Would you like potatoes with that?

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Blogger Bec

We´ve survived one year of marriage! Yay for us!!
So, how did we celebrate making it through 365 days of each other? We went to stay on an isolated island in the middle of the world´s highest lake with a family who spoke no English, slept in a creaky old bed in freezing cold temperatures and it was SENSATIONAL!

We started our two day journey with a charted boat trip to the Uros islands in the middle of Lake Titikaka. These islands are constructed from reeds and are completely free standing (floating). About 3 families live on each one - a very basic and simple life centred around fishing, weaving and cooking. (Oh, and showing off thier island to the horde of tourists that arrive on their doorstep each morning around 9am...)

A more cynical traveler would write the experience off as a tourist trap but I choose to stay optimistic and say that our visit to see how a different Peruvian culture live was fascinating and humbling.

First, our boat pulled up to one of about 40 floating islands, complete with a fish statue look out structure where each of us were taken on a tour of a sleeping hut, cooking hut and various other parts of their daily life. All the furniture, including beds, were made completely of reeds and all the blankets and other material items were all hand woven. I did find it rather amusing when Francisco (my local man) pointed out his stereo for his ´free time´. (His hesitant English was straight out of a text book but I adored the effort as most of the locals on the islands only speak Quecha, the Andean highlands dialect) It was an interesting juxtaposition between old and new.

Then we sat and listened to a guide tell us about the Uros culture, as well as tasting some freshly cooked local food - reeds and a type of fried bread: yummo!

Of course, the sitting down and buying of their crafts came next. (Couldn´t escape that, and really, wouldn´t want to. Every sol we spent goes back to them so why not?) Being our anniversary (paper) we bought two woven cushion covers depicting various ´lucky´marriage symbols - pachma mama for fertility and some scary statue thing for strength or some such thing. Whatever, the weaving was beautiful and our purchases went to funding Jolanda and Fernado´s daughter´s education so we were happy!

After a quick ride of a crazy looking double decker boat made completely out of reeds, we jumped back onto our own boat and sped away for another 2 hours to Amantani Island, almost smack bang in the middle of the lake.

Upon disembarkation, we were handed over to an ancient looking local man whom we followed along an almost vertical path halfway up the face of the island to his home. He put our bags in a lovely little, low ceilinged room and then promptly disappeared! Doug and I looked at each other dumbly for a few seconds then shrugged and went to sit in the sun at the front of the house. We figured someone would come get us eventually!

For about an hour we sat in the afternoon sun, watching a lamb do a crazy new-lamb dance (a hilarious cross between jumping and falling over. We thought that maybe he was only a few days old and hadn´t quite figured out how to use his body yet.)

Doug went exploring the place with his camera while I took in the surroundings with a heavy heart - what the bloody hell had we gotten ourselves into? The rest of our group were scattered across the island in different homes, no one spoke English or even Spanish (only Quecha) and I was freaking hungry (hadn´t eaten since 6:30am and most people know how I get when my blood sugar gets low: RUN FOR THE HILLS PEOPLE!)
Luckily at about 3pm, we were summonded with a yell back to our rooms where steaming hot quinoa (keen-wah) and potato soup awaited us. I swear to God, it was the most delicious thing I have ever eaten. We were just sitting back, patting our full stomachs contentedly when Esteban (our host) arrives with our second course!! What, more food?? And so began our love/hate relationship with potatoes. Our main course was about 8 medium sized boiled potatoes with fried Andean cheese (crumbly like goats but much more salty and not at all creamy) and lettuce. Beige. Oh the wonder of beige food. But hey, it´s food and food and I are like this (imagine my fingers crossed).

At 4pm we were again summonded by a shout and taken up the hill (oh the calves, the calves!) to the main square where we watched a bunch of hyped up British boys play soccer against some local fellas. We got out of there pretty quick and started the hike up to the summit of the island to catch the sunset over the massive lake. Again my calves protested wildly but I gave them a stern talking to, reminding them that this was all good training for the upcoming Inca Trail.

It took about 25 minutes of almost vertical hiking to reach the top of the island but the view made the pain worthwhile - 360 degree view of the whole region. Breathtaking! In the middle of the summit was a temple of sorts where twice a year locals leave offerings and celebrate Quechan festivals. Sadly, at this time of the year, it was locked so we could only peek through the rocks.

As the freezing cold descended, so did we. Rugged up against the cold, Esteban led us back to our ´home´where his wife proceeded to feed us MORE! Our dinner started with potato soup and then continued with boiled potatoes, chips, potato dumplings and rice. Yes, 3 kinds of potato, 4 kinds of starch! It was delicious, even if it had no colour and no other vegetables. However, the best thing about the entire meal was that this time, we were allowed to eat with them in their kitchen hut. It was simply incredible how the mother of the family created such a varied meal in such a small space. The entire hut was about 5m x 3m, with her cooking area about 1m square. She basically sat on the ground, with her different cooking apartus around her and leaned all over the place. Amazing!

At 8pm, Doug was decked out in a poncho and Peruvian beanie and I was trussed up in traditional women´s clothes, then we were trotted back out to the square to partake in some dancing. Along with about 30 other tourists who were billeted out with families, we spent about 2 hours learning the local dances and generally making arses of ourselves - it was hilarious and brilliant fun, if a little sweaty despite the freezing temp! I actually think our host families were more entertained than us because we made such fools of ourselves! I really treasured watching our host families dance because it was not at all polished and very improv which meant that it was REAL. These were just people who go about their simple farming lives who get a bit of pocket money twice a month to host gringos who want a taste of a foreign culture. They enjoyed dancing, not for us, but because it was FUN for them. It wasn´t a professional, practiced, polished dance - it was just people having fun with guests.

Finally, at about 10pm, tired and exhaused, wearing almost every bit of clothing we owned, we fell into our alpaca blanketed bed - what an anniversary!

Til next time!

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Photos

Floating island family
They just wouldn't let you leave without getting into the local getup.

Local purchase
We bought a couple of cushion covers embroidered by some of the local ladies.

Island home
Each island is quite expansive.

Floating community
It's quite a large population.

Our house
This house accommodates two families and the home stay guests.

Cards by candle light
No electricity in this household.

Local garb
Becca getting done up Peruvian style.

Simpleton
It's a lot easier for the men. Pull on a poncho and a beanie and you're set.

Farewells
Estabon in second from the right.