Copacabana, Bolivia?

The Site

Copacabana is built between the Cerro (Hill) Calvario and the Cerro Niño (Child) Calvario. Thus climbing the low hill allows great views of the town, its port and the Lake Titicaca. Beyond that, the site features an important pilgrimage site in South America; the very one that apparently gave name to the Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro.

Cerro Calvario

The Cerro Calvario delimits the city to the north and is dedicated to the Via Crucis suffered by Jesus; the place has been developed by the Franciscans and the many crosses along it date back to the forties of the last century.

The site is divided into fourteen stations, paralleling the traditional ones in Jerusalem; the stone crosses on each bear a dedication to the contributor as well as the appropriate Bible passage. From the top awesome views of the city and the Lake Titicaca are available. Most of the road was built of stones, parts of it as a slanted road, others as a staircase.

Every year, on Good Friday, thousands of pilgrims journey from all over Bolivia to Copacabana on foot to do penance on Cerro Calvario; many climb the stony path on their knees. The main road connecting La Paz with Copacabana suffers of a constant rush hour during this period of the year.

At the end of the day, a candlelit procession begins at the Basilica (the cathedral on Copacabana’s central plaza), led by a statue of Christ in a glass coffin and a replica of the Virgen de Candelaria. At the summit, they light incense and buy miniature images of material possessions, in hopes of being granted the actual item by the Virgin. This is very similar in concept and shape to the Alasitas Festival in La Paz. During regular days, many sellers create a colorful spectacle along the way. Beyond the miniatures and snacks, they sell alcoholic drinks used for "challas," or traditional blessings.

Altitude Matters

The Titicaca Lake - at the hill's base - is around 3810m above the sea level, and the hill rises above it maybe another 200m; if acclimatized to the altitude, that means a ten minutes easy climb, if not, it means arriving red-faced and fighting for oxygen half an hour after beginning the climb. Hence, it is recommended to attempt such a climb after being at least a week or two on the plateau; arriving after visiting La Paz or Puno is a good idea.

Timing

The best time of the day for such a visit is by the sunset, when the lake and town are wonderfully illuminated; there are no electric lights in the surroundings, thus it is better to descend before it gets too dark. At the hilltop it is possible to walk downwards toward the lake, however through that route it is not possible to return to the town due to the cliffs.

The Catedral de la Virgen de Copacabana is at the very center of the town and it dominates not only the landscape but the cultural life as well. Sparkling white, it was built between 1605 and 1820 and is famous due to the statue of the Virgen de Copacabana, a statue carved in wood by an Indian artist, Tito Yupanqui.

The statue is housed in the higher floors, in the Camarin de la Virgen. It was carved on a hard cactus called maguey and is covered in gold, and her clothes are in Incan fashion and colors; strangely the statue has a wig of natural hair. Slightly over 1.2m in height, it holds a child Jesus in her left hand and in her right hand a basket and a candle; a crown adorns her head as well as the head of the child.

History

The place was built in stages; the Capilla Mayor was built between 1614 and 1618, while the first Basilica was built between 1668 and 1678. The Basilica seen today dates from 1805. The altar was built in such a way that sunlight illuminates it directly, while the rest of the church is kept in relative darkness.

It is interesting to note that in 1826, one year after the Bolivian independence, all the gold and silver were expropriated by the first president of the republic to create the first Bolivian coins.

Surroundings

The attractive cathedral features an interesting yard with several impressive crosses and arches creating interesting frames for them. Just next to it is the main market in town, which is designed primarily to cater for tourists. It offers every imaginable craft produced in Bolivia from awayo clothes, through vicuña and alpaca wool items and ending with llama fetuses. Don’t try to take the last through an airport. The short street right to the cathedral main entrance leads directly to the lake. Along it are most of the restaurants and hotels in town. The most popular dish served here is trout steaks, fresh from the lake.

The Festival

On the first two days of February, the Fiesta de la Virgen de Copacabana is celebrated on the place to commemorate the day in which the figure arrived to the town, on February 2, 1583. The cathedral and the adjacent Via Crucis at the Cerro Calvario became one of the main pilgrimage centers in Bolivia and South America.

