Day Trip the the Beach - Lake Titicaca

It was still dark and we shivered as we stood in the street waiting for a cab. Well, it is La Paz, winter in the southern hemisphere, we are high in the Andes… …and it’s 6:30am. The temperature is close to freezing, but we are off to the beach. 

An hour and a half later we are at the Tahuantisuyo Community Centre in El Alto boarding a bus to Lake Titicaca, along with 16 families and staff. There are 68 of us in all on two buses… …and a dog. As we stopped along the way to pick up a family, a dog clambered on board. I tried to stop it and then realized it was Sassy, the guard dog/pet from the centre, and he’s one of the family.

Two and a half hours later we arrived at Turtle Island on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. The sun was well up by now and in the shelter of the beach, it was hot. 

We climbed down the cliff and onto the beach. The kids were already splashing in the water in fully clothed when we sat on the sand, although none could swim. I realized that most of them had never been to a beach before, or spent time in water. Despite the hot sun, we thought that it might be cold in the water, so Carol gingerly dipped her toes into the water and found it quite pleasant.

The children had no such reticence – they ran into the water and splashed each other, then climbed onto the rock. Meanwhile, back on the beach, the older kids fell victim to being buried in the sand. I was touched to see a little one sat by their heads brushing sand from their faces, as the bigger kids threw sand on them and pressed it down for all they were worth. And, it wasn’t just the children that were seized by the beach mood. We sometimes think that the Aymara mothers are quiet and conservative but one, Elizabeth, asked me to take a picture of her on the shore. We walked down to the water and she laughingly struck some poses!

It was time for lunch and the cook from the centre prepared a hot, tasty meal with chicken, potatoes and beans. As we ate, Matt sent up his drone and shot footage all along the beach. I watched it as it cruised smoothly along, then suddenly, it lurched, plunged, and then straightened out again. Turns out, one of the kids had asked for a turn at the controls; fortunately, Matt recovered it.

 

After lunch it was game time – groups of wet kids played volleyball, Frisbee and football/soccer, and tried to encourage us to join in.

Turns out Sassy might have regretted coming – a bunch of kids dragged him into the water and scrubbed him – although I must say he needed it, but he wasn’t happy! It’s hard to get away from dogs in Bolivia, even on the beach. As I sat there, a large dog gently walked up between my legs and put his face right in front of mine. As I looked at him, he put one paw on my leg, then the other on my chest, then both on my chest. Carol took pictures as we enjoyed our moment in the sun. Then just like that, he was gone. We all got together for Matt’s group shot (below)

But, it was time to crawl back up to the buses and head home, sleeping as we went. It was dark and cold again when we got home to La Paz.