Last - Titicaca Copacabana (ShortCut Key Alt-Z)Upper Level - Bolivia (ShortCut Key Alt-S)
Browse all the images now
Details of the content (ShortCut Key Alt-X)
Next - Titicaca Island Of The Moon (ShortCut Key Alt-C)
Traveler Hat
travel.hat.net
Titicaca Island Of The Sun
Album : South America : Bolivia : Titicaca Island Of The Sun (35 items)
 

..
La Paz
Titicaca Copacaban...
Titicaca Island Of...
Titicaca Island Of...
Amazon Pampa In Ru...
Amazon Jungle In R...
Hotels And Food
Guide Books


Isla Del Sol (Island of the Sun) is the place where the first Inca was born (according to one of the legends). The god (forgot his name) created a man and woman. They came to this world to teach. The man had a staff in his hand. Every place he went, he pushed the staff into the soil. When he came to Cuzco, his staff disappeared....

On the island, there were two paths from the south to the north: the easy one (along beach side, 5 hours) and the difficult one (across the mountain range at the center, 3 hours). I took the third one -- the impossible one (...OK, I got lost and ended up in the western side, took 8 hours).

1) The Tiny Gap To The Island
Preview Image
16/05/2000 9:27:08 AM

It's like the gap mentioned in Homer's Odyssey.
The Tiny Gap To The Island

2) Island Of The Sun
Preview Image
16/05/2000 9:33:00 AM

Island Of The Sun

3) Island Of The Moon In Front Of The Cordillera Real
Preview Image
16/05/2000 9:51:36 AM

This is the moon island. Near it, the French explorer has found a giant frog.
Island Of The Moon In Front Of The Cordillera Real

4) The Llama Girl The Photo Killer
Preview Image
16/05/2000 10:26:38 AM

The llama girl charged me US$1 for the photo. They are very persistent for you to take their photos.
The Llama Girl The Photo Killer

5) The Cordillera Real Or So I Think
Preview Image
16/05/2000 10:42:40 AM

Since I didn't speak any Spanish, the boat take me to the wrong side of the island (I should be going to the North, but I ended up in the South).

But actually that was what I loved to do but dared not to do so (because of the altitude). So I was forced to do something I wanted to do in the first place. The wrong choice is a better choice.

The Cordillera Real   Or So I Think

6) The Terrace Of The Incas
Preview Image
16/05/2000 10:55:28 AM

Panorama photo of the Inca Terrace. Reckoning from the size of the farmland (most are abandoned), there must be thousands and thousands of people living on the island before.
The Terrace Of The Incas

7) The Highlander Lamb
Preview Image
16/05/2000 11:06:56 AM

The sheep is not local. All the horses, sheep and donkeys are imported from Spain. Before, Inca only have llama and alpaca.
The Highlander Lamb

8) Local Kids The Candy Hunter
Preview Image
16/05/2000 11:22:18 AM

They wanted candy for the photo. I gave them the non-sweet energy bar, it's better for their teeth.
Local Kids   The Candy Hunter

9) West Side Of The Island
Preview Image
16/05/2000 11:45:30 AM

I went half way through the island, I was still on the right track when I took this photo.
West Side Of The Island

10) A Small Ruin With No Name
Preview Image
16/05/2000 11:55:16 AM

There was a little farm and a little ruin.
A Small Ruin With No Name

11) The Ruin In Close Up
Preview Image
16/05/2000 12:11:18 PM

The Ruin In Close Up

12) A Farm House On The Island
Preview Image
16/05/2000 12:22:28 PM

A Farm House On The Island

13) On My Way To The Wrong Side Of The Island
Preview Image
16/05/2000 2:29:50 PM

Then I met an old man. He asked me for candy, so I gave him another energy bar. He tried to point me to the right direction. But I didn't understand him at that time (it was only my 3rd day in South America). He spent another 30 minutes tried to make me understand. I insisted on the impossible way where there was no trail. Then I found out it was a big uh-oh...
On My Way To The Wrong Side Of The Island

14) I Finally Figure Out My Mistake
Preview Image
16/05/2000 2:37:18 PM

There was an abandoned Inca trail on the western side of the island. Part of the trail, I have to climb over the cliff like Indiana Jones. When I came to the top of the mountain, I finally figured out the old man was right but it was already 3:30pm (6:00pm sunset) and I was on the wrong side of the island. I have to make my way down the mountain where there was no trail and up the other side where the right trail was.
I Finally Figure Out My Mistake

15) Down The Valley
Preview Image
16/05/2000 4:04:36 PM

At 4:03pm I finally came down from the mountain. There was something that you wouldn't enjoy when you were doing it (like hanging on the cliff) but you would glad you have done so once you finish. Came to think of it, the view was good. If I do it again, I probably would have listen to the old man. But on the other hand, I did enjoy the experience of taking the wrong path. Again, the wrong choice is a better choice.
Down The Valley

16) Up The Hill
Preview Image
16/05/2000 4:29:14 PM

I was on my way to the right path.
Up The Hill

17) The Northern Village
Preview Image
16/05/2000 5:54:52 PM

At 5:54pm, just before the sunset, I finally saw Challapampa. I still need to find a hotel and none was mentioned in my lonely planet.

