I briefly mentioned Copacabana before (see "Farewell to Peru"). It didn´t get a good press. However, it had its points of interest. This post covers 7 and 8 August, which shows how very behind this blog is. Internet access is very cheap in Sucre, but the equipment is sooo basic. CD drives to access my photos are difficult to find.
The cathedral is home to La Virgen de Copacabana, credited with miracles, I believe. A large statue lives in the cathedral courtyard where many come in the hope of good fortune or maybe just a photo opportunity. The cathedral is typical S. American catholic. Oliver Cromwell, who liked his churches to be plain and unadorned, would not approve.
The cathedral is home to La Virgen de Copacabana, credited with miracles, I believe. A large statue lives in the cathedral courtyard where many come in the hope of good fortune or maybe just a photo opportunity. The cathedral is typical S. American catholic. Oliver Cromwell, who liked his churches to be plain and unadorned, would not approve. The cathedral from the front. The statue of the Virgen is located in the building on the right of the picture.
I wonder what he´d make of the Candle Chapel, though. It is a plain, narrow room round the back, but clearly signposted. Along the centre is a table where the faithful burn candles. But they do not burn and leave. The warm, white wax is gathered and moulded and then used to adorn the black walls. Most of the images are houses, but there are names, words, a few cars and other diagrams. I´ve not seen anything like it. Despite the fact that it is clearly noted in the Lonely Planet guide books every other traveller I´ve spoken to who visited Copacabana missed it.
Somehow I don´t think Mr Cromwell would be sympathetic to the local custom of blessing motor vehicles. It´s true. I´ve seen it. A young priest in crisp white vestments splashing holy water over a car with his brush and pot. Someone please add a comment with the proper name for that equipment. I feel I should know it.
This procedure is in demand. On the 9th the queue of cars, trucks and buses waiting to be blessed tailed all the way downhill to the other plaza where I was catching a bus. The vehicles were prettied up for the occasion to the extent that some of them were nigh on impossible to drive bacause of the decorations obscuring the windscreen. Colour and glitter wins over taste.
On Wednesday the 8th I did the day trip to Isla del Sol (Sun Is.), the island where traditionally the Inca civilisation was born. I met other New Zealanders, the first since I arrived in South America. Jonno, Kate and Alex are three young lawyers on their OE making their way to London. Jim, who works for Fonterra near Cambridge was on a shorter holiday. So when they turn up they are in packs!
Other travellers have enjoyed overnight trips to Isla del Sol, and it is also possible to visit Isla de la Luna (Moon Is.) but I felt that I´d had one night on a Titicaca island and that was enough.
We were ferried over in the same style of plodding launch that operates out of Puno. It dropped us at the more distant, northern end of the island.
A local guide, who only spoke Aymara and Spanish, met the boat. He escorted us to the local museum (adission extra), where some artefacts from underwater excavations are housed. I felt lucky to be first in, because when the last person had paid his/her admission we got 3 minutes of explanations and then were herded out into the sunshine.
I wonder what he´d make of the Candle Chapel, though. It is a plain, narrow room round the back, but clearly signposted. Along the centre is a table where the faithful burn candles. But they do not burn and leave. The warm, white wax is gathered and moulded and then used to adorn the black walls. Most of the images are houses, but there are names, words, a few cars and other diagrams. I´ve not seen anything like it. Despite the fact that it is clearly noted in the Lonely Planet guide books every other traveller I´ve spoken to who visited Copacabana missed it.Somehow I don´t think Mr Cromwell would be sympathetic to the local custom of blessing motor vehicles. It´s true. I´ve seen it. A young priest in crisp white vestments splashing holy water over a car with his brush and pot. Someone please add a comment with the proper name for that equipment. I feel I should know it.
This procedure is in demand. On the 9th the queue of cars, trucks and buses waiting to be blessed tailed all the way downhill to the other plaza where I was catching a bus. The vehicles were prettied up for the occasion to the extent that some of them were nigh on impossible to drive bacause of the decorations obscuring the windscreen. Colour and glitter wins over taste.
On Wednesday the 8th I did the day trip to Isla del Sol (Sun Is.), the island where traditionally the Inca civilisation was born. I met other New Zealanders, the first since I arrived in South America. Jonno, Kate and Alex are three young lawyers on their OE making their way to London. Jim, who works for Fonterra near Cambridge was on a shorter holiday. So when they turn up they are in packs!
Other travellers have enjoyed overnight trips to Isla del Sol, and it is also possible to visit Isla de la Luna (Moon Is.) but I felt that I´d had one night on a Titicaca island and that was enough.
We were ferried over in the same style of plodding launch that operates out of Puno. It dropped us at the more distant, northern end of the island.
