Five weeks into our travels and we started missing certain things from our everyday lives: 1. Espresso 2. Fresh greens and vegetables 3. Spotify

But lo and behold it was Titikaka time!

Lake Titikaka was the main reason behind the choice of these particular countries to visit, so of course the butterflies started tickling the tummy as the bus winded it’s way through the mountains up to its shores. The highest navigable lake in the world is home to thousands of years of traditions and culture and we were going to dive into it for a couple of weeks.

Firstly, Capachica peninsula. A van dropped us off at the end of the road, a little shy of the tip of the peninsula in a village called Llachon. We were the last three remaining passengers. A keen welcome committee of stray dogs formed quickly in the otherwise deserted establishment. A quiet square was surrounded by a small church, a few houses with window shutters and tab locks and a bench seating two old ladies, knitting. They might’ve had about half a dozen teeth between them, but their smiles were as warm as the sun itself. We asked for a bar, they giggled and said there was none. We asked for a man named Felix and a third lady appeared at once, who was his sister. Felix was supposed to offer accommodation and she was happy to walk us there. We hiked for 50 minutes to the very tip of the peninsula with just about the best view one could possibly have of the lake.

En route we discovered why the village was so deserted. We passed what seemed like a political gathering of just about the entire population of Llachon. It was hard to make out what was being said by the man standing in the middle, but it sounded like many numbers and promises. As we passed, however, we received waves, handshakes and toothless smiles from just about everyone. I say we, but let’s face it, it was primarily Frida, who drew the attention.

After a night at Felix’s, we stayed a couple of nights with a family, who had a spare hut for us to sleep in and two kids for Frida to endlessly play with. Time stopped in Llachon. We wandered the countryside and observed local life, we played and we stared at the lake. There was no contact with the rest of the world, nor was it desired. The nights were pitch black, but candle light was enough. The hut was very cold, but 5 alpaca wool blankets and cuddles would keep us plenty warm. Titikaka cast its spell on us.

The sky above the lake was consistently clear, whilst all the way around it was cloudy and threateningly blue. This phenomenon remained constant throughout our 2 week Titikaka experience. The lake is a sunny oasis amidst thick dark clouds weighing down on its shores. And Capachica peninsula pokes its way far enough into the lake to enjoy a consistently hot and sunny weather. It was dreamy watching the weather rage around the shores of the peaceful deep blue lake bathing in the setting sun.

Capachica peninsula receives the odd visitor, but is not centred around tourism. Therefore it’s the best place around the lake to experience the culture and daily life of the indigenous people as is, without them putting on a show. The stunning landscape was made even more beautiful by the ladies wearing colourful handwoven traditional dresses and hats whilst working their allotments. Can’t say that about the local men though…

The strong sense of community in Llachon came out in the evening, when a volleyball net was hoisted across the middle of the square and folks of all ages kicked the ball around. Rules were not important, it was about fun. We felt very privileged to hang out there, because there were no other tourists and it felt like we’d snuck through the rabbit hole to Wonderland. Espresso and Spotify could wait.

From deep in the Bolivian south, time is no longer an aspect.