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
Copacabana, Bolivia On Lake Titicaca — Image by kenne
(Soul,
turn orange-colored.
Soul,
turn the color of love.)
In the vivid morning
I wanted to be myself.
A heart.
And at the evening’s end
I wanted to be my voice.
A nightingale.
Soul,
turn orange-colored.
Soul,
turn the color of love.
Cut Flowers, Tquina, Bolivia — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Lake Titicaca Sunset — Photo-Artistry by kenne
High atop the Andes, between Bolivia and Peru,
sits the birthplace of the Incas, sacred Lake Titicaca.
A powerhouse of nature through and through,
it was created by the Inca god of the lake, Viracocha.
— from “Sacred Lake Titicaca” by Pandita Sanchez
