Tiahuanaco Ruins

Just a 20 minute drive from Lake Titikaka, and 12,500 feet (over 2 miles) above sea level, sits the pre-Inca Tiahuanaco ruins. This site is considered to be just as historical as Macchu Picchu and many archeologists believe it was the capital of pre-Inca civilization. Construction of this site, which is still being excavated, officially started in 500 AD, yet one of the most premiere experts of this site believes construction beagn over 17,000 years ago - making it the oldest civilization known to mankind.

While the ruins were not as striking as other ruins I've seen, such as Teotihuacan pyramids in Mexico, the history behind Tiahuanaco was fascinating. Our guide was very knowledgeable and obviously did his homework.

One of the more funny moments of this excursion came when a group of high school children kept staring at me and girl from Germany who was in our group. He finally had the nerve to come over to us and, in very basic English, ask if we could have a photo. Well the German girl and I thought he wanted us to take a photo of him and his friends, but he actually wanted separate photos of me with a group of his friends, then the German girl. Afterward, the guide told us that many Bolivians do not have an opportunity to interact with foreigners, so when they do, they want to preserve the memory with a photo.