Blessings

In the early afternoon, it is possible to meet the many drivers and their cars that arrive from all over the country to have their cars blessed. The road in front of the church, by the square, is transformed into a huge parking lot, and a priest passes from car to car and blesses them. The cars are adorned with flowers and miniatures of the material things the owners wish to themselves; money, houses and cars are the classics.

While traveling around Bolivia pay attention to buses, taxis and trucks, almost all of them feature a sign stating they were blessed in Copacabana or in other similar locations. As a rule of thumb, each one of Bolivia’s nine departments features such a location, though the cathedral in Copacabana is generally considered to be the most important one in the country.

Highlights

The Catedral de la Virgen de Copacabana is at the town's very center and it dominates not only the landscape but the cultural life as well. It was built between 1605 and 1820 and is famous due to the statue of the Virgen de Copacabana, a statue carved in wood by an Indian artist called Tito Yupanqui. On the first two days of February, the Fiesta de la Virgen de Copacabana is celebrated on the place to commemorate the day in which the figure arrived to the town, on February 2, 1583. The cathedral and the adjacent Via Crucis at the Cerro Calvario became one of the main pilgrimage centers in Bolivia and South America.

Copacabana is built between Cerro (Hill) Calvario and Cerro Niño (Child) Calvario. The Cerro Calvario delimits the city to the north and is dedicated to the Via Crucis suffered by Jesus; the place has been developed by the Franciscans and the many crosses along it date back to the forties of the last century. The site is divided into fourteen stations; the stone crosses on each bear a dedication to the contributor as well as the appropriate Bible passage. From the top awesome views of the town and the Lake Titicaca are available.
The Isla del Sol (Sun Island) and Isla de la Luna (Moon Island) is where according to Inca legends, their gods were born. The larger Isla del Sol is by far the most popular one to visit and is easily accessible from Copacabana in half-day or whole day trips. On the way there, the Isla de la Luna and Isla de la Estrella (Star Island) can be observed.

The most popular way to cross to Peru from Copacabana is from Khasani, nine kilometers south from the town. Minivans and taxi leave during the day from the plaza on 6 de Agosto Street. The trip roughly follows the Titicaca Lake shoreline.

The Tiquina Straits must be crossed before reaching Copacabana from La Paz. The straits are the limit between the northern and southern parts of the lake and offer an awesome look of the Illimani Mountain; if looking toward the southeast from the middle of the straights, the mountain appears to float over the lake.

Tips

It is recommended to attempt the climb of Cerro Calvario after being at least a week or two on the plateau; arriving after visiting La Paz or Puno is a good way to accomplish that.

The best hours to see the "challas," the traditional blessings of cars are in the early afternoon or on Sundays, in front of the basilica.

The hotels scene is like nothing I have seen before; regardless the classification of the establishment (hotel or guesthouse) and the room's price, the rooms looked all alike. Dozens of guesthouses and hotels cram the little town and offer rooms for anything between 25BOB (a bit over three dollars) and 85BOB per night for a single. Most rooms were relatively large, with a window to the lake or not, an old, sturdy bed, a very basic bathroom with a water heater attached to the shower and nothing more. Without exceptions, the water heaters were badly connected and offered quasi-warm water in a thin trickle. If the faucet was open too much, then the heater was not strong enough to heat the water; if it was open too little, it overheated and stopped working. I have seen such arrangements work perfectly well; it seems to be a problem with the local handyman. Considering the low temperatures in the area, this is a critical issue, hence it is recommended to shorten the visit to the minimum. It would be difficult to classify the different hotels by their quality, but Hotel Mirador is in front of the beach and offers the best views from its rooms.

If travelling to the Isla del Sol in the "whole day" deal, then it is recommended to bring a lunch box; they are sold at all the local restaurants. Snacks, water and soft drinks are usually 0.5BOB more expensive in Tiquina than in La Paz, and 1BOB more expensive in Copacabana. It sums up; hence it is worth to bring some reserves from the big city.

Parquipujio is a delightful - and empty - settlement by the shore that can be reached from Tiquina. However, despite the blue lake, Mediterranean vegetation, and the superb ambience, there are no facilities to stay there overnight. An afternoon picnic is an excellent option before returning to La Paz or entering Peru.