The island across the town is call Kollabaya. There was a wall separating the island from the town because the town people didn't want their children to mess up the crops.

The Northern Village

18) A Peaceful Sunset
Preview Image
16/05/2000 6:15:08 PM

The night fell just at the moment I reached the town. I saw many kids on the mountains, they all reached the town long before I did.
A Peaceful Sunset

19) A Peaceful Moon
Preview Image
16/05/2000 6:29:26 PM

I spent a few minutes watching the moon. Then I met someone who led me to the hotel... Anything with a roof is better than sleeping on the mountain.
A Peaceful Moon

20) The Chincana Ruins
Preview Image
17/05/2000 9:45:42 AM

The next morning I met MP- by the beach. We walked to the Chincana Ruins together. This is what we thought was the temple or maybe an hotel for the people who was going to be sacrificed.
The Chincana Ruins

21) The Peninsula
Preview Image
17/05/2000 9:50:12 AM

Base on MP-'s altitude watch, this place is around 4km high.
The Peninsula

22) Looking Up The Hill
Preview Image
17/05/2000 10:05:50 AM

The sun is not kidding, I got a sun burnt after two layers of sun block.
Looking Up The Hill

23) The Picnic Table
Preview Image
17/05/2000 10:26:32 AM

This is the sacrificial table where they used to do human sacrifice. Now it was used for picnic table.
The Picnic Table

24) Footstep Of The Moon
Preview Image
17/05/2000 10:32:06 AM

After 30 minutes of investigation, we finally conclude that this must be the footsteps of the sun. MP- was pointing at a smaller step which I reckon was the footsteps of the moon.
Footstep Of The Moon

25) The Puma Rock
Preview Image
17/05/2000 10:37:54 AM

This is the puma rock, you must have very good imagination to see that (notice the two tiny ears in the front?)
The Puma Rock

26) Footstep Of The Sun
Preview Image
17/05/2000 10:52:22 AM

Before we left, we found something that is more likely to be the footsteps of the sun, so I took another picture of it, at least one of them must be the real one.
Footstep Of The Sun

27) Leaving The Ruin
Preview Image
17/05/2000 11:01:58 AM

Looking from far away, the puma rock doesn't even look remotely like any Picasso puma.
Leaving The Ruin

28) The Sunken Island
Preview Image
17/05/2000 11:02:22 AM

Legend said that there was a sunken island at the center of the 3 islands in this photo. Archaeologists had found some farms and small buildings under water. They also found a stone box which after 500 years was still water proof. The box contained many golden toys (they were in the museum).
The Sunken Island

29) The Templo Del Inca
Preview Image
17/05/2000 11:25:58 AM

The Templo Del Inca

30) Another Picnic Table
Preview Image
17/05/2000 11:26:20 AM

Another sacrificial table. I guess they use this one as a backup in case the other one was occupied.
Another Picnic Table

31) Temple Of The Sun
Preview Image
17/05/2000 11:44:42 AM

Temple of the sun is a dump.
Temple Of The Sun

32) The Golden Toys In The Stone Box
Preview Image
17/05/2000 12:21:06 PM

This is the golden toys found inside the stone box of the sunken island.
The Golden Toys In The Stone Box

33) The Waterproof Stone Box
Preview Image
17/05/2000 12:22:44 PM

This is the water proof stone box.
The Waterproof Stone Box

34) The Inca Stairway
Preview Image
17/05/2000 4:22:24 PM

Inca Stairway (Escalera del Inca) will kill you if you run up there without getting used to the altitude. If you survive the stairway, the llama girl on the top will continue to torture you with the request of taking photos.
The Inca Stairway

35) The Pilko Kaina Ruins
Preview Image
17/05/2000 4:55:18 PM

This is the Pilko Kaina Ruins, my guide book didn't mention what this was for.
The Pilko Kaina Ruins



Last - Titicaca Copacabana (ShortCut Key Alt-Z) Last Browse all the images nowSee All Next Next - Titicaca Island Of The Moon (ShortCut Key Alt-C)
Home / Parent / Details / Page Top
Google
  Web www.hat.net   
Copyright: @hat.net
About the photographer
Quick Feedback Form

6/22/2008 5:03:07 AM