Day 4 (continued): Bus Ride to Puno

Upon leaving Arequipa, we started our ascent up the mountain and into poorer country. We only stopped two times during the 7-hour drive, both for bathroom breaks.

Our first bathroom stop was quite a site:

Even though none of us really wanted to use this bathroom, Father and our guide, Jorge, told us there would be no guarantee we would get anything better. Good thing we took their advice because the second stop was much worse...

This is the town of Juliaca, “The ugliest town in the area,” to quote Jorge’s words.We didn’t get a picture of the actual toilet, but it was a squat toilet with no light (hence the flashlight), outside and in the dirt, with no door. (Although the last bathroom didn't have a door either, I suppose we should not have been too surprised about that!)

The hardest part of traveling through this town was the reality that people live like this. Unfortunately, our pictures weren't coming out too well because of the dark, but the conditions were evidently very poor. It was pouring down rain as we drove through Juliaca, and since the town’s drainage system is so bad, the mud streets were flooded and the roads were so bumpy, the little bicycle buggies were almost tipping over. In fact, we witnessed one...

Many of us were fearing we might be in the same pickle! And even the bigger cars around looked like they were going to tip. Even in the rain, the streets were crowded on every corner with residents continuing to sell things. And like everywhere in Peru, the streets were crazy noisy with the constant honking of horns and wild driving. It was quite an experience.

After a loud, bumpy ride through Juliaca, we would be reaching Puno in less than 45 minutes. This stretch of roadway was the best finale to the day, because the stormy weather got crazier. I have never seen such awesome lightning before in my life. And this wouldn't be the last of lightning and thunder during our stay in Puno. The whole sky lighted up the horizon complete with lightning bolts and thunder. It was quite a show!

We arrived at night so we couldn’t see a lot of Puno, but under the darkness was a panoramic view:

I found these pictures online, but the roads were such that we had similar views of the town.

In the back of the above picture is Lake Titicaca, which is located on the border as the natural separation between Peru and Bolivia. It is also the world's highest navigable lake at the elevation of 12,500 feet.

According to Inca Mythology, the god Viracocha emerged from the lake after a great flood to create the world. First, he created the sun, moon and stars, then created the first people, Manco Capac, the first Inca king, and Mama Ocllo: the “Adam and Eve” of the Incas. Viracocha formed them from stone, brought them to life, and commanded them to populate the world. Lake Titcaca is therefore considered the birthplace of the Inca civilization.

An ancient temple submerged in Lake Titicaca was discovered in 2000 during an international archaeological expedition. The structure, almost twice the size of a soccer field, was found when a road beginning near Copacabana, Bolivia was followed down into the depths of the lake. Further study of the ruins will be done by the Bolivian government and the plan is to eventually bring the temple to the surface. It is estimated that the temple is between 1,000 and 1,500 years old.

Lake Titicaca is also renowned for its beautiful deep blue color and is one of the largest, highest and deepest lakes in the world. (source)

We were dropped off at the orphanage and greeted by the orphan girls and one of the sisters who showed us all to our rooms.

We would be in Puno for one week doing mission work.