Lake Titicaca, Cusco And A Strange Train Ride

Today I left for Lake Titicaca.  At over 3800 meters (12,507 feet), it's the highest navigable lake in the world. It's huge, 8400 square kilometers or about 15 times the size of Lake Geneva. It lies between Peru and Bolivia.

When I arrived, I learned there was a large fiesta nearby (the whole Peru seems to be celebrating fiestas on a continuous basis). I cycled there with a guide and saw the locals getting completely and totally trollied (inebriated) on beer and dancing continuously in an alcoholic haze in full costume. I was warned not to leave cycling back to my hotel too late and to do it before the fiesta participants started to attempt to drive or motocycle home! Apparently it can get quite hairy on the roads. It's a three day event and they get completely wasted and just keep on dancing.  Sounds vaguely like a girls' week in Verbier?

Back to the hotel, Hotel Titilaka on the lake. It's wonderful, as you can see in the photos.  The food is fusion (Nobu Peruvian style) of the highest possible standard.  Maximum capacity 40 people and now there were maybe ten others this morning. I am really happy to be here to kayak and explore. I am so relieved that I'm already acclimatised or I'd be suffering headaches rather than enjoying the property. Oxygen is always available for those who need it.

Hotel Titilaka

Oh yes, before I forget, yesterday Liz and I had the most unusual train ride. As Liz and I boarded the vistadrome trains from Machu Picchu to just outside Cusco, the porters and attendants who served us merienda (snacks, meat pie) suddenly broke into a local dance and staged a fashion show to exhibit Peruvian textiles.  We were quite amused! The other passengers joined in the fashion parade, as they bought their Peruvian fashion pieces. 

The equivalent would be like taking a train from Edinburgh to London and suddenly all the train staff changed into Scottish kilts, played bag pipes, whilst trying to sell you shortbread and jumpers.  Extraordinary! I'm sure the British would be very embarrassed in such a situation and just pretend nothing was happening. 

Train staff showing off Alpaca clothing (for sale) and a local fiesta dance costume.

As Liz and I prepared to part ways in Cusco, we decided to go to the famous Museo de Pisco to celebrate our wonderful trip.  Great fun hydrating on Pisco sours, a truly delicious drink we seemed to indulge in daily, even during the trek! If you are feeling the effects of altitude, you might as well go with the flow and get light headed with the local alcoholic drink!

The Pisco bar broke into dance and song.  A fitting send off for Liz. We raised our glasses to beautiful Peru and the 21,400 total vertical feet of climbing (6414 meters) we achieved on our trek to Machu Picchu.