1-29-07 The Yavari
Photo Credits: TrekHound.Com
This day was more about general travel biz - laundry, internet cafes and call centers, grocery/pharmacy shopping, etc. But we did have time for one tourist attraction. The British built ship Yavari.
With a history of approximately 145 years, this ship was built by commission in England and shipped in pieces to the Peruvian coast. It was one of several the Peruvian government ordered for Lake Titicaca. Since there were no established road systems at that time, each piece could be no larger than what could be carried by an individual donkey.
The process of transporting and assembling the ship took over six years! It eventually ended up in a junk heap where a British woman bought it for scrap metal value. She partially restored it turned the refurbished section into a museum, and travels to Peru for a few months every year to live aboard, continue restoration and work on further fund raising. The museum tours have a suggested minimum donation which helps raise restoration monies along with a small gift shop.
They also have the original mailbox on board with an official postal cancellation stamp so you can mail postcards from the boat.
The owner is in hopes to finish the updates and turn the ship into a combination museum / Victorian lake cabin cruiser where you can stay overnight and enjoy a cruise on Lake Titicaca. They have a web site, http://www.yavari.org .
Photo Credits: TrekHound.Com
Posted on February 6th, 2007 by Myscha Theriault
Filed under: Trips and Destinations
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