Puno

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I thought Puno would be a good halfway-ish point between copacabana and cusco. I stayed one night, had a good one, taking advantage of the ´one free drink´ almost thrown at gringo´s passing by. In the morning I took a bicycle taxi down to the harbour to leave for the Isles Flotantes, the floating islands also known as the Uros. Still thoroughly enjoying Hugh Thompson´s ´the white rock´ a book I would highly recommend for anyone visiting this area. He (somewhat sarcastically) points out that the islands aren´t floating at all, in fact they are anchored to the bottom of the lake, and remain in place. The islands are made up of straw, weaved and placed so as to ´float´ atop the water. People live there, but not in the huts that they advertise to tourists, I managed to snag a shot of their real places…see the pic ´metal homes´. The islands have an interesting history, but thanks to Thompson´s book I am treating everything I hear from guides with slight suspicion.
I was again reminded by the amazing way in which tour companies, operators, etc, can communicate with one another despite computer systems and, in fact, any communication at all. OK, I bought a ticket in Copacabana for a bus to Puno and a visit to the islands. A little suspicious, as the ´ticket´ I speak of was only a generic receipt, with some illegible scrawl saying something about Puno and the islands. My name was there, the amount I paid (negligible) wasn´t there, and only the name ´Sra Heras´ was legible and written at the top. Turns out this is the password for the islands, when I turned up in the morning, a little tired from the night before, I simply handed over the receipt and was ushered to the boat. Very odd. I never met Sra Heras, perhaps she doesn´t exist….
No complaints, a beautiful day, I bought a cheap little ´Lago Titicaca´ hat to reaffirm my position as a tourist. Arg. Honestly, it was that one or one of the hideous weaved tilly type hats….
I´m in cusco, had a wicked day, so read the next entry!
Enjoy!
brian

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Photos

floating out to the uros
where´s the maple leaf?

Comments

[Paula.]

HI BRIANN!!!!!!!!
Hi Briannnnn!!!!!! I just up dated my self with your trip, Mendoza and Perú. ¡¡¡GREEEEAAAAATTT!!!!!!!!!!!!! i LOVE WHAT YOU´VE BEEN DOING. You´re welcome for the scarf, I was really happy to see it fullfeelling it´s purpose :) Here everything´s going good, preaty bussy this last weeks. I´m having a lot of reharsals (I have NO idea how to rite that!), practice with my african dancing group. We´ll be starting with some presentations next weekend, last sunday of August and first two sundays of september. I´m really having a good time, learning a lot, working hard, and having preaty good laughs with my group companions. This is a group which a joined about three or four months ago, and we first perform all together a week ago at a brithday partty for which we´d been hiered. It was really good, in spite of the mistakes, and we stayed at the party until it ended. We danced, and laugh, had a great time. It´s a great group!. Casa Jardín´s steal beautifull, not really full these days. LLLLOOOOOOOOOOOTTTTTTSSSSSSSSSS OOOOOOFFFFFFFF KKKKIIIIIIIISSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSS !!!!!!!!!!!! Love, Paula.

[brian the lion]

rehearsals....i am pretty sure.
thanks for your comments everyone! I love receiving them, whenever I get a slight twinge of homesickness (a rare occurence) they are the best medicine. xoxo