Isla del Sol, Bolivia

Isla del Sol, birthplace of the sun, the moon and the stars according to the indigenous people of Bolivia and magical island on Lake Titicaca. Here, time stands still as the indigenous people still carry their wares around on their backs or, if they are fortuanate, by donkey. I went to this peaceful place to relax and enjoy the views after the madness of Cusco, Peru.


While I was there the "Day of the Dead" was celebrated with feasting and dancing in the cemetaries. Families unite to pray for their dead relatives and give food to friends in return for prayers for their loved ones. Women who married in the past year carry plastic dolls on their backs and perform a special dance which is supposed to aid their fertility. It is a happy day and the locals were happy to share their customs with the tourists. Traditional costumed are worn, as usual, but new clothes are often worn for the occasion.


On the island I met a group of people who are filming documentaries in South America for a US channel. I would eventually travel to the salt flats with them and into Argentina for around two weeks.


After spending four days staring out at the beautiful blue of Lake Titicaca and watching the ripples of wind on the water I felt compelled to hire a sailing boat for an afternoon and enjoy the silence from a different angle.