Blogs from Taquile Island, Lake Titicaca , Puno, Peru, South America - page 6

We have heard that Puno does not have a lot going for it other than as a stop off and entry point for Lake Titicaca. We arrive in the late afternoon after an eight-hour bus journey that took us across the border from Bolivia to Peru. After a brief rest in our rooms, we meet up again to visit the huge and quite impressive condor statue that looks out over the city from the top of the hill. The next day we set off very early with our local guide, Henry, for a two-day trip on the lake and it’s islands. It’s father´s day today, and there are no phones on the islands we are to visit, but fortunately we locate both a phone and a phone card on the quay and make the calls to ... read more

As my bus from Cuzco rolled into the town of Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in all the world, I met Alina, a fellow traveler from Canada fluent in Spanish. As we compared notes on lodging, we agreed to share a taxi, and then a hostel room, and she later ended up rearranging her calender to spend an extra day with me on an overnight homestay to Taquile Island, the nearby weaving and knitting community. I was really glad, because until then, I was the only one scheduled to go on this non-touristy trip where I would stay overnight with a family that lives in a more remote side of the island, not as well traveled by outsiders. Although nearby Amantani Island had 25 people signed up for a homestay, ... read more

Picked up from the hotel at 7am, we were cycled to the harbour by the local bike taxis ( great fun! ). There we stopped at the market, to buy presents for the families we would be staying with that night. Presents consisted of basics, Rice, Pasta, Candles, even Suncream and Toothpaste. We then set off by boat, across Lake Titicaca, 3,800 meters above sea level. Its so high, the clouds and the sky constantly feel just above your head, as if you really are at the top of the world. Our destination is the Island of Taquile, a 3 hour journey on our boat. Half way on the journey, our captain decided to leave deck to do some boat housekeeping, leaving the steering completely unattended for its 16 passengers! So, in to the captains chair ... read more

I´ll first start with the most exciting part of the day, the boat trip back from Taquile Island. The full day consisted of a boat trip to the Reed Islands then onto the island of Taquile for lunch. The journey to Taquile was very pleasant, sitting on the top deck enjoying the sun. The return trip started in the same way but this didn´t last. About an hour into the 3 hour journey I was woken by the boat gently rocking, thought nothing of it and went back to sleep. Over the next half an hour it got alot worse, pritty soon everyone was back down from the top deck sitting in silence and looking very worried at each other. It then got worse still, everyone started putting on life vests with a few people being ... read more

well its been one adventure after another recently. Early to rise and we were on our way to the floating islands on Lake titicaca, most impresssive! The Islands actually float!! There are reeds packed together to form a base, and the roots of the reeds float hence keeping the island from sinking, the only thing keeping it in one place are stakes going directly through the island. The views from the island were lovely but unfortuantly the islands are so over comercialised it kind of spoils it, although we did get to buy some lovely lovely tourist goods!! After a while on one floating island the natural progression was to go to the next floating island...the one with a phone box on it! Where we photographed a lady making bread who then demanded some money! then ... read more