We thought we had caught the end of the festival, but it just seems to go on and on. There is a long queue on the main Street every day, where people wait to have their cars blessed outside the cathedral . It brings the town to a standstill.
Rows of stalls sell the decorations for the cars.
The cathedral is whitewashed with colourful tiles on the roof - quite attractive.
Many people open the bonnet and place figurines/ models/ representations of things they would like to have in the next year and the priest blesses these too ! It is quite bizarre.... Some folk place models of oil tankers, wads of cash, pots of gold, hotels etc.... seems a bit greedier than most people who ask for cars and houses, etc..
Just 2 lorries , a car, a cow and a bag full of cash for this one.....
Cars diggers and cash for sale on a stall
More modest stalls selling confetti and holy water
I think I'll ask for a condo.....
We walked to the top of the local hill which was heaving with people trying to get to the top to be blessed or have their desires blessed some more. More models, lots of candles and some weird sort of pseudo priests who undertook strange rituals covering the models with incense smoke and beer whist chanting and letting off fire crackers. It was very tiring just walking up here for an hour - because we are beside the lake it is easy to forget we are still at 3800m.
Pilgrims of all ages trekked to the top
Where it was difficult to stand still with the crowds and the piles of litter everywhere.
Lake Titicaca is huge - in some directions you cannot see the other side, even on a clear day.
A local jetty.
Lyra and Lucas have been enjoying a bit of spare time to play in the grounds of our hostel. Lots of space, plants and hammocks- a nice change from La Paz. It is also lovely and warm during the day. I found a local tailor who fixed the zip on Lucas's fleece for the princely sum of 1 1/2 Bolivianos- about 15p. Tomorrow the island of the sun.....
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