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Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world, at an altitude of 3,820 metres. The lake has a lot of spiritual significance to the local people. The Inca legend indicates that the first Inca Emperor, Manco Capat rose from its' waters to commence the Inca Empire. Titicaca signifies the rock of the puma, and there is a huge statue of the puma and snake on top of one of the nearby hills.
We left at 7am and took our limos (tuk-tuks) to Puno harbourfront, which resulted in a bit of a race. We quickly bought some provisions from the street stalls as gifts for our new families. We boarded the boat and took a one hour journey to the floating reed islands 'Bahia de Puno'.
The islands are built using layers of buoyant totora reeds that grow on the shallows of the lake. We met the local people 'Uros', saw their crafts, watched them construct a reed boat, and learnt about their customs. They live in quaint wigwam style accommodation, very basic but in beautiful fairy-tale surroundings. Today several hundred people still live on the island. The people even have their own school, & avoid paying land
taxes! We sampled some of the reeds, a similar taste to water chestnut, and met a heron with attitude.
We took a traditional fishing boat across to another island, as we were passing other reed islands each had their own watch towers, and their different communities built in a circular pattern.
Next we took a three hour journey across to Amantani island where the Ayamara Indians live. The scenery was great although there was a strong diesel smell on our journey. At the island we met our 'new sister' Melissa, and we were taken up a very steep hill where we would reside for the night - both of us gasping for air! Our new 'mother' Valeria greeted us and then cooked us delicious quinoa soup, fried cheese and a variety of different potatoes, finished with a fresh mint herbal tea.
We helped prepare the potatoes for lunch with a sharp knife, (potatoes grow locally on the island although the climate is not suitable for fruit growing). Their life is very basic, they wash in the open-air, have an outside toilet (no sink), and cook on a small wood fired stove in a cold dark kitchen with
very few amenities. No heating although we were fortunate enough to have lighting, unlike some of the other villagers.
Valeria was very hospitable and during lunch we heard squeaking noises. Ellie asked if she could look in the adjoining room and spotted guinea pigs scrambling freely on the floor, very cute although not hygienic. The guinea pigs are a local delicacy, kept for special occasions, luckily not on the menu tonight!
After lunch we walked up the hill to the temple (several of the hills are topped by ruins of the Tiahuanaco culture), and saw a magnificent sunset across the idyllic island. Here we enjoyed donuts, watched the local boys play musical instruments and were frequently accosted by the locals selling their wares.
We headed back to our families for dinner, and met another tour guide who was staying in the room next door to us. This helped us tremendously as our Quechua and Spanish needs a little improving! We discovered Valeria is 37, with a husband who works away from home, and a son who is away studying. Melissa her daughter is 15 and extremely helpful. Dinner involved potato soup, followed by vegetable stew, rice and
Reed Island of Taquile
reed life - well constructed huts and traditional livingmint tea. We then presented our gifts which were gratefully received, and adorned our woollen hats made by Melissa.
Afterwards Valeria helped dress us in traditional costumes for the Inca disco. Ellie's dress was wound around her like a corset and made her look larger than normal! We headed down to the disco with our families and danced to the local band. This consisted of panpipes, guitar, recorder and a drum, which played for a couple of hours while we danced with both Valeria and Melissa. Very tiring at high altitude! After a few group dances, people enjoyed the creamy taste of the Inca Kola, we returned to our houses for the night. Our room was basic, fairly comfortable, clean but cold with no lock on the inside!
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