Puno Gateway to Lake Titicaca

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From Arequipa to Puno it's a pleasant five hour bus ride up hill to higher altitudes and colder weather. Puno is on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the largest highest navigable lake in the world. However, travelers come her not to navigate but to explore Indian inhabited islands, floating reed homes and exceptional natural beauty. With all that in mind of course we chose the opposite direction, a half day tour of Syllastani, a pre Incan necropolis about thirty minutes inland from Puno. Syllastani highlights are large tall tubular tombs where nobility rested until gaining the life after. Grave robbers found it easy to enrich themselves, since these tombs stand on hills essentially advertising that big shots reside within. Although most tombs have tumbled and lay empty, the panoramic setting on a high hill is reason enough to visit. There are 360 views of the Peruvian countryside, including large lakes, snow capped mountains and follow fields. On the road back Incan Indians welcome visitors into their modest homes for a peak at village life and a chance to sell some of their products as well as photo opps. Now part of a tourist circuit, tips are exchanged for photos.



The next morning Amei and I were off to the floating reed islands of the Uros Indians and Taquile Island. From childhood I remember schoolbook photos of Lake Titicaca depicting brightly dressed Indians tossing fishing nets from bright yellow reed boats. The image was of tranquility, the picture perfect Indian in all their noble natural state living a leisurely life on the Lake. Boy have times changed. Now an armada of boats descend on the floating reed villages disgorging tourist into the arms of waiting islanders turned enterprising entrepreneurs. After an initial instruction on how the floating reed islands are constructed, we were invited into their very tiny reed homes, allowed to ask any number of questions and then politely asked to buy their mostly textile products of beanies, table clothes, runners and sweaters. I was confused as to who was exploiting who. Us touristy types snapping photos inside Uros' homes, or the Indians baiting us in with peeks at village life before selling us their latest handiwork. There was a lot of talk on how the Uros way of life is being drastically and forever changed because of tourism. But that is true for all Indians, ever since Columbus stepped off his caravel in the Caribbean they've been enslaved, slaughtered, forcibly converted and unfortunate recipients of a whole host of injustices. A little tourism is probably the least of their worries. In fact, proceeds earned from their textiles allow them to send kids to school, put more nourishing meals on reed tables and lighten the burden for future generations. Good for them.



Taquile island was our next and last stop of the day, a rock solid island with Indians still farming like years past. Terraces reigned in the steep cliffs, and a cobbled stone path cut down the island lent a commanding view across the Lake to the Bolivian side of the border. The island was more laid back, with less Indians hawking wears but just going about their daily routines. Noticably, there were no dogs hanging around, donkeys were non existant and men and women did all the heavy lifting up and down the islands steep cliffs. I was told dogs and donkeys were just another unwelcome mouth to feed. After a tasty lunch of fried trout, we wondered around the small main square, and before long were on our way back aboard slow boats to Puno. You can't beat that for $25, you get a full day of touring unusual settings, idyllic islands and really witness the evolving indigenous lifestyles started by Columbus over 500 years ago, whether good or bad.

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