Other side of the lake
Trip Start
Apr 09, 2008
1
26
115
Trip End
Apr 19, 2009
Puno,
Peru
Friday, June 20, 2008
At 7.45 I finally found an internet place that was open and got on the net to find a message from my friends telling me that they were going to be on a boat at 8 o'clock. I got off the net and asked where the docks were. Understanding it to be quite a walk I got into a taxi and headed down there to see if I could catch them. I got there about 8.05 and after a bit of a kafuffle (great word, pleased I could use it) with change and a lack thereof I got out onto the docks about 10 past to find no-one I knew. I later found out that my friends had also arrived at about 10 past and been ushered immediatley onto a boat so I must have just missed them by minutes or meters or something.
An island
Oh well. I was really disappointed because not only had I missed my friends, if their tour left at 8 that meant I had missed all the tours. I went back into town and left a message on the net for my friends saying I had missed them and didn't know if there would be another tour so I would probably leave and get on to the next place.Next on my list was some hot food and then another agency to see if there was a one day boat trip. I stumbled accross an agency by acident and decided to just see what was available before breakie. The man said yes you have missed all the two day trips but we do a trip to the Uros (floating) Islands it leaves at 9 (by this time it was about 8.45!)and returns about 4. He phoned ahead to the docks to hold the boat and I said alright but can I leave my bag here? He said yes, took my money and called a taxi. We got to the boat about 9.15 and there was an american family already in the boat waiting. I got in but I wasn't the last because two Japanese girls got in after me and we set off.
The Urus are floating islands made of reeds and anchred in place using the roots of the same reed. Every week or fortnight the people spread reeds on top to replace those rotting under the water and maintain the thickness and therefore stability of the island. The Aymara people arrived on the lake about 600 years ago fleeing from incas to start with they lived on reed boats but slowly this developed into the floating islands, Aymara is still the first language of the islands.
Baby condor
On the islands I had my photo taken in native dress, took a ride on a reed boat, got to actually touch a baby condor and bought some touristy tat (which aparantly literally means knotted lace!). The guide then came over as we were about to leave and said I understand you were interested in a two day trip well I can arrange for you to stay here on the Urus if you would like, you would be the only gringo. We found a place for me to stay and sorted roughly how much it would be, I would be staying with Juan and Elsie. I only had my little bag with me from the bus journey and no change of clothes but I didn't think it would matter for two days. I sat with the family on the island and waved goodbye to the people I had started the tour with. And then watched an elderly lady cook fish by first lighting a fire inside a stones stove and then spreading the stones on the reeds and putting the fish on top. They were only little fish suitable only for soup apparantly but I asked and the lady told me one hour cooking time! I thought it was a bit silly lighting a fire on an island made of reed but apparantly keeping the reed wet with a little lake water is enough to stop fires.
Next I was shown where I would sleep on another of the islands, and I was given lunch, troucha of course. After lunch we went out in the reed boat the man I was staying with rowed like a machine, I guess he must have done it every day of his life but still I could feel the boat accelarate violently with every stroke.
Condor
Conversation was minimal because my Spanish is still awful and also Spanish is only Juan's second language. When we got to one particular reed bed Juan punted us in amongst the reeds and showed me how to cut a bundle of reeds from the bed using a knife strapped to a long pole. I had a go but you have to be really strong and there is a technique of keeping the blade flat that I just could not manage. After this we went to set out fishing nets, this job I got the hang of and while Juan guided the boat I fed the net out of the boat, weights at the bottom floats at the top. Juan took us back to the Island and we had a conversation about family, religion, work, education, music, geography and language. I told Juan I was English and he asked me if England is near Argentna (presumably because of the Faulklands). I showed him a map of South America and I had to indicate to him where Lake Titicaca was. In music I tried to explain the music that I like and the only band we both new (excepting groupo sinco) was Los Beatles. He told me that he had only ever been on the island and in Puno. It was really quite incredible to imagine so simple an existance. But they do have everything they need. I would be quite happy there if it wasn't so boring! I revised a bit of Spanish before dinner to let Juan get back to work. Over dinner we chatted a bit more and Juans two children were there too, the whole family treated me with a respect that I found uncomfortable. Ofering me the best and most food and even sitting on the floor rather than sitting next to me at the table.
Cooking fish
After dinner I had a treat for the family of chocolate that I had taken on the bus but not opened. They had running water and electricity thanks to a solar panal. Night was cold but I had plenty of blankets so all was well. In the morning Juan took me to meet the next days tour and with them I continued on to the next Island. A pleasant little place but we were only there for an hour or so. I found some people to chat too and showed off about my nights adventure. Most interesting to me was that you could see the mountains around La Paz and Puno at the same time. The boat ride home was a little rough but not too bad, I sat outside and read my spanish book. I aranged to meet a couple of people for a drink that night and headed back into town. After collecting my bag and paying for the tour I was heading to the internet to find my friends and walked right past them as they were walking into a restaurant. What luck! Aja (like the continent) my new, but brief, best friend took me back to thier hotel, checked me in, we went to a travel agency and booked tickets home and then the two of us found somewhere to eat. We met up with the others later and went into a place with a lady outside giving away free drink vouchers. I took 3 and Aja got 5, by the end of the night I had had 5 free Cubre Libres and was quite happy. Got some more salsa in, dancing with strangers always a thrill. We went to one other place got one more free drink this time the highlight was a dj that basically downloaded any music he wanted and let us take over the track list until we left.
Next morning was an early start but I managed to pack my bag, have breakfast and take advantage of the book exchange in the hostel (current read is Pride and Prejudice, don't laugh) before the taxi cam to take us to the bus station as we headed for Arequipa.
