This stage is mixed: cycling, climbing, hiking and city night life!
Date
Distance
Altitude Gain
Place
15.05.'06
010 km
0110 m
Bolivian Border - Copacabana
16.05.'06
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'Isla del Sol' (Island of the sun)
17.05.'06
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'Isla del Sol' (Island of the sun)
18.05.'06
096 km
0965 m
Copacabana - Batallas
19.05.'06
057 km
0375 m
Batallas - La Paz
20.05.'06
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La Paz (Rest day)
21.05.'06
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La Paz (Rest day)
22.05.'06
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Huayna Potosi (climbing)
23.05.'06
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Huayna Potosi (climbing)
24.05.'06
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La Paz (Rest day)
15.05.'06: We arrived at the Bolivian border late in the day and cycled the 10km to Copacabana, just in time to watch the sun set over 'Lago Titicaca' from the hotel roof. 'Lago Titicaca' lies at 3800 m.a.s.l and is the highest navigable lake in the world.
16.05.'06: We left Copacabana and took the boat out to the 'Isla del Sol' (the island of the sun). On the island we walked up the famous steps near the 'Inca spring' and found a cheap hotel in Yumani. From there we did our first walk to the south part of the island to take some pictures of the lake and island. I prefer to stick to photography either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the angle of the sun produces better photographic light.
Gabriel on 'Isla del Sol', in the background is the beautiful mountain range of Bolivia, the 'Cordillera Real' with it's 6000m high summits.
...and a typical rest day does involve relaxing outside the cheap hotel and sipping a beer while watching the sun set behind the lake.
17.05.'06: We left early, as the sun rose to walk around the complete island. The route along the top of the island provides superb and spectacular views in all directions!
On the north side of the island are the Chinkana (Inca) ruins.
Chinkana ruins on 'Isla del Sol', looking across the lake to the Peruvian side.
And for all the beach bums... 'Isla del Sol' provides relaxing, beautiful beaches where you can sip your beer and watch the fish swim by in the crystal clear water!
18.05.'06: After our great hike on 'Isla del Sol', it was time to leave the island and the town of Copacabana and head on towards La Paz.
And so we rode on a good road towards La Paz across the Bolivian altiplano with spectacular views of the lake and mountains.
Cycling across the 'altiplano' with the Bolivian mountains in the background...
...and we rode on, to a little village on the altiplano where we were going to pitch the tent on the hill behind the trees. Behind the village 'Huayna Potosi' (6088m) rises up from the altiplano. When I see mountains like this, I fall in love with them and want to climb them. Little did we know at the time but 5 days later we stood on the summit of 'Huayna Potosi' after a hard snow/ice climb. It was the calling of the mountain!
left, 18.05.'06: Myself at our campingspot on the altiplano with 'Huayna Potosi' in the background.
19.05.'06: Having breakfast at our campspot before cycling the last 50km to La Paz.
left: This is La Paz, the highest lying capital city in the world. It lies between 3600m and 4000m.a.s.l. In the background is Illimani (6438m). It is a fantastic, bustling city and ideal to get mountaineering gear for a climb! The night life is also great!!!
The climb up Huayna Potosi (6088m)
22.05.'06: After getting organised, we set off to climb 'Huayna Potosi'. The walk up to the high camp at 5130m was easy (we have become used to the high altitude) but one does get to feel that the oxygen content in the air is only about 50% of the air at sea level.
After a bad nights sleep due to the wind 'crashing' into the side of the tent and typical high altitude breathing problems, we got up shortly before 01:00am and started our ascent up the mountain. The going was relatively easy until we got to a 20m high ice/snow wall. Placing the ice ax and pulling ourselves up at 5400m involves more energy than a climb in the alps! We eventually made it to the summit (6088m), shortly before sunrise at 06:20 am, after the last long 200m very steep snow/ice face. This last long 200m high snow/ice face took out most of our last energy. Placing the ax and stepping up the steep ice in thin air at 6000m was fun but exhausting.
23.05.'06: Myself on the summit of 'Huayna Potosi' at 6088m. Note the corniced summit formed from the wind blowing over the top. In the background is Illimani (6438m). The sun would soon rise a few minutes later...
...and the sun rose up out of the clouds covering the Amazon rain forest far off to the east.
It was extremely cold up on the summit and so we made our way down, past the towering masses of ice, with great views across to Illimani.
right: Gabriel on his way down, slowly starting to feel better at a lower altitude. A few hours later, after packing our stuff at the high camp we made our way back to La Paz. Drinking a beer to celebrate was postponed a day because we went to bed dead tired and slept for nearly 11 hours. It was Gabriel's first 6000er. A beer will be held up for a 'cheers', 'skoal' and 'salud'!
