Borja won the desert competition with an amazing record of 8 deserts

A few days ago we crossed the border to Peru. Wanted to check out the other side of Lake Titicaca. Incredibly as it might sound, on the peruvian side the lake is dirtyer. Garbage, old boats, loads of algaes...

The most interesting and one of the most particular sites we have ever seen were the Uros´ islands. Some artificial islands, constructed with the help of a floating plant, totora, that is used as the floor of the islands.


The villigers have to change the floor every 3 weeks, otherwise the plant will roat and the island would disappear. It's funny because whenever there is a big storm, they can wake up in a different side of the lake. It takes up to 3 days to get back 'home'.
Each island had around 40 ocupants, not bigger than a parking zone in front of one building. The Uros thought about this form of life when the mean Spanish conquistadors came to their natural territory. Afraid that they might get killed or suffer in vain, they retraited themselves to these man made islands.

Men would go fishing all day, and women of course would stay home and watch the children, prepare food and knit carpets, clothes, etc; for the visitant tourists. The same calm atmosphere as on the Sun Island. Probably the sunny weather and the lack of cars and streets would contribute to the tranquility of the place. Nowadays though, just like in any other traditional place, most of the children decide to stay in the big cities inland. So that the population of the weird islands is decreasing every year.

What did we like best? The boat ride we had (in a traditional hand made boat), the little ibis chicken that ate meat to grow up and of course the observation towers each island had. The view from up there is spectacular, it's an image you never would belive it could exist. Definitely one of the strangest places to live we met so far.

Our next destination was Arequipa, the second largest city in Peru. We were fortunate enough to find a beautiful cheap hostel with internet and TV, just in the center of the city.
Everything seemed more expensive after Bolivia and we have to get used to the high prices again. Also, we receive more quality for everything so I suppose the exchange is fair.

We've decided to relax on my birthday, take it slow, eat a lot and watch some TV. Also the America's cup has started which makes Borja really happy and interested. I get bored after 3 minutes and usually fall asleep. But hey, at least he gets to see those incredibly long football matches. (beah!!!)

Have to thank here for all the 'happy birthdays I've received from friends and family. Also for the 4 very useful presents I've received. Even though I will have to carry more weight from now on :(

Well, right now we are on our second tour in Peru, visiting the Colca canyon. They say it is double in height than the Colorado canyon and it's the second highest in the world. Did not see the canyon yet, we will get there tomorrow. Today we've just arrived in the high altiplan again and spent a nice evening in a restaurant with a local band playing music and some traditional dancers.


By the way, we are going to see condors!!

La Multi Ani Luiza!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Feliz Cumpleaños!!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!

Un lugar donde se sabe que el tiempo pasa por sus visitantes: La Isla del Sol

Escalones de la época inca en la colina donde el hostal se sitúa, unos aldeanos transportando heno con unos burros de carga por el camino de abajo, el ruido de las olas que rompen contra el malecón y una pequña playa más abajo, los pajaros piando por todos lados y un enorme abejorro posandose en la amarillas flores entre nosotros dos. Así el amanecer en la Isla del Sol. Una isla que parece no haberse desarrollado como el resto del mundo. Una isla cuyo principal sustento (además del turismo ecológico) es la tierra y el lago Titicaca. Una isla en la que por no haber no hay vehiculos motorizados terrestres.

Aquí llegamos ayer día 23 de Junio, desde Copacabana. Al llegar una sensación de bienestar inundó mi ser. Por algo esta tierra es una de las zonas más místicas de todos los Andes. En esta tierra Manco Kapac y Mama Ocllo por la voluntad de Viracocha surgieron de las aguas del Lago Titicaca para fundar la ciudad de Cuzco y el Imperio Inca. Por ello, la isla y su vecina Isla de la Luna son santuarios para todos aquellos Quechuas y Aymaras que satisfacen a sus ancestros y beneran su gran sabiduria y religiosidad.

Pero no todo aquí son vibraciones positivas, ruinas incas y lugares sagrados. La isla del sol destaca igualmente por su belleza.

