La Paz I left with my thumb up and I run into direction of border with Peru (but how fast i run really depended from kindness of Bolivian drivers. Oh I was so happy that I leave Bolivia!). Last stop before cross border – Copacabana. But no, not this gold beach in Rio de Janeiro but both places (beach and small Bolivian city) are connected. Golden sands on which year by year hundred thousands of salsa lovers are spending theirs free time, have name directly from that small, inconspicuous and very cold city located near… highest navigable lake in the world! Yes, yes, border between Bolivia and Peru is cutting with invisible knife that lake in the middle. But Lake Titikaka is famous not only because have surface of water on 2812 ABS but also is one from most saint places for Inka’s. They believe that here on small island first people were created and most important God (God of Sun) was born. I saw only shape of that island because of some conflict there between two indiand’s communities that was impossible to walk from north to south side. Also cost of boat and cold… freeze me completely.

Finally I blow up my dynamite on beach, which I bought on market in Potosi, and in that loudly way I said goodbye to Bolivia and crossed border. And that borders are not only on maps but also mental one. How people on Peruwian side are open, kind, and helpful I saw just on other side. I saw also few big dogs who jerk my jeans who I received as a gift in Argentina. Still people want for ride cash but it’s much more easy to meet people with who there is possibility to ride for free (maybe they do it for mercy when they see my pants 😀 ).  And they offer families! “Look, she’s alone, she can be Your wife. You don’t want to take her?” Told me wife of first drive who took me. “You don’t want to? Look that can be your kid!” she’s laughing in the same time putting very high some kid. Like in Lion King. And what besides people delights in Peru? In contrast to Bolivia people here are not peeing on main square, they have some control on cars (but still for them is not a problem to take police car on band and cross in that time double line), and in markets are prizes (here are markets!). Food very good and cheap, trolleys are banding under weight of cheap fruits. What’s more is necessary?

 

I made stop in Puno where one from sellers lied me. He sold me ticket for boat on which I should visit strange cane’s island where since many years are living even strangers people. I paid half of ticket (10 soles) next part I should pay during bording boat but… there was no boat to do boarding. Whole boats left port and I left alone with ticket in my hand. But I felt like I had something different in my hand out of my pants. “Fuck it” I thought, I waited few minutes and on other boat I went to meet cane’s people.

Imagine island made by cane, with few cane’s houses and in front of them parked not red Nissans but cane’s boats. I just waited when from one of the whole will go out cane’s landlord. I met there real, “meety”, family. People live here since 600 years! They have cash from fishing and of course tourists. On one from island is small school and teacher every day is coming from continent to teach kids there. Water, flammable world. But that was time to move back to land where I spend a lot of time on local market. I went from one booth to another. Between one chunk of boiled corn and other sip of chicken soup, with fear and admiration I saw how crossroad on which were a lot of booth with food, and between cars, trucks, taxis were stopped on the middle of that crossroad because someone wanted to put on backsit huge part of flash meet, old ladies pushed theirs trolleys and young mothers prams. And nobody hit anybody. Harmony in chaos.

Hit the road! I through my anchor in city “Lampa”. There is absolutely nothing to see besides beautiful old church, interesting copy of Pieta and… beautiful but in the same time scarry chamber with human skulls. Since may years I wondering who for god sakes have idea to prepare that kind of places?!

I didn’t wanted think about that long time (I thought that maybe that skulls are from people who wanted to know why other people constructed that place). I moved. I moved through small villages where once again were nothing interesting to see. When I saw 3 of them I was a most giant revelation. “Look, look! Gringo!”. “You wanna change Your eyes for mine?” said some Young ladies and “I have young daughter. She can be Your wife if You want. Extra I can give You Alpaca” and old landlord. Score? After 3 villages I could have 5 wifes, 2 kids and 2 alpacas. Conclusion? Whole my life I was in bad continent 😀 Between one sip and another of chichi (no, this time without alcohol, that was some herbal mix), local guys told me about bridge which I should see.

 

“I didn’t saw bridge” I thought? What they can show me there? But finally I went there and that was really good decision because that place have huge story. 600 years story! 600 years ago Inkas put here first bridge made only by grass. And is hanging even now but sometimes during 3 days fiesta they change it for new. What is important and interesting they still have the same process of “production” of that bridge, so it’s looks and work like this first one. And when You are crossing it You can fell like Indiana Jones 😀

There I met two guys who helped me to organize place to stay in higher floor of local hotel! And it’s not important even in that place was only place for bad with a lot of tigers 😀 Thanks for Sergio, local boss of organization which take care about that bridge, I received key to hotel and I could stay there as long as I wanted. But that was time to move to hearth of Inkas empire. To Cusco.

Local family with who I met in some village

About greatness of Inkas, secrets of Machu Picchu, incredible of local ruins and beauty of Cusco is pointless to write. Because it’s obvious! But is worth to write why Cusco region should jump into one from first places of Yours lists of places to see. During my trip I went through doors of many churches and galleries but so wonderful collections of art You can’t find anywhere! Probably in museums of Louvre and Vatican You can’t find some wonderful things. Because to South America, on first line of war with “paganism” church put best architectures, painters, sculptures and other artists, to fight by art with “dark” minds. Huge role had also bests missionaries from Old Continent, who like special commando were putted inside that “mental jungle”. Only here You can find amazing mix of culture form Europe and Inkas believing. Only here You can find crossed Christ but in traditional local clothes, same Christ who’s eat with apostles guinea pig or Holy Mary with traditional local clothes. Huge cathedrals located in place of Inkas temples, and that places changed for new religion. It makes that they looks like syncretism of religion. Kilograms of gold and silver (robbed from Inkas temples and melted for new things) are fulfil insides but they not flooded MANY of details. On walls You can see wonderful paintings, or like in one place… with mirrors! When they put on lights You can feel like in space with thousands of stars. But You need to pay prize for everything. Literally, because entrance to absolutely every place have prize. But You know what? Entrance to absolutely every place is worth his prize! So pay and keep Your eyes up because can fool out!

 

There was also probably most important place for why people are coming here from whole over the world. Machu Picchu. It’s worth it? Fuck yes! But it’s not so easy to get there. First bus to Santa Maria. Than car to Santa Teresa. Than smaller car to train station. After that 10 km hike through train rail to reach Aguas Calientes. It’s really interesting place, small city inside mountains but with huuuuuge buildings for tourists. And almost no place to camp. But I felt like in computer game when I fought a little bit of grass above few waterfalls. To cross one from them is necessary to go through really high, wet wall. That was impossible for me and my backpack and suddenly I went down! That was really scary situation because under me was huge, 10m hole! I thought that I can die there! Thanks God I found some rock and stop there. Few meters before my dead.

At the end from Aguas Calientes to Machu is waiting over 2000 steps. But is worth to make it to see how wonderful and amazing these place is! What is worst same feelings have few houndrads of other tourists from whole over the world ( “is like Babel tower” told me one from guardians) and we need to wait in small corridors to pass.

What I can wish more? Maybe to meet people! Another time I met Wojciech and Severyn from “Świat w 2D” and we made together few bottles. I met also Michal from “W świat footbolu”, and in few days 4 wheels gonna put here Kasia and Andrzej from “Bear do You go?”. World is so small! But now it’s time to move and reach cost line!