Copacabana, Bolivia

Having eventually managed to book a taxi to get us the hell out of dodge, we’ve decided to head back to Copacabana rather than onwards to La Paz figuring that, in absence of a decently priced flight back to Peru, we can at least retrace our footsteps back across the border on the bus and work our way back to Lima from there.

We’re not 20 minutes down the road and our taxi is pulled over by a group of uniformed men carrying guns. I’m certain we’re about to be shaken down for some cash but we all sit tight and the driver hops out and opens the hatchback. One of the men has a very quick look over our luggage and then waves us on. Apparently, they were the army looking for drugs being smuggled out of Bolivia (which processes an awful lot of cocaine) and into Peru. Lucky for us we’d taped it all to the bottom of the car and they didn’t have any sniffer dogs…(I’m joking mum!!).

So back across the river we go, us on a little motor boat and our taxi plus all our worldy goods on a wooden barge. We’re hoping that our taxi will set off before us and arrive after us lest the driver decides to make off with our bags which would be worth considerably more than the $50 fare we’re paying him.

Ever since Chile pinched 350km of Bolivia’s coastline during the War of the Pacific, Bolivia has been landlocked and yet they still have a navy. Clearly, these guys have very little to do so they congregate around the Titicaca Naval Base at Tiquina…and direct the traffic!

Back in Copacabana, we’re booked into La Cupula (www.hotelcupula.com) and have a great room for $28. Once again, I’m gutted that we spent so much time, effort and money get to Huatajata. La Cupula is perched on a hill, overlooking the lake (which looks more like a sea from up here), with 2 separate gardens containing hammocks and deckchairs and gorgeous views. Not only that, but the sun is beating down. The kids make the most of the space and run amok in the gardens whilst I make the most of the weather and sunbathe. At a height of 3,800m above sea level, it’s probably not a good idea to sunbathe when you’re this close to the sun, something I only realise the next morning when I wake up burnt to a crisp. Even throughout all of Australia I didn’t get burnt like this.

Copacabana has a small ‘beach’ at the side of the lake and it reminds us of some English seaside town in the 50’s. The edge of the lake is full of duck shaped pedalos; there’s old bikes and trikes to rent; there’s even table football games set up along the promenade and ice cream parlours at the back.

Parked nearby is a lorry covered in flowers which has just been blessed at the cathedral. Vehicles are blessed to give them long life and also to ensure the safe passage of those who travel in them. If you saw Bolivian drivers, you’d understand why they need this.