A local guide, who only spoke Aymara and Spanish, met the boat. He escorted us to the local museum (adission extra), where some artefacts from underwater excavations are housed. I felt lucky to be first in, because when the last person had paid his/her admission we got 3 minutes of explanations and then were herded out into the sunshine. The guide explaining the significance of a pre-Inca rock, whose name I have forgotten. The left-handed salute is merely to block the sun.
In fairness, there was some need for haste. After admiring the sites at this end of the island we had several kilometers to hike to rejoin the launch at another village.
Unfortunately the guide mostly chose words outside my Spanish vocabulary, so I barely understood a third of what he said. But I did better than the other kiwis and a couple of nice English lads so I was hard put to provide English explanations.
A nice natural effect was called the Sun´s Footprints, and it did look remarkably like the oputline of two huge footprints burned into the rock. I lined up my camera - and the batteries died. I was already lagging behind so I hurried to catch up and changed the batteries later. No photo. Curses.
I did get a photo of the Sacred Rock that looks, if you have an elastic enough imagination, like the head of a puma. One translation of "Titicaca" is "Puma Rock" so it can be argued that the lake is named after the sacred rock. The adjacent triangle of rock is a much more convincing likeness of the Inca´s supreme deity, Viracocha.
In fairness, there was some need for haste. After admiring the sites at this end of the island we had several kilometers to hike to rejoin the launch at another village.
Unfortunately the guide mostly chose words outside my Spanish vocabulary, so I barely understood a third of what he said. But I did better than the other kiwis and a couple of nice English lads so I was hard put to provide English explanations.
A nice natural effect was called the Sun´s Footprints, and it did look remarkably like the oputline of two huge footprints burned into the rock. I lined up my camera - and the batteries died. I was already lagging behind so I hurried to catch up and changed the batteries later. No photo. Curses.
I did get a photo of the Sacred Rock that looks, if you have an elastic enough imagination, like the head of a puma. One translation of "Titicaca" is "Puma Rock" so it can be argued that the lake is named after the sacred rock. The adjacent triangle of rock is a much more convincing likeness of the Inca´s supreme deity, Viracocha. I´m sure you can see the mouth, at least.
Amongst the nearby ruins our guide pointed to what he claimed was the starting point for a planned Inca tunnel under the lake to connect Isla del Sol with Cusco and Machu Picchu. I have encountered no other references to such a tunnel and, much as I admire the Inca engineers, I conclude that this is the result of our guide´s over-elastic imagination.
The 5 kiwis puffed our way along the spine of the island. The guide, after relieving us of 5Bs ($1) each, told us that it was uphill for 25 minutes and then level. Broadly speaking, he was right.
The Inca water supply on the island is still in use. The full containers are carried up to the village by donkeys.
Amongst the nearby ruins our guide pointed to what he claimed was the starting point for a planned Inca tunnel under the lake to connect Isla del Sol with Cusco and Machu Picchu. I have encountered no other references to such a tunnel and, much as I admire the Inca engineers, I conclude that this is the result of our guide´s over-elastic imagination.
The 5 kiwis puffed our way along the spine of the island. The guide, after relieving us of 5Bs ($1) each, told us that it was uphill for 25 minutes and then level. Broadly speaking, he was right.
The Inca water supply on the island is still in use. The full containers are carried up to the village by donkeys.We arrived at the landing with 25 minutes to spare.
On the way back to Copacabana the launch stops at Pilko Kaina (admission extra) for 15 minutes. This is a small Inca ruin, but particularly interesting because several rooms still have stone roofs. Elsewhere there are no roofs and the explanation is that the Incas used wooden beams and thatch. As might be expected, I barely made it back to the boat in time.
The others agreed to meet at a tourist restaurant on the main street. I had eaten there before and opted for a cheaper option by the beach. But the beach cafes were closing up and it was getting pretty cold so I chickened out and went back to La Orilla, which boasts effective heating. My timing was excellent. The others had not yet ordered. Jim´s partner, Gemma, had been unwell during the day but she had recovered enough to join us, so 6 NZers had a very warm and convivial evening.
On the way back to Copacabana the launch stops at Pilko Kaina (admission extra) for 15 minutes. This is a small Inca ruin, but particularly interesting because several rooms still have stone roofs. Elsewhere there are no roofs and the explanation is that the Incas used wooden beams and thatch. As might be expected, I barely made it back to the boat in time.The others agreed to meet at a tourist restaurant on the main street. I had eaten there before and opted for a cheaper option by the beach. But the beach cafes were closing up and it was getting pretty cold so I chickened out and went back to La Orilla, which boasts effective heating. My timing was excellent. The others had not yet ordered. Jim´s partner, Gemma, had been unwell during the day but she had recovered enough to join us, so 6 NZers had a very warm and convivial evening.
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