Well it´s been a week since i left Cuzco and I miss it! Nowhere I´ve visited since has come close to it! I´m currently in La Paz, the worlds highest capital (well technically on paper Sucre is the real capital of bolivia!) and it´s not my kind of city. But before I get into La Paz let me update you on my journey so far!
Puno and Lago Titicaca
I arrived in Puno at about 6pm just as it was getting dark and well if there´s a good time to arrive in this city it´s definatley not as it´s getting dark or when it´s raining! Puno is really not a nice place, despite what everybody else told me about I was still disapointed and shocked to see how ugly it is! It´s full of neon lights and grimy tourist places but it´s neccessary to visit if you want to see the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca.
I took a day trip out to the lake to visit the floating islands and another island called taquille. Apart from the over commercialisation that exsists on the both the floating islands and taquille it´s still a pretty cool experiences as you step off the boat and onto the 2m thick "ground" of reed roots and fresh green reeds laid down as the floor!
The lake itself is pretty spectactular, it is so huge (sorry but I cant remember the actual size right now!) that you forget that it´s a lake because it stretches for as far as you can see, and it is the most spectacular blue colour when the sun shines on it.
Copacabana
This is small quiet town just over the Peru/Bolivia border and despite it´s name there were no show girls - how disapointing! Instead it was a lovely retreat from Puno. The town sits on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca where you can visit la isla del sol. This island is where incan legend says the first incan Manco Capac and his wife first rose from the rock/ water depending on which version you read!
There were a few of us that had arrived in Copacabana at the same time so we all went to the island together. We did a tour with a local guide to see the legendary stone and the local temple and then I walked from one end of the island to the other, it was a good walk if a little tough being 3.5 km above sea level!
La Paz
I arrived in La Paz on Friday with an Austrailian couple I met in Copacabana. As the bus comes from Copacabana which is situated on the andean altiplano (high plain) it reaches the edge of what can only be described as a crater! The "crater" holds the city of La Paz, the view from the top is pretty amazing, unfortunately I couldn´t get my camera out in time to get a good shot! The city looks as though it´s sitting in the bottom of a huge bowl with a little bit climbing up the walls.
La Paz is what I imagined a large south american city to be like. It´s really big, busy, noisy and full of traffic fumes. Actually I hadn´t expected quite so much traffic. There are loads of high rises that sit in the very botom of the "crater" where the main road runs and it feels so claustrophobic. I´ve only been here for four nights but i´m longing for a quiet plaza or park to just sit relax and take everythin in, I haven´t been able to find that here, maybe becuase the pace of the city takes you along with it!
I did however cycle the worlds most dangerous road (sorry mum I left the dangerous bit out of your email!) yesterday and that was cool! The road goes from La Paz to the a place in the jungle called Coroicco. The cycle starts at 4670m above sea level and descends over 64km to 1300m above sea level. The first section of the road is tarmac and is open to traffic. The second section, which is now closed to traffic, is gravel and sometimes very large rocks. You also have to cycle under waterfalls that cascade over the road and into the valley hundreds of meters below. I´m not ashamed to admit it, I was seriously scard, becuase as most of you know I´m pretty clumsy and don´t always have great co-ordination or balance, but I managed to do it without falling off the bike or the side of the cliff!
Tomorrow I leave to return to Peru and a city called Arequipa, I think it´s Peru´s second largest city. And yes I am gutted that Daniel Craig is currently filming the new bond in Cuzco, I´m a little tempted to just go back there for a peek!
More photos later in the week hopefully! It takes too long to upload and well there´s just so much to do here!
Puno and Lago Titicaca
I arrived in Puno at about 6pm just as it was getting dark and well if there´s a good time to arrive in this city it´s definatley not as it´s getting dark or when it´s raining! Puno is really not a nice place, despite what everybody else told me about I was still disapointed and shocked to see how ugly it is! It´s full of neon lights and grimy tourist places but it´s neccessary to visit if you want to see the floating reed islands of Lake Titicaca.
I took a day trip out to the lake to visit the floating islands and another island called taquille. Apart from the over commercialisation that exsists on the both the floating islands and taquille it´s still a pretty cool experiences as you step off the boat and onto the 2m thick "ground" of reed roots and fresh green reeds laid down as the floor!
The lake itself is pretty spectactular, it is so huge (sorry but I cant remember the actual size right now!) that you forget that it´s a lake because it stretches for as far as you can see, and it is the most spectacular blue colour when the sun shines on it.Copacabana
This is small quiet town just over the Peru/Bolivia border and despite it´s name there were no show girls - how disapointing! Instead it was a lovely retreat from Puno. The town sits on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca where you can visit la isla del sol. This island is where incan legend says the first incan Manco Capac and his wife first rose from the rock/ water depending on which version you read!
There were a few of us that had arrived in Copacabana at the same time so we all went to the island together. We did a tour with a local guide to see the legendary stone and the local temple and then I walked from one end of the island to the other, it was a good walk if a little tough being 3.5 km above sea level!
La Paz
I arrived in La Paz on Friday with an Austrailian couple I met in Copacabana. As the bus comes from Copacabana which is situated on the andean altiplano (high plain) it reaches the edge of what can only be described as a crater! The "crater" holds the city of La Paz, the view from the top is pretty amazing, unfortunately I couldn´t get my camera out in time to get a good shot! The city looks as though it´s sitting in the bottom of a huge bowl with a little bit climbing up the walls.
La Paz is what I imagined a large south american city to be like. It´s really big, busy, noisy and full of traffic fumes. Actually I hadn´t expected quite so much traffic. There are loads of high rises that sit in the very botom of the "crater" where the main road runs and it feels so claustrophobic. I´ve only been here for four nights but i´m longing for a quiet plaza or park to just sit relax and take everythin in, I haven´t been able to find that here, maybe becuase the pace of the city takes you along with it!
I did however cycle the worlds most dangerous road (sorry mum I left the dangerous bit out of your email!) yesterday and that was cool! The road goes from La Paz to the a place in the jungle called Coroicco. The cycle starts at 4670m above sea level and descends over 64km to 1300m above sea level. The first section of the road is tarmac and is open to traffic. The second section, which is now closed to traffic, is gravel and sometimes very large rocks. You also have to cycle under waterfalls that cascade over the road and into the valley hundreds of meters below. I´m not ashamed to admit it, I was seriously scard, becuase as most of you know I´m pretty clumsy and don´t always have great co-ordination or balance, but I managed to do it without falling off the bike or the side of the cliff!
Tomorrow I leave to return to Peru and a city called Arequipa, I think it´s Peru´s second largest city. And yes I am gutted that Daniel Craig is currently filming the new bond in Cuzco, I´m a little tempted to just go back there for a peek!
More photos later in the week hopefully! It takes too long to upload and well there´s just so much to do here!
4 comments:
Ooh, he's actually in Cuzco? That's harsh, dolly bird! So close yet so far!!
You have become a right daredevil over there, hey? Dangerous bike rides! We'll have you dangling from a rope on some big mountain back here in no time! ;)
Well Kirsty doll, I knew that there were times when you would be a bit economic with the news, but hey it was probably just as well you were this time! But make sure it doesn't happen again!
Photos are great.
speak soon.
mum x
Loving reading about all your aventures, keep the stories coming. My legs are wobbly just at the thought of the bike ride. Take care, see you soon Susan x
Glad to hear that you're working those thigh muscles Kirsty - the bike ride in to work from Portobello will be nothing for you now!Your pics are great - more!!! Hope you have a great time for the last leg, best wishes,
Nigel
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