Under the spell of Inti on the Isla del Sol

I’m going to take a step back from Peru here, because a tiny island in Bolivia where we spent just one night deserves a special mention. Situated on the shores of high-altitude lake Titicaca, the little town of Copacabana is a quiet little fishing port. With a small main square, tiny market and a handful of traveller-friendly shops, there’s nothing particularly remarkable about Copacabana (one astonishingly good hotel withstanding – Las Olas). Basically, it’s as far from it’s Brazilian beachside namesake as you can get.

However, a couple of hours boat ride into the lakes shimmering waters lies a real travellers gem. The small island of Isla del Sol was inhabited by the Inca’s, and I can’t imagine too much has changed since those days. There are no roads on the island and everything is moved around either by people or donkeys. Most places don’t have flushing toilets, just the inefficient bucket and plunger method, and you can pretty much forget the idea of a shower while you’re there unless you’re willing to splash out on a plush pad. We of course did not, instead found a double with lakeside balcony views for 6 GBP a night – bargain!

But the sheer beauty of the place takes your breath away, and it’s not just the altitude. The air is exceptionally clear up here, so any photos you take have an enormous depth of field. Even using my shoddy, neglected, beaten-up Fuji digital, with a scratch in the middle of the lens, I got a few shots I’m happy with.

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