Puno rests on the Peruvian shores and was the next stop as a gateway to the floating islands of Uros. This civilization goes back many years, still exists in its true form today, and is just as it sounds. It consists of numerous islands artifically constructed from mud, wood, and the reeds that grow from the lake. Each island is tied down using wooden stakes pressed hard into the bottom of the lake to prevent the inhabitants from being pushed by the will of the wind. Each family lives on their own island and hunts (mostly birds) and fishes for nourishment (with weekly trips to Puno for rice, corn, bread, etc.). The entire community shares a school, church, and medical facility, which all exist on a seperate community island. It was very interesting to see this unique way of life. Unfortunately, the culture seems to be dying out as a new generation learns about the outside world and is tempted by its glamours and materialism. I would have loved to see more islands on the Peruvian side of Titikaka, but Bolivia was tempting me on the opposite shore.
After a short 3 hour bus ride from Puno to Copacabana, with a stop at the border for passport formalities (as an American I had to pay $135 for a visa and provide numerous copies of documents for the Bolivian government), I was in Bolivia! In general, border towns are always fairly similar to each other and provide an easy transition between cultures. Besides the change in currency and a few name changes on the local menu, Copacabana seemed much like Puno. In the sense that Puno was a jumping off point to explore the Peruvian islands of Lake Titikaka, Copacabana served the same purpose on the Bolivian side; specifically the beautiful Isla Del Sol (Island of the Sun). The traditional route to the isla is on-board a very touristy passenger boat that leaves from the shores of Copacabana. As a tourist, I like to explore the road less traveled and, ironically, steer clear of these tourist traps. Thus, my friend and I decided to walk 4 hours along the Peninsula to take another, most likely more expensive, boat. Our decision automatically came to fruition when we were politely stopped along the path by some locals who were enjoying Bolivian spirits at 10:30 in the morning. It was immediately brought to our attention that it was the last day (out of 4) for the Ascension of Christ celebration. On a side note: every holiday in South America seems to be centered around Jesus, with the majority of celebrating focused around drunken merriment. Anyways, it was only polite that we should have a few drinks with our new found friends. Sure, it was 10:30 in the morning and we had a few hours of hiking ahead, but our Bolivian friends were adament. After a few beers, some chit chat, and a few jokes that were over my head, we were on our way again. We were stopped two more times before reaching our destination, both times by cheerful Bolivians that wanted to know where we were from and what we thought of their country. The second time was admittedly a precurson to a sale. The friendly Señor wanted to sell us a trip to Isla Del Sol on his private boat. We were headed there anyways and our feet were weary so we negotiated a fair price (we could have taken the cheaper boat, but would have had to paddle ourselves) and jumped aboard.
Isla Del Sol proved to be as beautiful and unique as rumors had indicated. Despite it being a common tourist destination, there was enough space to avoid the crowds and enjoy the journey back in time. All the locals wore traditional dress and the town had a very authentic feel. We were even lucky enough to witness a Bolivian wedding with it´s unique music, tradition, and many cases of beer. Also, the views were amazing! Some of Bolivia´s highest peaks (many over 6,000 meters) rise majestically out of the lake to pierce the sky with their snow covered summits. The terraced farm land of the island glows green in the setting sun, as the reflection bounces off the waters below. A crisp breeze arrived in the evening that gripped the island tightly as the unaccostomed visitors hurried towards the shelter of hostels or restaurants. As I watched the wedding festivities and the cold began to rattle my bones, I too had to seek refuge inside. So, after a long day, an early night, and a good sleep, it was time to explore the island, which meant (as my followers are accostomed) more walking. It took 3 or 4 hours to walk from one side of the island to the other before we settled on the opposite shore to find a boat back to Copacabana. After a long morning I just wanted to hop in a boat and head back, but the strong winds had prevented the normal entourage of boats from arriving. After an hour of arguing over the capacity in a private boat and the price, we agreed to an over inflated price to go only as far as the Peninsula (Copacabana was too dangerous for boats due to the high winds). Having no choice, we boarded and rode the rough(ish) waters back to the main land before boarding a mini bus to Copacabana, and another onto La Paz.
Some Inca ruins on Isla Del Sol
Our private boat transport friend nourishing the engine
Wedding festivities with plenty of beer
The high snow capped Bolivian peaks rising from Lake Titikaka off in the distance 
Pit stop along our hike
Two kids buy sweets at the local store
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