I can say I have walked across a closed Bolivian/Peruvian border amid a strike.

Sunset in Copacabana, Lake Titicaca

And that's all I'm going to say about it... for now. No need to worry the parentals. It all worked out okay, but it'll definitely be my South American Story I'll love to tell.

Upon arriving at the boat bus pick-up at 7am, the original 7:30am boat somehow became a more expensive, but faster, boat that was to leave at 11:30am. Befriended a group of 3 Aussies, one of whom we had met the night before at a bar/cafe, having been suckered there by flyers promoting live Latin-Afro music (a bongo, a guitar and an aging rasta hippy does Afro-Latin music make?). Anyway, Peter and his friends were in the same boat as us (literally and figuratively), having had to spend an extra day in Copa anxiously waiting for news of the border to open, and taking chances on the boat rather than waiting who knows how long for the bus route to open.

After being told our 7:30 boat was now a 11:30 boat, the five of us spent our remaining Bolivianos on breakfast at another cafe where I taught them my version of the card game Asshole and they spent 3 hours trying to dethrone me from my seat at President. Caught the bus to the border at 11:30, where our boat was to meet us after we got the appropriate stamps. Easier said than done. There were about 20 backpackers intended for our boat. We all ended up waiting two plus hours at the border, in limbo, having had our passports stamped to exit Bolivia, but not able to get to the Peruvian immigration office due to the protesters blocking the way. Limbo in South America is an interesting place to be. Nothing to do but sit on a rock and wait. While snacking on inflated corn and joking about what an adventure this was sure to be.

Waiting outside the Bolivian border control

Passing the protestors' discarded rocks on our way to the boat

We made it into Peru! Fingers crossed we get to the boat..

We finally got to our boat at 3:30 (first having to do a bit of hiking through farmland, then calmly dealing with an encounter with a small mob of angry protesting villagers who were not happy to see us on their side of the border- who came armed with sticks and stones - and who we had to pay off to let us pass through to the waiting boat. Okay maybe I said too much). The boat was surprisingly comfortable, the five of us able to sit together and play round after round of Hearts. By the time we landed in Puno, on the Peruvian side of Lake Titicaca, at 7:30, we were desperate for hot showers and strong cocktails.

Followed our hostal's recommendation for dinner and had some amazing pisco sours, quinoa soup and quinoa coated trout. Craving more than just a pisco sour, we found a bar that allowed us to continue our card playing frenzy, and I proceeded to teach the Aussies and Judith the classic American college drinking game known as Kings. About six games later, the morning's scary adventure was laughed off and visions of happiness in Peru abounded. The Aussies left for Arrequipa first thing this morning so Judith and I spent the morning lazing about in the hostel, wandering around town, seeking out its central mercado (of course), buying too much local exotic fruit, inflated corn, corn nuts and other local snacks for our 12 hour bus ride to Cusco tomorrow. The afternoon was spent being cultured; we ventured out to Los Uros, the floating islands, made entirely of reed. We had heard it was super commercial and touristy, but that didn't help us from feeling depressed about the whole thing. These people choose to live on these floating islands, about a 30 minute boat ride outside of town, with no industry to speak of except for a little fishing, and thus depend almost entirely on tourism. The whole tour reeked of exploiting both the Uro people and the tourists visiting them. Cool to see the islands, huts and boats, but definitely low on the list of my favorite tours.

So, Cusco is next.

Sure, we got INTO Peru, but that doesn't mean the rest is a piece of cake. The road from Puno to Cusco, which normally takes seven hours to traverse, is blockaded, again by protesters, so we must take an alternative route that takes 12 hours (hence the Aussies going to Arrequipa first. They'll probably meet us in Cusco mid-week). We're taking a tourist bus, recommended by guidebooks to be safest, and it makes a few stops in different towns and includes a sit-down lunch at a restaurant. If all goes well, we'll be in Cusco tomorrow night, ready to take on Machu Picchu Monday or Tuesday.

Fingers crossed.

And Happy Father's Day, Dad and Schwartz! I think you're the only two dads reading this.