Durante nuestro épico trecking desde Yumani, sur de la isla, hasta la Roca Sagrada, norte; vimos encantadoras playas de aguas turquesas, donde las barcas pesqueras esperaban amarradas que sus dueños decidieran llevarlas a trabajar en este día de San Juan; pequeños y rurales pueblos de gente siempre dispuesta a ayudar (como siempre en bolivia hay gente que se aprovecha de la buena voluntad y simpleza de los otros, y desgraciadamente a éstos se les ve más), que en esos momentosrecogían heno para las hogueras, alimentaban a sus gorrinos o utilizaban a sus burros para transportar las pesadas cargas a otro punto de la isla; o risueños y descuidados niños, que jugando a lo lejos, se acercaban a pedirnos dinero o caramelos.

Las altas y blancas cimas del fondo que delimitaban el reino de estas aguas nos recordaban una curiosa realidad: nos encontrabamos en el erroneamente reconocido lago navegable más alto del mundo, 3800 m sobre el nivel del mar. De todas formas, con 167 km de largo y 65 de alto sin duda alguna se le puede denominar el lago más grande de su clase, los lagos de altura.

Las hogueras se veían por toda la isla a nuestra vuelta y nuestros fatigados cuerpos resistieron lo suficiente para ver unos incandescentes cuerpos en movimiento en la Isla de la Luna. Lo justo para poder despertarme pronto hoy y ver que el tiempo no se ha movido, que sigue siendo 23 de Junio, que en la Isla del Sol todos los días son el mismo,el día en el que Manco Kapac y mama Ocllo salieron de las aguas y crearon este halo que describo, el dia en el que ningún reloj volvió a correr.

Happy new year 5515! (aymara calendar)

Our next adventure led us to Tiwanacu, a very small village close to the Tiwanacu ruins. It was supposed to be a big inca party once the sun would rise on the 21 of June, the winter solstice in Bolivia.

The truth? We had a really good time in the main plaza listening to some local bands, dancing (Borja improved his style and will be very proud to show it to you) and meeting new people. So here it is: a big hello and thank you to Victor Hugo and his cousin, Arturo and his girlfriend, and... Shirley. Many more actually but I can't remember the names. Borja was really impressed by Arturo who gave him as a present his hat from the army. He is really determined to return the gift once he will get to a place with more personal things.

Probably we have learned more about the bolivian culture from this night than from the entire trip. Really good conversations and with lots of information with Victor Hugo, the first bolivian we met that is taller than 1,80!! We were impressed by all the knowledge he has about his culture and also by his behaviour towards his friends. We really think he is a great guy!!

At 6 o'clock in the morning everybody went to where the ruins were, close to The Sun Gate, reaching out our hands towards the sky to receive the first rays of sun of the new aymara year. I was blessed by an inca priest and more or less felt it was one of the greatest encounters we had so far with the bolivian culture.

The sad part was at the end of the ceremonies where a friend of a friend of the people in the group decided to explain some things to us and take us on a tour of the ruins (we really thought he just needed to go to the bathroom). At the end of the tour, he said that we had to pay him a certain amount for being a guide to us. I hated it because we thought he was there just for the sake of it and we really tried to show him our gratitude. In the end we left really shocked without paying anything of course. It's people like that that make you think again and be more cautious in everything you do.

Refering to the previous days, because life is not only party... Coroico, our destination in the Death Road was a really nice village, incredibly small but with lots of hostals with swimming pool. We enjoyed our stay there and tried to realx after the killer road to death. Ate a lot, visit some nearby cascades and then went back to La Paz in a tiny minibus. More than 15 people with children and bags crowded in a much too small palce for our knees.

But anyway, we reached La Paz, registered again into our comfortable room of 2,5 eur per person and enjoyed even more some relaxing sessions in La Paz's best restaurants. I have to mention our visit to 4 museums and the hilarious card games in the hostal's terrace. Spanish people really like to bet!!!

Curently we are another time in La Paz (our base camp) and leaving tomorrow in the moning to the Lake Titicaca. In a few days we will probably get to Peru where everything will be a bit more expensive again.

Kisses to Iosu and thank you for everything! It was great travelling with you, and not only for the food :)