Freejan

We left Arequipa and got to Puno early evening to a very big change in coldness! It had not been hot in Arequipa but Puno was a freeze your socks off place! We had seen the condors and were now going to see the floating islands of the Uros in Lake Titicaca. The first day we set off to be at the docks by 9am – way too late for the trips to the islands by all accounts, but found an islander from Amantini to take us to his island along with the egg supply for the island and other goods! We sat on top to see the lake and gradually started to freeze! The lake was not what I had expected at first – cant really say what I did expect except perhaps something more romantic – can you understand that? Anyway, it took 4 hours in the freezing cold with blankets over our knees to get to the island – it is now I began to understand the size of this famous lake. We were welcomed on the island, went a little walk round, looked at and bought some of the local crafts to support the islands economy (salve my conscience at my invasion!) and were then given lunch of soup, (amazing) and then chips, egg and rice by the man´s family. We then set off to the peninsula where he told us we had a 15 minute walk to get the bus back to Puno (2 hours). We are all sufering a bit with altitude and to walk was quite hard as it was very up and down – ended up bing half an hour. We then got a collectivo (people carrier thing) which took us back to Puno. It was all enough to put Rhonda off and she stayed back in Puno while Jean and I went on an arranged trip to the Uros islands and Taquile island the next day. We were up at 5.30am and picked up from the hotel at 6.40am. This time it was much more civilised. WE sat in a much better boat – no eggs! – and were warm inside. We stopped first at Chumpi island – an island made of reeds and floating in the lake. We were shown how they made the isalnds, how they bulit their houses, what they ate (reeds near root, fish and birds and a lovely bread they gave us a sample of), and some of their art work which of course they sold to tourists. All very interesting. We then went across to another island in a huge reed boat – it was amazing to just float in such a serene way across the lake. On that island was a trout farm – much smaller scale than we have but we saw a girl feeding them with smaller fish and them all jumping up to catch the food. You could stay on the island in a teepee shaped house for 10 Soles a night ( about 1.50 pounds). We then got back on the boat and sailed for another 2 hours to the Isle Taquile. We were led across the island from the dock which was a steep slope up to the middle of the island where the town square was. It was magical. I loved it all. The way the terraces were farmed, the flowers and trees, all with a back drop of this sparkling blue lake. The lake was much more like a sea – yu couldn´t see the next bit of land in many directions. We bought a few more of their crafts and went for lunch of kingfish, chips and rice and the soup (the wonderful soup) breforehand. A young man sang and played the pan pipes and a local version of a mandolin. We were then shown the local clothes and how they were worn and why – men knit their own hats here and if white and red they are not married and if red or dark colour, they are. Very interesting to see the men knitting their hats! We then set off back for the docks at Puno arriving back at 5.15pm. I had had the day of my life. We were up next day to travel to Cusco. This was a very long drawn out affair – taking 7 and 1/2 hours instead of 6! But now back here and having a free day on my own to relax. WE are staying in a lovely hostal with a huge double wooden door that locks with a padlock afer we have put across the large bolt! We are disappointed about our timing at arriving here as they are celebrating the Inta Rayni – Sun Festival – tomorrow at Sacyhuman – should be an amazing sight but we´ll miss it. The festival is going on in the streets now so we hope to catch bits today. We´ve seen so much – so lucky and SO  tired!!

 ´Til next time! xx

Tags: Lake Titicaca, Travel

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