The Reed Islands on Lake Titi-Kaka

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"Puno is a city in south eastern Peru, located on the shore of Lake Titicaca, the world's highest navigable lake, at 3,860 m (12,421 ft) above sea level. It is also the capital and largest city of the Puno Region and the Puno Province.

Puno's importance to the vast Inca empire was reflected in a legendary connection. Inca tradition has it that Manco Capac, the first Inca, rose from the waters of Lake Titicaca, under the orders of the Sun God, to start the Inca Empire, which would be centered in the neighboring region and city of Cuzco", as stated in destinations 360.com

Today some think it is a drab place.
I liked it.
There is a set of steps going up the side of a red stoned mountain that leads to a huge sculpture of a condor. Saw this from my sixth story hostel room. The hostel was tall and thin.
Spent all of day one in bed. The man at the hostel fed me coca leaf tea all day long. It helped. Had to pass on staying overnight on the Reed Islands because of the uncontrollable coughing attacks. On day two I went by motor boat to the islands.

October 31,2007 was spent visiting the Reed Islands on Lake Titikaka. What follows is the story in pictures.

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Photos

Puno street scene.
A rail line goes thru the town. A train can be taken from Puno to Cusco. The town is busy with many street vendors and around the water's edge tourists looking to visit the famous reed Islands, but not in reed boats.

Vendors in the streets of Puno.
Potions, small dried out llama fetus, herbs of all smells and textures, clothes, fresh fruit, vegetables, cooked meals, shoes and hardware of all kinds ccan be bought in the streets of Puno.

Bread for sale.
It seems that a delivery is occuring. The market in the streets of Puno sold everything from toilet paper, to pineapple juice to fresh produce and the ever present white bread rolls of different shapes.

Three little girls from school.
Heads together, smartly turned out, smiles on their sparkling faces the three frieds headed towards home after a day at school.

Silent vigil at a corner.
Sitting quietly without seeming to take in the bustle onthe street this woman patiently waited for someone to buy her wares.

Lake Diagram
Isolated on a piece of board the size and shape of the lake becomes clear. Titi belongs to Peru ... Kaka is in Bolivia. This is an old joke.

Tattered boat
This boat travelled away from the city towards the islands, passing growing reeds along the way. The engine seemed to be from an old car. One of the helpers had to suck up bildge water thru a small rubber tube so that the pump would continuously empty the cavity of the boat under the less than together floorboards. I kept my lifejacket on the whole way!

Helms-boy
The young sailor manouvered the tattered boat thru the open waters. His father took over when the channels to the reed islands became more narrow and when trafic was encountered. He will likely inherit the position.

Luxury hotel in a bed of reeds.
Hidden behind the reeds but actually on a small hill a luxury hotel overlooks the smalll bay and city of Puno.

Reed island approached.
Reading about the concept andthen actually standing on the swaying structure added excitement tot he concept of families living all their lives on water.

Miniatures explain methods.
To explain how the islands can exhist and float samples of the construction awaited us as the guide explained.

Tools to make a platform for home.
The roots of the reeds seerve as the foundation for the floating islands. The four corners of each cut pplatform are anchored to the bottom of the lake with the help of heavy stones, one on each corner. Floating squares are arranged adjaccent to each other and the whole floating arrangement is covered with a thick carpet of overlapping reeds.

Clay stove for cooking meals.
This model shows how building a fire and cooking the heavily carbo-laden diet is possible on an island made of 'straw'.

Eating the reed root.
Everyone was given a reed to chew on. The bottom and heart of the reed shaft is white, soft, and easily bitten off. It is similar to the bottom of the cat-tail plant in your typical Canadian swamp. That too is edible.

Family business.
The nine families living on this island suppliment their income by making nad selling crafts depicting traditional items used in the past and some in the present. Clay, wood, textiles, reeds and the ever present glass beads are the media used.

Lines become works of art.
Affixing lines on the materia lwith permanent marker the design was made ready for stitching. I watched for so long that I eventually bought one of her creations.

Embroidery using only one stitch!
The chain stitch at times is used to make lines in the composition or covers a whole area.

Long luxurious hair.
All women have the same hairstyle ... two thick braids decorated with pomppoms in various sizes and colours. Over tis basic style a hat is worn on a jaunty angle. I have not seen one hat fall off!

Reed Huts! of course.
These conical huts house the overnight guests that come to experience that floating feeling. While walking along from one place to another the steps feel spongy ... and the whole space beneath one's feet MOVES.

Reeds used to make beds.
When spending a few days on the island these beds welcome the weary tourist.