Islas Flotantes

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Hello! With illness finally behind us, we were finally ready to see Uros Island or the floating islands. The Uros people made there homes on the reeds growing in Lake Titicaca even before the Incas, centuries ago to stay away from some other more aggressive tribes that were in the area. The islands are built using layers of the bouyant totora reeds that grow in the shallows of lake Titicaca. Several hundred still live this lifestyle. Each reed island houses 3 to 4 families. They have a school and hospital on these reeds as well. When you walk on the islands, they are very soft and springy. A very unique experience. They have to replace the top layer of reeds every 15 days or so depending on the weather. They make their homes, boats, and crafts out of these reeds. Their main source of income comes from fish which they sell to the mainland to purchase other items such as alpaca wool for clothing and crafts which they sell to the visitors. On our way back from the floating islands, I was talking to the guide about how we were heading to Cusco in the morning. She told me that I would be unable to go because the government had placed a ¨law¨ on the farmers that stated that they would have to start paying for their water consumption. The farmers went on strike, throwing rocks/stones onto the roads making it impossible for buses to pass. I could not believe it. Noone was quite sure when the strike would end so I decided to go back to Nasca via Arequipa to get to Cusco. Once in Nasca, I found out that the minister had smoothed things over with the farmers and the strike was over. I am so frustrated that we have been riding buses for around 24 hours to bypass the strike and I could have waited one more day in Puno to make the 6 hour bus ride to Cusco. Things certainly have not been going our way this week.

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Photos

Uros Islands
This is our first close-up look at how the Uros people live.

Reed boat with Puma head
The Uros build these boats in 30 days and use plastic bottles in the middle to enhance buoyancy.

Reeds piled high.
This photo shows how high the reeds are piled on top of the water.

Reed homes.
Each building houses one family. They share one main kitchen whick is located in the same type of structure.

Fish
These are the fish that they sell to the mainland.

Baby Herron
This herron came right up and took one of the fish sitting in the bowl.

Yummy -- tatora reed.
The white part of each reed is edible and they can dry this part to make all sorts of things including flour.

Uros woman
This woman was making a mobile out of the reeds. Very detailed process.

The process of replenishing the reeds.
The islands are built on top of the reed roots as shown and then they place reeds in layers on top.

Another Uros home.
Macayla getting ready to look inside.

Uros woman
The women wear their hair in braids.