Copacabana/Lake Titicaca Bolivia 玻利维亚科帕卡瓦纳 – 4/2017 (13)

1-3/4/2017. From Puno on the Peruvian side, I traveled by bus toward Bolivia along Lake Titicaca, to arrive at the border. I then walked about 200 meters to cross the border, arriving at the border town Copacabana, by the lake. I loved crossing the border on foot, from one country to another. Two different peoples, two different cultures, two different systems, two different fates, like turning the page into a different chapter, into a different story. I felt I earned the bragging rights of an adventurer.

1-3/4/2017 – 从秘鲁普诺坐大巴沿的的喀喀湖抵达秘鲁边境，步行两百米过境到玻利维亚边境科帕卡瓦纳小镇，也靠的的喀喀湖。徒步过境特别过瘾，从一个文化到另一个文化，一个命运到另一个命运，一个世界到另一个世界；翻了一页，开始新的一篇故事。有点探险意味，我沾沾自喜。

A meal in Copacabana 科帕卡瓦纳用餐 — Copacabana market 科帕卡瓦纳菜场

1-3/4/2017. The town of Copacabana is built on the shores of Lake Titicaca. So the first thing to do, naturally, is to inspect this lake. This is no ordinary lake. At 3,800 meters above sea level, it is the world’s highest, but I didn’t feel it that much because I could walk right into it. Peru and Bolivia share this lake, and it was great to see neighbors sharing their swimming pool.

I rode in a little boat for about 20 minutes to get to the little island of Uros on Lake Titicaca. This was more of a floatation made of reeds rather than an island. Sometimes the “ground” felt a bit spongy, with water actually oozing out of the reed floor. People once lived on this reedy island, but nowadays it’s mostly for tourists.

科帕卡瓦纳是的的喀喀湖边的小镇，到这里第一件事当然先游览一下这世界第一高湖，海拔高达3800米。　这湖秘鲁和玻利维亚共享；别人邻里水火不容，井水不犯河水，他们一盆水，两家人用，亲切多了。

做小艇二十多分到的的喀喀湖的乌罗斯小岛看看。奇特的是这岛是在湖中以芦苇造成地面，踩踏部分“地面”，湖水还会从“地面”渗出。以前为人所居，现在供游客游览。这生活环境太怪了。又不是没地，怎会住到这?

Floating islands of Uros, made of reed 芦苇的乌鲁斯小岛

I am guilty. I have done it. I have chewed it, drunk it, the coca leaves—the raw material for cocaine. At many of the high altitude locations on this trip, coca leaves have been made very available. In many of the hotels, plates of coca leaves are placed in the corridors and the halls to invite guests to help themselves. I chewed it on a couple of occasions, and I did not feel high at these high altitudes.

此行到拉美，嚼过古柯叶，喝过古柯茶，我都干了。没错，这些都是可卡因的原材料。这图就是今天入住酒店在走廊提供的，因此住这类酒店挺过瘾的。几天前在马丘比丘山顶时，三位英国淑女像马一样的在拼命的嚼着古柯叶，手里各拿着一大包，借口是抗高原症，我想是想high。我当时恰好走过她们面前，搭讪了两句，她们很豪爽的跟我分享。我就因此抓了一把，嚼几口后，没感觉什么快感或幻觉就没多嚼了。不用对我另眼相看，听说原材料是合法的，只是产成品有问题。

Coca leaves for altitude sickness 古柯叶以抗高原症

I took a boat ride for about two hours to Moon Island (Isla de la Luna) on the lake. This lake was really vast. The sceneries were charming but had very few vestiges of ancient ruins. No major historical discovery lit up my eyes, but it was an enjoyable ride on the calm lake, as I took in the scenery wrapped in beautiful weather.

乘两小时小艇到湖中的月亮岛，这湖甚大，但只留得一点残余古迹。跟大伙乘船赏湖光山色，还是大有收获。

From the moon, I went to the sun—Isla del Sol, or Island of the Sun. Disappointingly, the island’s northern part, where most of the ancient remains are situated, was closed due to a local quarrel. The consolation was that the journey had been scenic throughout. On the boat, we kept each other company; the company included Korean, French, English, and three 15-year-old German youths. It was as if we had left the troublesome mainland world behind and were in a different world of our own. This boat today felt like a universal love boat.

从月亮到太阳，小艇接着前往太阳岛。失望的是，古迹较多的岛北因当地部落之间争议而关闭，有点败兴而归。安慰的是，这一片还是湖光山色，一路跟八路朋友畅谈，包括韩国，法国，英国姑娘，三个十五岁德国小伙，高谈阔论古今中外稀奇古怪世事。在这湖阔天空的大自然，外边的压抑世界抛在了脑后。

Ruins on Isla del Sol 太阳岛的遗迹 — Isla del Sol 太阳岛

I then rode in a public bus from Copacabana to La Paz, the capital of Bolivia. This was a bit of an adventure. The first half of the journey snaked on roads through an endless stream of mountains. Looking afar, I could see the beautiful Lake Titicaca; looking down immediately was a steep plunge into the valleys below. My eyes struggled to take in the endless clips of scenic beauty. We crossed one part of the lake in a little boat filled to the brim with passengers, with no lifejackets provided. Bolivia had so, so much to offer—raw, rustic, exciting beauty. Wow, wow, wow.

最后一天坐上当地大巴离开科帕卡瓦纳前往玻利维亚首都拉巴斯。上半段路程基本就在高山腰翻山越岭，绕过一山又一山，眼前就是平静的的喀喀湖，每一段都是湖光山色，远望就是美景，往下看则是一落千丈的山谷，我男人气概吓得全没了。路上小艇渡过一片动荡湖面，小艇挤满了人，如孤叶在荡水行舟，又没提供救生衣，就这样闭着眼睛希望尽快到岸。人生又美又刺激。