Best Way to Get Around:

Reaching Copacabana from La Paz is easy. From the General Cemetery - a main landmark in La Paz - there are minivans leaving for Copacabana and Tiquina. It is possible to bargain; Tiquina can be reached for as low as 8BOB () and Copacabana for 10BOB at the low hours. At peak times Copacabana can cost up to 17BOB. In any case, the ticket does not include the ferry fee at Tiquina. The last is the settlement sitting at the narrowest part of the Titicaca Lake, where the Big Lake (the northern part) meets the Small Lake. Since there is no bridge spanning the narrow straits (the residents do not want to loose the ferry business), all the passengers are requested to leave the vehicles and cross the straits on a different ferry. The pleasure adds 1.5BOB to the fare. In my last crossing, a group of six Argentineans refused to leave their luggage in the vehicle while crossing over; they claimed to have been robbed shortly before by a bus crew; it was easy to believe, and I - somewhat of a veteran victim in the area - arrived without luggage at all. The way back to La Paz is more expensive; minivans charge 17BOB and more and big buses charge at least 15BOB.

From Copacabana there are direct buses reaching Puno and Lima in Peru, but it is possible to cross the border independently through Khasani and then board a Peruvian bus. As a rule of thumb, international buses are more expensive than local ones, thus crossing in such a way is recommended; in such a way it is avoided paying commissions to agencies at each side of the border. From the plaza in 6 de Agosto Street leave shared taxis (6BOB) and minivans (2.5BOB) to the border cross whenever they are full.

Boats to the Isla del Sol and Isla de la Luna leave from the pier at the beach; a booth sells ticket on the spot. The trip takes about an hour and it is recommended to sit on the deck, so that the beautiful lake can be fully appreciated.

The Isla del Sol (Sun Island) and Isla de la Luna (Moon Island) - both in Bolivia - is where according to Inca legends, their gods were born. The larger Isla del Sol is by far the most popular one to visit and is easily accessible from Copacabana in half-day or whole day trips. On the way there, the Isla de la Luna and Isla de la Estrella (Star Island) can be observed.

Reaching the island is easy, at Copacabana's only beach there is a booth selling tickets for the 8:30am boats. The options are a half-day boat that returns at 12:30pm and costs 15BOB (a bit less than $2) and the whole day one that returns at 4:30pm and costs 20BOB. The only difference between both is that the long trip allows a walk across the island and more time to see the very few ruins scattered around. All the restaurants in town sell lunch boxes for the long trip, since there are no facilities on the island.

The boats do not leave until they fill up; if it is not raining it is better to sit on the deck and enjoy the views. The day I traveled came after a very heavy night rain, it was chilly and damp; nonetheless, sitting on the deck was worthwhile. The boat travels slowly over the calm waters and there is no wind to speak of; surviving the low temperature was easy. The trip takes about one hour and travels north along the broken Titicaca shoreline; after the Isla del Sol is spotted, the boat ventures into the lake and then the Star Island and Isla de la Luna can be seen before docking.

The small pier includes a very basic snacks shop where overprized instant coffee is sold and little Aymara girls sell keepsakes (especially painted wood-whistles). A long staircase climbs up the steep hill and is the main Inca ruin; from here they arrived from the mainland and climbed to the holy places in the island interior. More souvenirs are available along the way - including a girl and her llama that pose for pictures. At the very top there is an awesome view of the lake and the mainland, as a background to many cultivated terraces (nowadays mainly with medicinal herbs).

Scattered around are several Inca ruins and two tiny villages; the main relic is the sacred rock where the Inca legend began. One of the strangest views is an improvised museum that blocks the way to the hill top at the staircase end; there a single boy that guards a circular room with Inca ceramics. There is no entrance fee, but a contribution is requested to be allowed to continue walking.

Puerto Perez is a small port on the shore of the Titicaca Lake. The village is arranged around a central plaza located next to its only pier. The plaza is misleading, spacious and quite developed in comparison to similar settlements in the area. However, beyond it the streets are unpaved and the houses built of an irregular mix of uncovered bricks and adobe, apparently without any system. The square plaza features a few hotels (one with a private pier, other with a closed bar), no restaurants and a tiny market; at its center a stone warrior keeps order. Despite its size and relative lack of facilities, the place is worth a visit since it features an unspoiled area of the Lake Titicaca shoreline, with few modern facilities. Since the area caters mainly for locals interested in an inexpensive holiday, the situation wouldn’t change in the near future.

