Puno, Lago Titicaca & Islas Flotantes (Los Uros)

After crossing the border to Peru we arrived at Puno. Once you enter Peru you immediately feel the increase in living standard in comparison to Bolivia (Bolivia is the poorest country in South America). Puno is situated on the Lake Titicaca on the opposite side of Copacabana. Not much to do or see here except the floating islands (Los Uros) that have been very, very very commercialized. These islands are build of layers of the buoyant totora reeds. The floating islands were the way for native people to escape from the Spanish "conquistadores" who where enslaving the indigenous population to work in the gold and silver mines. What once was a way of pure survival, nowadays is a moneymaking tourist attraction.

Copacabana, Lago Titicaca & Isla del Sol

Copacabana located on the Bolivian side of the Titicaca lake is a nice but quite touristy village. The Titicaca lake is the highest commercially navigable lake in the world (3.800m above sea level). We stayed in Copacabana for two nights and visited the Isla del Sol which is the Inca creation side and the birthplace of the sun in Inca mythology.