After a couple of days rest and recovering from stomach problems we left La Paz and cycled towards the Chilean border with it's towering 6000m high volcanoes and natural hot pools to relax in the middle of the wilderness. Check out the next stage: Northern Chile/ Bolivia (stage 28)
15.05.'06: We arrived at the Bolivian border late in the day and cycled the 10km to Copacabana, just in time to watch the sun set over 'Lago Titicaca' from the hotel roof. 'Lago Titicaca' lies at 3800 m.a.s.l and is the highest navigable lake in the world. 
16.05.'06: We left Copacabana and took the boat out to the 'Isla del Sol' (the island of the sun). On the island we walked up the famous steps near the 'Inca spring' and found a cheap hotel in Yumani. From there we did our first walk to the south part of the island to take some pictures of the lake and island. I prefer to stick to photography either early in the morning or late in the afternoon when the angle of the sun produces better photographic light.
Gabriel on 'Isla del Sol', in the background is the beautiful mountain range of Bolivia, the 'Cordillera Real' with it's 6000m high summits.
...and a typical rest day does involve relaxing outside the cheap hotel and sipping a beer while watching the sun set behind the lake.
17.05.'06: We left early, as the sun rose to walk around the complete island. The route along the top of the island provides superb and spectacular views in all directions!
On the north side of the island are the Chinkana (Inca) ruins.
Chinkana ruins on 'Isla del Sol', looking across the lake to the Peruvian side.
And for all the beach bums... 'Isla del Sol' provides relaxing, beautiful beaches where you can sip your beer and watch the fish swim by in the crystal clear water!
18.05.'06: After our great hike on 'Isla del Sol', it was time to leave the island and the town of Copacabana and head on towards La Paz.
And so we rode on a good road towards La Paz across the Bolivian altiplano with spectacular views of the lake and mountains.
Cycling across the 'altiplano' with the Bolivian mountains in the background...
...and we rode on, to a little village on the altiplano where we were going to pitch the tent on the hill behind the trees. Behind the village 'Huayna Potosi' (6088m) rises up from the altiplano. When I see mountains like this, I fall in love with them and want to climb them. Little did we know at the time but 5 days later we stood on the summit of 'Huayna Potosi' after a hard snow/ice climb. It was the calling of the mountain!
left, 18.05.'06: Myself at our campingspot on the altiplano with 'Huayna Potosi' in the background.
19.05.'06: Having breakfast at our campspot before cycling the last 50km to La Paz.
left: This is La Paz, the highest lying capital city in the world. It lies between 3600m and 4000m.a.s.l. In the background is Illimani (6438m). It is a fantastic, bustling city and ideal to get mountaineering gear for a climb! The night life is also great!!!
22.05.'06: After getting organised, we set off to climb 'Huayna Potosi'. The walk up to the high camp at 5130m was easy (we have become used to the high altitude) but one does get to feel that the oxygen content in the air is only about 50% of the air at sea level.
After a bad nights sleep due to the wind 'crashing' into the side of the tent and typical high altitude breathing problems, we got up shortly before 01:00am and started our ascent up the mountain. The going was relatively easy until we got to a 20m high ice/snow wall. Placing the ice ax and pulling ourselves up at 5400m involves more energy than a climb in the alps! We eventually made it to the summit (6088m), shortly before sunrise at 06:20 am, after the last long 200m very steep snow/ice face. This last long 200m high snow/ice face took out most of our last energy. Placing the ax and stepping up the steep ice in thin air at 6000m was fun but exhausting. 
23.05.'06: Myself on the summit of 'Huayna Potosi' at 6088m. Note the corniced summit formed from the wind blowing over the top. In the background is Illimani (6438m). The sun would soon rise a few minutes later...
...and the sun rose up out of the clouds covering the Amazon rain forest far off to the east.
It was extremely cold up on the summit and so we made our way down, past the towering masses of ice, with great views across to Illimani. 
right: Gabriel on his way down, slowly starting to feel better at a lower altitude. A few hours later, after packing our stuff at the high camp we made our way back to La Paz. Drinking a beer to celebrate was postponed a day because we went to bed dead tired and slept for nearly 11 hours. It was Gabriel's first 6000er. A beer will be held up for a 'cheers', 'skoal' and 'salud'!