Floating away on man-made islands!
Trip Start
Mar 25, 2007
1
58
72
Trip End
Feb 16, 2008
Puno,
Peru
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
We managed to arrive, find a hotel, have lunch for less than a dollar and book a tour leaving the next day for the islands of Lake Titicaca in about an hour! good going even for us...
They picked us up the next day from our hotel and we jumped on the boat with the hoardes of other tourists, and heading to Los Uros, the floating reed islands, where the locals used to live just from the trade of the reeds, but now rely on selling lots of gimics to the tourists. But it was interesting to see how they live,and we took a trip in a reed boat similar to that used by the contiki expedition that tried to prove the polynesians came from SA!
So after resisting the temptation to buy anything, we headed to Amantani Island, where we were billetted out with local families. Interesting given our lack of spanish,. but Hamish and I were luckily put with a french woman who lived in Peru, and so she could translate for us. Not so lucky Bryce and Muss who were put with an american guy who spoke less spanish than them!! After a local lunch, (funnily enough including soup, rice and potatoes), we headed to the highest part of the island to see the sunset.....or the thunderstorms that were on the horizon. We did however have a fantastic view to the Cordilleria Real mountains in Bolivia.
We got horribly lost on the way back to our house and had to be rescued by a local, slightly embarassing, then after dinner they threw us a party, with local panpipes, drums and lots of swirling around dancing! good fun but hard work at 4000masl.
The next day we headed to Taquille island, where the locals still live mostly traditionally, aprt from the interruptions by tourism. 80% of the island consider themselves catholic, but they must have at least 2 children and live with the girls father for 5 years, before they are allowed to marry...crazy sort of mix of traditions and religions there!
After that we headed back to Puno, and said our goodbyes to Peru...after nearly a month itŽd been a while since weŽd arrived!
