The Real Fitzcaraldo
From Birmingham to Lake Titicaca - one ship's extraordinary journey
The inspiration behind Werner Herzog's famous feature film is the true story of a 19th century steamship being dismantled into 2,766 pieces and hauled by mule 12,000 feet to lake Titicaca...
Built in 1861 for the Peruvian government, the ship was shipped in pieces to Peru, then over land by train, and finally up the mountains by mule. The lake formed a national boundary so was an obvious border for defence, but fortunately the ship's military capabilities were never utilised. Now, it has been restored and is manned by Captain Carlos Cevedra.
Produced by ABC Australia
FULL SYNOPSIS