The settlement is home to about 400 people. Well, that depends on the day of the visit. All of them have left Puerto Perez during the rapid urbanization of the Bolivian society in the last generation. Yet, the shore is considered a prime space, thus its former denizens return from La Paz during weekends and other holidays to cater for the significant amount of local tourists arriving to enjoy the cool breeze descending from the snowy peak of the nearby Illampu Mountain and the irresistible blue of the lake waters.

Language

Puerto Perez is at the very heart of the Highlands dialect of the Aymara speaking zone. The Aymara area stretches from Oruro in the south to Muñecas in the north, though north of the Illampu Mountain, from the Sorata Valley northwards, the High Valleys dialect is dominant. However, most people are bilingual with Spanish.

Events

The place is known also for being home to mass-baptisms of a local sect, especially during the Carnival.

Boats

The single pier features a few very simple boats offering tours to a nearby trout entrapment and to the Kojata Island. Next to the pier, Hotel Las Balsas has a private pier with fast boats.

Landscape

Due to the irregular shape of the Titicaca Lake shoreline, the directions are somewhat confusing and the adjacent attractions are hard to find. However, with a map and a compass it is easy to find that in front of the pier – and across the lake – is the village of Huarina. Nearby is the Kojata Island.

The Tiquina Straits (the narrowest part of the lake and main crossing point) and the Suriki Island (an island next to them where the famous totora boats are constructed) are nearby (to the northwest), though out of sight.

The shore is unclear since the interface between the land and the lake is a large and dense body of totora, plants with their roots in the water or the mud. Except for the pier zone, it is recommended to avoid the shore, unless it is visible, or you can see animals standing on solid ground.

The Cordillera Real (part of the Andes) is clearly visible, with the imposing Illimani – one of the highest mountains in the continent – in clear sight. Due to weather conditions, its peak is not always visible.

Wallake

Between the single pier and the central plaza is a tiny market – with a single line of benches – selling what the place is famous for: Wallake. The last is an Aymara name designing a fish stew made of boiled karachi (a 20cm long fish from the Lake Titicaca), potatoes, chuño (a dehydrated potato) and aji (a local type of chili).

By far, the chuño is the most distinctive ingredient in the dish. Roughly two hundred types of potatoes grow on the Andean Plateau; many of them are disappearing from the big cities kitchens due to their rarity, but the chuño and tunta are still main ingredients of many dishes in the area.

Both of them originate on regular white small potatoes and differ only on their dehydration process. During the Altiplano's frozen nights, the chuño is left to freeze on the ground surface after being harvested. Following that, it melts down under the morning sun. During the early afternoon it is pressed with bare feet so that the water is filtered out; the result is a black potato of irregular surface. Subsequently the dehydrated potato can be stored for years while keeping its quality. The unhygienic process is of little concern since the potato is boiled up before consumption. It has a very distinctive pungent taste.

The tunta is obtained by putting the potato within a water stream for a fortnight. In this way everything except for the carbohydrate fibers is washed off the original potato. The result is a small, regular shaped, white potato with very little taste. Due to the differences in the process, tunta is much more expensive than the chuño.

The spicy, greenish Wallake stew contains the whole fish, including its head, so that it may be problematic for those trying the dish for the first time; however, it is one of the most agreeable dishes of the Aymara Kitchen.

Even long visas reach their end; visa runs are an inevitable part of a traveler's life. Near La Paz there are at least three crossing points to Peru: Khasani, Parquipujio and Desaguadero. The first two are best accessed from Copacabana, while the best is better suited for those leaving from La Paz.

The border between the countries is open, meaning that every village along it can be the base for crossing over to the other country. However, not everywhere there are immigration officers capable of placing a stamp on the passport. That means staying at the border, since passport checks may lead to fines if entering further into the other country.

Khasani

The most popular way to cross to Peru from Copacabana, Bolivia, is through Khasani, nine kilometers south of the town. Minivans and taxi leave during the day from the plaza on 6 de Agosto Street; minivans charge 2.5BOB, while shared taxis 6BOB. Both leave only when they fill up; thus, at the low hours of the afternoon reaching the border can take some time. The trip roughly follows the Titicaca Lake beautiful shoreline; if traveling in an unclouded day, then its striking blue color would provide an unforgettable experience.

