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Puno Travel Blogs

Background: Ancient Peru was the seat of several prominent Andean civilizations, most notably that of the Incas whose empire was captured by the Spanish conquistadors in 1533. Peruvian independence was declared in 1821, and remaining Spanish forces defeated in 1824. After a dozen years of military rule, Peru returned to democratic leadership in 1980, but experienced economic problems and the growth of a violent insurgency. President Alberto FUJIMORI's election in 1990 ushered in a decade that saw a dramatic turnaround in the economy and significant progress in curtailing guerrilla activity. Nevertheless, the president's increasing reliance on authoritarian measures and an economic slump in the late 1990s generated mounting dissatisfaction with his regime. FUJIMORI won reelection to a third term in the spring of 2000, but international pressure and corruption scandals led to his ouster by Congress in November of that year. A caretaker government oversaw new elections in the spring of 2001, which ushered in Alejandro TOLEDO as the new head of government; his presidency has been hampered by allegations of corruption.

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By lachlanhannan
December 4th 2008

Puno

South America » Peru » Puno » Puno

On arrival to puno Lachlan, and to much less an extent myself became affected by altitude sickness finding it much more tiring to walk around the city. We had quite some adventure through the local makets looking for a llama hide with one poor man bicycle taxiing us around town to some very natural looking hides with flesh still somewhat attached unfortunately not what we were after. Also on the way back finding some good llama skins in the form of a gorilla costume for some reason. Waking up early the next day we were once again off to copacabana, and [View Full Entry]

By samandanna
November 28th 2008

Catching up on Peru...

South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca » Taquile Island

Hi everyone! Its been a little while since we´ve written anything, so this entry is going to cover most of our 4 weeks in Peru. We´ll try to keep it relatively brief, hitting the highlights from each spot, but there is a lot to talk about. We also attached a lot of pictures to this entry that range from the farm up until we arrived in Cuzco. After leaving Mancora, the Northern Beach hotspot in Peru, we headed towards Lima, stopping for a few days a piece in the major Northern towns of Chiclayo, Cajamarca and Trujillo. Chiclayo is a city [View Full Entry]

By Louise and Daves tour du monde
November 25th 2008

Floating islands are sinking

South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca » Uros Island

Floating Islands

So we had found a bus company that were prepared to take us through the striking farmers passage of violence, though the downside was that it was a proper tour bus and we had to become one of the things I never wanted to become; a tourist following some leader like a lemming, telling us facts that were complete bollocks, but it was a small price to pay to be finally escaping Cusco. It had become a dangerous place for me, especially on the physco women front. Anyway, we visited Inca sites that were complete rubbish and apparently only 1% original [View Full Entry]

By ET Write Home
November 22nd 2008

On the edge of Lake Titicaca

South America » Peru » Puno » Puno

Ready for our boat ride!
We were excited to head out to the islands

OK, I keep starting entries and then not being able to complete them, either cause there´s not enough time, or because I was feeling sick and couldn´t write complete sentences. I am better now, though, and Anne and I are here in Puno, Peru, which sits on beautiful Lake Titicaca. We arrived here yesterday by bus and were planning to head into Bolivia today, but for many reasons, we´re still here. It all comes down to odd bus times and the fact that it´s going to take these little US Citizens a little longer (and a lot more money) to enter [View Full Entry]

By Golden Years
November 22nd 2008

Titicaca, the worlds highest navigable lake

South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca

Raqchi, Inca temple
What's left of the Inca's main temple

It was a beautiful sunny day when we left Cusco for Puno. Our bus stopped at several points of interest including the remains of the largest known Inca temple at Raqchi, and the museum at La Raya where we saw stone statues of The Decapitator with the head of the priviledged sacrificee in his left hand. With stops for lunch, an old colonial (Spanish) church, photograph opportunities and just enough time to purchase two alpaca skin rugs, it took ten hours to reach Puno. As we gradually left the lush and fertile sacred valley and climbed into the Andean highlands (4300m), [View Full Entry]

By mark and chrissie
November 18th 2008

Staying With the Locals on Lake Titicaca

South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca

TiticacaÂ´s islands

Day 598 (16.11.08) After a monstrous bus journey with little to report, we disembarked in Puno a little sleepy and unprepared. Meeting up with another couple Amelie and Hugo who were travelling with their 10 month old cherub Emil we shared a taxi into town and found ourselves some lodgings. Famished from our respective journeys, we hit town to scope out something to eat. The five of us found a great local place with a 2 soles llunch menu (about 40p), and left the little restaurant feeling much more awake and alive. We had the afternoon to figure out our plans [View Full Entry]

By kristina1706
November 16th 2008

Uros Islands

South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca » Uros Island

Our dinner yesterday - Cuy
this is a traditional dish in Peru. However it is being made differently in every reagion...

Yesterday we caught an early bus to Puno. A small town at the lake Titicaca (on the Peruvian site). After checking into our hotel we have decided to go for a bit of a walk around the town and some dinner... Since we arrived in Cusco we were saying that we shoulfd try an Andean traditional dish, - cuy (Gunea pig). So, last night it wasa time to brave ourselves and order it... Asta and I agree on one thing,- we still don't know if we've liked it or not. She isn't up to trying it again, but I might because [View Full Entry]

By dinosontour
November 15th 2008

Floating Islands on lake Titicaca

South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca » Uros Island

Our Guide........Neal
only slightly mad.........likes Metallica

We arrived at the floating islands of Uros, and what a beautiful site it was. The photo’s do not do it justice. We were greeted by the family from the island we had chosen to visit, then we sat down as you would have sat in school to be lectured about the islands, how the people came to be here, how the islands were constructed and how the communities worked, that sort of stuff, very interesting. We were shown foods that were eaten on the islands, (fish and reeds), some of the reeds we tried, not bad. We were then led [View Full Entry]

By Gringa
November 14th 2008

Puno and Lake Titicaca

South America » Peru » Puno » Lake Titicaca

Me and my little friend on bus to Puno
We were so snuggly together!

I was now heading to my next Peruvian destination, Puno and Lake Titicaca. My bus left about 9pm and I was fortunate enough to sit next to a lovely young Peruvian girl (aged 12) on my journey. She was on holiday with her schoolfriends and also on her way to visit Puno and Lake Titicaca. On the way, we chatted in Spanish and shared photos and experiences. She was a bit cold overnight so I shared my sleeping bag with her, and then we snuggled up together and slept for the rest of the journey. When I arrived in Puno, I [View Full Entry]

By Karls
November 14th 2008

The Princess finds some Romance on the way back to Cusco

South America » Peru » Puno

A town we drove through

Travelling in Style After our excruciating experience on the night bus, Mel and I decided to travel back to Cusco in style. We booked tickets with Inka Express, a company suggested to us by a slightly pretentious American couple that befriended us on our earlier tour. I was soon to find however that a luxury coach service didn't mean luxury hours and we were up again at the crack of dawn to catch our 7am bus. I slept through the first hour or two of travel and then slept on my feet through most of the first tour at a [View Full Entry]

Mel and I at the markets in the mountains

Travel Blog » South America » Peru » Puno