Copacabana, Bolivia

We spent four days on and around the massive Lake Titicaca (3,232 square miles) which is the highest navigable lake (located at 12,507 feet) in the world. It was amazing to know, even at that elevation, the lake never freezes due to weather patterns and lots of rain from the nearby Amazon Rain Forests. Part of the Lake Titicaca is in Bolivia and we entered Bolivia by road.

On the way to the Bolivian border. Beautiful view of the Bolivian Andes rising high above the blue waters of Lake Titicaca.

The highway connecting Puno, Peru to the Bolivian border town, Kasani is in excellent condition.
We took a left turn here and drove through the small town, Yunguyo.

Saying "Bye" to beautiful and enchanting Peru !!!

Walking across the Bolivian border !!!

Immigration at Kasani, Bolivia. You can get your Bolivian Visa as you enter.
Now that we have a 5 year Visa, may be, there is another trip to Bolivia in the next 5 years :)

View of Lake Titicaca from inside our hotel (Rosario Copacabana) room. Late afternoon.

View in the morning !!! If I tell you, that is the Pacific Ocean, you would believe it :)

From the hotel we walked to the nearby Basilica, "Virgen de Copacabana".
Our Bolivian guide, Rodrigo pointed out this car and asked me to guess what was going on.
I had no clue. He said that he will explain it later :)

Basilica of Our Lady Copacabana. Construction started on 1668 and was completed on 1805. As soon as we reached the Basilica, I understood what was going on !!!
We saw many cars nicely decorated with flower garlands and lined up outside. Just like the custom in India, after a car is bought (doesn't matter if it is old or new),
people decorate it nicely and bring it to the Basilica to be blessed by the priest !!! 
Here we go again, one more similarity between cultures that had no contact between them :)

It was a Sunday. People from near by villages had brought vegetables and other stuff to sell, turning the streets around the Basilica in to a temporary market.

Rodrigo was explaining that these people just sell enough things so that they can buy meats and other foods for that day. As soon they get their day's worth of money,
they just pack up and leave. They don't worry about the next day and there is no concept of saving for the future. I guess, they are living in the moment!

Walking towards the Copacabana boat pier to take a boat to our next stop,  "Isla Del Sol" (Island of the Sun).

View of Copacabana from the boat to Isla Del Sol!