Once there, things are simple and friendly. A beautiful church followed by a stone arch separate between the countries. The Bolivian check out is simple and the Peruvian immigrations proved to be highly efficient and in the random day I visited, it took less than thirty seconds per person to get the stamp on the passport and be dismissed. The vast majority of nationalities get visas on arrival; but due to possible changes it is recommended to check out the situation before reaching Khasani.

Parquipujio

Another option to cross the border is a place with the intriguing name of Parquipujio (apparently an Aymara language distortion of the Spanish "Parque Pujio" - Pujio Park). To reach it, head back from Copacabana to the Tiquina Straits - however do not cross them back - and then take a shared taxi to Parquipujio. Once there an archway with a flamingo on its top marks the border.

On the day I visited the immigration booths were deserted and the village on the Peruvian side seemed to have no inhabitants except for a pack of wild dogs and a few, slow-blinking, long-eyelashed llamas. However the lakeshore here was especially delightful and unspoiled, with a strange resemblance in shape, views and odors to a Mediterranean coast, justifying thus the trip.

Desaguadero

From La Paz, the easiest option is a short trip to Desaguadero, a town placed at the southern tip of the Titicaca Lake, from where it gets drained through the tiny Desaguadero River. The name means drainage and hints to the place function. The Bolivian and Peruvian immigrations sit at opposite shores, and are separated by a very short bridge.

Reaching Desaguadero is easy. If leaving from central La Paz, then the first step is to reach the Central Cemetery; an easy twenty minutes walk from the central avenue or a short trip by any minivan marked "Cementerio." Once there, look for the Kollasuyo Avenue, the main street climbing away from the cemetery. The first street turning from it to the right is Jose Maria Asin; the minivans to Desaguadero wait for passengers along it. They leave from the early morning to the late afternoon as soon as they manage to fill their seats. The prices change along the day, according to the demand, and they can be anything between seven to fifteen BOB’s. After beginning the way, the driver gives around a passengers' list, which one is supposed to fill and sign.

The town of Laja appears at the left side, seventeen kilometers after leaving El Alto, La Paz twin city. Laja was the original site of La Paz, but nowadays its fame is derived from its breads. There, is the first stop at a tollgate where the passengers' list is inspected by the authorities.

Half an hour later, Tiwanaku appears at the right side. The ruins are not visible from the road, but an inspired gate, built in Tiwanaku style, gives a hint. Unfortunately, the site discriminates sharply in its fees between locals and foreigners.

Less than an hour later is Guaqui (Goo-aa-kee), from where the first sights of the Lake Titicaca are available. In the far past, that was the main port to where goods from Peru arrived; afterwards, they were transported through a train to the other parts of the country. Nowadays, you can only spot the old railway since the other activities have been discontinued. There is an obligatory stop at a military checkpoint here and if not requested otherwise, the authorities will put a checkout stamp in the passport. If going just to take a look at the place, tell them so. After the checkpoint it is a short way to the border.

Deep blue waters surrounded by totora, a kind of cane, captivate the eyes. The lake spills into some small pools full of green plants called "lentejillas" and algae; the pools attract pigs and ducks. Asian samlors wait along the streets to help passengers with their luggage. At 3810m above the sea level, the lake is lower than El Alto and a bit higher than the central cemetery of La Paz.

All the ways in Desaguadero lead to the small bridge crossing to the Peruvian side of the town. On its both sides are the respective immigration offices. Once in Peru, there are several options. The Peruvian side of the town still looks pretty much as Bolivia, the restaurants serve the same food and the architectural style is similar. Ceviche (a marinated fresh fish), pejerrey (a fish from the lake served grilled) and cordero (lamb meat served with rice and chuño potatoes) are the main dishes offered at prices around one dollar each.

The hotels in the Peruvian side are better, hence, if not eager to return to La Paz with the new visa, it is better to stay on this side. Simple rooms with toilets cost between ten to thirty Peruvian Soles. Note that Peru is one hour behind Bolivia. If you have time for an explorative trip, then the next town is Puno, a couple of hours north along the lake; once there, there are connections to the rest of the country.

It makes sense to travel in one of the market days, Tuesday and Fridays. The attendance is so massive on these days, that the locals begin their travel the night before, to be able to catch the best places in the market.