being shown up by an old Bolivian woman. The walk has been tough. It's a real shock to the system to have to take everything so slow and resist the urge to race up these things as we usually do. 

We then head towards the Copacabana Cathedral for a look around. As cathedrals go it's a nice one. 

Now despite my luscious locks and natural thick hair with no receding bits and bald patches I some how manage to burn my head as well as my forehead and nose. Emergency purchase needed and this was all that was available that fit my head. Definitely have the fat head of my father. 

 

On our way back to the room we bump into Amy and Graham who we had been planning on meeting up with this evening (Amy went to Uni with Caroline so we know her through Caroline). They live in Canada but are moving back to London after their travels. Great to see them. We have a good catch up and arrange to meet them later on. 

Back to the hotel for a chill out. Our heads are still not good from the altitude although mine is not that bad now. Nat is still struggling. Maybe not such a wise move to go to La Paz from sea level!

This is what we climbed earlier. 

That evening we meet Amy and Graham at their cool little hotel in the hills. Their room is crazy. Shaped like a turtle. 

They also have a hot tub which we enjoy the sunset in (or what we can see of it behind the clouds). Such a hard life! We do need to keep pinching ourselves how lucky we are. 

After a good hot tub booze (we are going to have a head ache in the morning anyway so we may as well make it a booze related one!) we head into town for dinner. Amazing lasagne for me then hit the livliest bar in town called Nemo's (some might say we found it!) ;-). A few more beers with great company and it's time to hit the sack. Trying to be sensible by not getting too hammered as have a four hour trek tomorrow on Isla Del Sol. 

Oh and it has started to rain and is pretty nippy this evening. Let's hope it's just for the night.