| Activities and Events near Copacabana | ||
| Day 6 | ||
| SouthWind quote | ||
| Leaving Copacabana midmorning, we'll continue our overland journey along Lake Titicaca's southern shores, heading toward Puno, Peru’s lake port city. The lake's name has several translations from the Indian language of which many refer to the puma which was a sacred animal in both the Tiahuanacan and Incan cultures. Thus, Titicaca is often called the Lake of the Puma. We'll also visit some of the typical communities we encounter en route such as Chucuito where we'll stop at the unusual Inca Fertility Temple before continuing on to Puno (12,555'). Often called Peru's folkloric center, Puno is famous for its traditional dances of which there are more than 100 variations. We’ll arrive in the late afternoon and check-in to the centrally located Sillustani Hotel (or similar) | ||
| email home from Puno | ||
| Said good-bye to William our Bolivian Guide and met a guide from Puno, who drove us quickly to Puno with limited stops on the way. This ended up being a very fast ride across the boarder and in to Puno. He did stop at a church that was built by the locals. It has been very interesting every time the Catholics made the locals build a church they sneek in the local religion. They do this by adding their images in to paintings and carvings. We did see a small town that was celebrating it´s founding day by four bands and dancers competing in each of the 4 corners of the square. We also visited the Incan Fertility Temple, courtyard filled with 4 foot tall phallic statues. We are staying at a very plush hotel in Puno and tomorrow catch a tourist bus to Cusco, then Macchu Picchu. Will write when we get money. Just kidding. All is well. Even the tranist stike in Peru resolved itself the day before we entered the country. | ||
| Inca Fertility Temple | ||
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| Puno | ||
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Located on the shores of Lake Titicaca and 391 km (239 miles) from Cuzco, Puno is at an altitude of 3,827 m (11,481 ft). As a town it is not all that interesting, but it is the gateway to several interesting excursions and to crossing the lake into Bolivia. |
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