Taking the Ferry To Copacabana the Main Bolivian Town On the shore of Lake Titicaca — Image by kenne
The Return
— Federico Garcia Lorca
A Cholas in traditional finery at the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana located in the town of Copacabana,
Bolivia on the shores of Lake Titicaca. (August 24, 2019)
— Image by kenne
San Pablo De Tiquina, Bolivia (August 2019) — B&W HDR Image by kenne
San Pablo de Tiquina is a small town on the Strait of Tiquina. This passage connects the larger and smaller parts
of Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, connecting the road to the tourist town of Copacabana.
— kenne
Things To Be Desired — Photo-Artistry by kenne
The poem Desiderata has shaped the lives of many and will continue to do so for years to come.
Desiderata
GO PLACIDLY amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.
By Max Ehrmann © 1927
Original text
Cholitas Woman — Images by kenne
It’s a short boat ride
connecting two peninsulas
in Lake Titicaca.
Wrapped in a woolen shawl
she proudly holds her
velvet bowler hat.
Her family waits
in the plaza next to
an Inca God statue
where family members
line up for picture taking
with grandma holding baby.
Until a decade ago
Cholitas women were
banned from public places.
— kenne
Lake Titicaca (World’s Highest Navigable Lake) In The Andes Mountains (World’s Longest Mountain Range) — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Captain’s Daughter — Images by kenne
The captain of the boat that took us from Copacabana on Lake Titicaca
to the Isla del Sol had his daughter with him who was his little helper.
She was so cute with her matching colors against the lake and the clouds.
* * * * *
“As long as one and one is two
There could never be a father
Who loved his daughter more than I love you
Trust your intuition
It’s just like going fishing
You cast your line
And hope you’ll get a bite”
— from “Father and Daughter” by Paul Simon
Lake Titicaca Sunset — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Lake Titicaca Sunset — Image by kenne
— kenne
Puerto Yuman
Puerto Yuman
Before returning to Copacabana, we boarded our boat for a short ride to Puerto Yuman
where one of the island’s many ruins, a staircase up to the village of Yumani.
Ancient stairway with statues of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, the world’s first two Incas.
The Incas built 200 steps to aid in the climb to the top of the island.
The stairway also leads to a scared fountain said to be a fountain of youth.
Ty, Michael and Matt — Images by kenne
Because of our limited time and no transportation allowed on the island,
we missed out hiking the island trails and visiting
most of the ancient ruins and beautiful views from the top of the island.
— kenne
Michael is pointing to where most of the hotels and restaurants are on the Isla del Sol.
We docked for lunch in a cove just west of there.
The captain’s daughter helps tie the boat to the dock.
Lake Titicaca has 41 islands, some of which are densely populated.
Lunch on a deck overlooking Lake Titicaca.
Lunch On The Isla del Sol
Lunch On The Isla del Sol
Lunch On The Isla del Sol
View of Lake Titicaca — Images by kenne
Isla del Sol, Lake Titicaca Sunset — Photo-Artistry by kenne
In the fifteenth century, the Incas invaded the island taking control of its people at the time. Like a lot of conquerors, they created a story of Incan lore. Isla del Sol (Island of the Sun) is both the birthplace of their revered Sun God and the world’s first two Incas; Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo (the Adam and Eve of the Andes) in an attempt to not only justify their reign, but to identify themselves with the pre-existing Tiwanaku civilization whom they considered to be a great source of religious and ideological identity. This image is my attempt to capture the spirit of the Incan lore.
Walking to the boat dock.
The only way to get to Isla del Sol is via the glimmering waters of Lake Titicaca. Michael had arranged for a boat (a captain and his daughter) to take us to lunch in the Comunidad Yumani on the south side of the Isla del Sol.
Because of an ongoing dispute between two local communities (Comunidades Challapama and Challa) has seen the north side of the island become off-limits to foreign and domestic tourists since February 2017. The bitter feud began when the Challa community, who live roughly in the center of the island, built a series of guesthouses near a northern Inca ruin to try and earn a slice of the tourism pie. The Challapama believed the new buildings broke one of Bolivia’s laws, which relate to construction work within a certain distance of sacred sites. After an unsuccessful attempt to appeal through bureaucratic means, the folks of Challapampa decided to resolve the matter vigilante-style by blowing the guesthouses to smithereens with a dose of dynamite. The stand-off remains.
Leaving Copacabana
Tom, Ty and Michael
On the boat ride, we spent most of the time drinking Singani and Altbier and resulting in drinking conversations.
The terrace landscape reflects the Inca influence on the Lake Titicaca agriculture.
Images and Video by kenne (This Is Part-One of a Three-Part Series on Isla del Sol)
— kenne
Since the 1950s, Copacabana has become a focal point of this modern-day Bolivian pilgrimage
known as the Bendición de Movilidades (Blessing of the Automobiles).
Michael is explaining the ceremony to Ty and Matt.
Every weekend and most weekdays, new car owners
from Bolivia and Peru will line-up the cars to be blessed.
A priest who sprinkles beer on the each car while reciting a prayer.
The owners decorate their vehicle and often have champagne to celebrate the event, often by spraying the vehicle.
Venders under blue tents are selling plastic and fresh flowers colorful streamers, pinwheels and hats.
Michael buying some Bolivian popcorn — Images by kenne
La Morenada Traditional Dancer — Photo-Artistry by kenne
The word “moreno” means “dark” in Spanish. This music and its dance are from La Paz and involve a lot of drums and rattles. Over the years trumpets, trombones and cymbals were added. This traditional Bolivian dance also originated with the African slaves brought to Bolivia from Africa to work on haciendas; however, this music comes from the area of Lake Titicaca, high on the Bolivian Altiplano (the high plateau that surrounds La Paz) not the tropical Yungas region. — https://www.boliviabella.com/bolivian-music-types.html
Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana
When we arrived in Copacabana near the Basilica of Our Lady of Copacabana
we could hear a brass band playing in the Basilica’s plaza.
Clearly, on this sunny Saturday morning, a ceremony of some sort was taking place.
Once we were inside the plaza there were women and men of all ages
in very colorful customs dancing to the music.
The dance is a traditional dance in Bolivia called La Morenada.
Anthropologists say the dance is a satire, inspired by the suffering of black slaves
who were brought to Bolivia to work in the Andean silver mines.
La Morenada is easily recognizable in a procession because it has various characteristics:
There are many rattles and drums, groups of women are dressed
in polleras (multilayered skirts) with bowler hats,
while men wear costumes that supposedly represent barrels
and wear silver or black masks (Morenada means ‘black’).
The origin of La Morenada stems from Lake Titicaca,
based on 200/300-year-old cave paintings found there, depicting these dances.
Video and Images by kenne
Becoming is Superior to Being 