Now that´s a floater!

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December 19th 2006

Published: December 19th 2006

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Stacey and Keith

Uros Islands

One of about 40 floating islands

Puno, on the western shore of Lake Titicaca was a busy, dirty city with little to offer and no obvious beauty to show. However, as the place to get to the Islands of Titicaca, it wasn´t too shabby.

We started the day early, and got aboard the boat and headed on out to sea so to speak...there was a Naval museum there, though we never did find out what they were doing there...

We landed on the Uros Islands first. These are made entirely of reeds, and they float. The island we got on was in 18m of water but was only 2m thick, although this did allow the islanders to lift up anchor and move their island if there was a little neighbourly spat going on. We tested the buoyancy of the island, and were allowed to take some gentle exercise if we wanted to, (as if theres any other sort!) We ate a hearty healthy breakfast of, erm, reeds while being shown how they made the islands. The houses are even made of reeds and it takes only 4 people to lift them up and move the house...again, for peace and quiet or a change of

islanders selling their handicrafts

scenery...

Next stop was Taquile. This island was much bigger, solid and about 6km by 1km. The islands tourism operates on a collective basis with the villagers deciding which restaurant each tour group had to eat in, as well as selling their knitted handicraft in a cooperative market. We spent a couple of hours at Taquile, enjoying the scenery which is apparently the best on the Lake.

The following day after our return from the islands, we explored Puno further...which means getting lost and finding the local markets!!! Nothing overpriced, no shouting "hey lady", no one whistling at us and meeting people who were as friendly as anywhere in Peru we´ve been. This was a breath of fresh air and we even did our Christmas shopping here...unfortunately the panetone hasn´t made it to Christmas, but we do have a tree with decorations, only about 15cm high, but festive nonetheless...and stockings for our little pressies, as well as some dodgy christmas tunes...

Lake Titicaca, while beautiful was cold and wet so we are making our way to the Northern coast of Chile for Christmas, thinking it was about time for beaches!!

We know it´s early, but we´re