Isla del Sol

What can I say about Isla Del Sol...except, ahhhh relief! After the hectic atmosphere of La Paz, Isla Del Sol was like an oasis! We docked and were immediately met by this young girl named Alejandra who hiked the 1000 stairs with us, talking nonstop about the islands inhabitants, and history. Once we arrived at the top, she showed us all the various potential hostels, we settled on one that cost us $4 a night! Who could resist! :D

The next day the 5 of us set off on a hike from the southern part of the island to the north. It was like stepping back into time 500 years... all along the trail there were these small settlements of adobe huts, and these local women dressed in traditional outfits. We saw loads of pigs, mules, and chickens everywhere as well. Supposedly there were incan ruins throughout the walk, but we didn´t find any until the very end. Isla Del Sol is the birthplace of the Incan Empire actually, we say the sacred rock where it all started, the sacrifical stone and the first temple of the sun.

Walking around these totally unprotected and uninhabited (and I do mean uninhabited, no police, no conservationist, nobody, except some grazing sheep!) ruins, it was a magical sensation to think about the powerfully spiritual people who had walked those grounds so many years before, and the empire that started because of them.

Locals on the Inca road

Hiking the Inca road
Incan sacrificial stone