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Published: September 8th 2006
we left the hotel in la paz early on a bus to the egde of lake titcaca. the lake is absolutly huge!!! we stoped on the top of a hill just before we got down to the edge for a photo opportunity of the lake. we then continued down to a place where we could cross over to the other side. we go to the little port place and had to get off the bus as that had to go over on a floating raft thing where as we all had to go over on a little boat. again there were more marching bands and groups of women in traditional clothes dancing. the raft that the bus had to go on really didn't look as if it would make the other side!!! we got the boat over and waited on the otherside for the bus, hoping it would actually make it!!!
it did and we all got back on board and travelled to copacabana, which was where we would get a different bus to puno. we left our bags on the top of the bus while we went to have lunch, we then would have to go and collect them to
get the next bus. after ordering our lunch we went for a little walk round. as it was bolivian independance day the next day it was a kind of festival and the place was absolutely full of people so we didn't go far. Rhian went off to find a post office to post some of her postcards and while she was out she had her bag slashed and her camera taken. she came back hopeing she had left it at the table but she hadn't. she was kinda lucky though as her i-pod and pasport and money were all also in her bag but they weren't taken.
after we had finished eating some of us decided to go back to the place where we had left the bus and collect everyones bags. we got there and the bus was just turning round and the guy told us it would meet us at the corner, that was annoying as it meant we had to go back up the hill we had just come down! we were at altitude so it was hard work going up and down hills. the bus got to the top of the road but didn't stop, it
just carryed on driving!!! we followed it for a bit but the road was also up a hill and there was no way that we were gonna be able to keep up with it so after a while we gave up and headed back down to catch up with everyone else. a guy told us then the bus would be waiting for us further up the road round the corner there, so we had to walk back up the hill again to get the bags. Matt and Rhian had to go and see if they could find the tourist police to see if there was anything they could do so we had to collect their bags as well. we got the bags and Heath carryed my little rucksack as well as her little one and her big one, while i carried my big bag and Rhians big bag. we then had to go back down the hill to the office to meet up with Matt and Rhian, where the bus we were getting on was supposed to be. turns out that actually the bus we needed was at the corner at the top of the hill so that meant another
journey up the hill with all the bags! was even worse as was really hot so we were all sweating!!! we finally got on the right bus and set off. we arrived at the border with Peru and had to get off the bus to stamp out of Bolivia then walk over the border and enter Peru before getting back on the bus. we managed to change all our Bolivianos into Soles which was good. we got to our hotel in Puno which was really posh! it had a bath and everything, it was a silly half bath though so you couldn't really lie down in it!! we went out for a wander round. there were millions of little kids selling finger puppets, they were literally everywhere you turn saying one sol! in a really pathetic voice! we did fall for some though from one little boy who went through his whole collection telling us the animals in english as he had just learnt them at school! had cake in a little cafe, the owner of it was actually english but had moved to south america about 5 years ago.
that evening we had a meeting with Manuel who would
be our guide for our trip onto the lake the following day. he told us what we would need to bring, then we went out for a meal. we had the option of trying alpaca ao thats what i went for. was really nice and its actually quite good for you as it has no cholesterol. we also tried inca cola which according to the advert is the drink of Peru. its luminous yellow and tastes kinda like a mixture between irn brew and tizer. tastes not too bad and we did find a use for it. if you drank it when you had a headache it kinda made it go away which was weird but useful!
the next morning we had breakfast in the hotel before going in little bicycle carts to the port. me and heath were in one and think our guy showed off too much to start with as we flew past everyone else, then they all went past us and it sounded like our guy was about to die! Kim said that when he was trying to pedal he couldn;t actually reach the bottom of the pedals while sitting on the seat!
at the dock
we bought presents to take to our host family from the stalls. me and heath took rice, pasta, sugar and some fruit. we had a boat journey to taquile island. from the port you have to walk up the hill to get to the main area. there is a main square with stalls round the edge selling knitted and woven goods. there is also little kids selling friendship braclet things they have made themselves. in the middle of the square there was a dance going on, with people dressed up in traditional clothes. there were two guys playing the drum in the middle and the others were walking round in a circle playing pan pipes. in between the men there were women dancing.
we went to a little place for lunch, where we had quinoa soup, followed by a choice of trout or tortilla, i had trout and heath had half and half with caz. was so good, as the trout had been caught that morning by the fishermen from the island. after lunch we went over to amantani island which is where we would be sleeping the night. we were assigned to our "new mum" at the dock side
and then we walked up to their house. tbey had to be warned to walk slowly so we would be able to keep up with them! our "mum" was called Lorenza and living in the house with her was a girl called Olga and her son. Olga was the one who actually looked after us more but looking at her we guess she was actually younger than us!! we were showed to our room which was really nice. had three beds in it but it was only the two of us staying there. the room was up in the first floor of the house, the door to go in was tiny and we had to bend down to go through but neither of the two women did. they're all really tiny! we stayed in the room for a while then went down to sit in the garden with Lorenza and Olga. we gave them our presents and told them our names and where we came from. that was really the extent of the conversation we could have as we dont speak spanish and their first language is Quechua! they gave us a wooly hat each which is their way of
us in a cafe
Gill, Nic, Kim, Tim and Jorecognising who is staying with them as they can tell which hat is theirs. after a while we went up to meet everyone else at the football pitch and we all looked silly together wearing our hats. it was supposed to be a game against the local children, but there was a game of some of the visiting lads against some of the local men. they were all taking it really seriously and we decided we were far better not interfering! we went for a walk to the top point of the island which had a good view. was not too bad getting up there although some of the others did struggle a bit. after coming down the hill we were met by our family to go home for tea. we were invited into the kitchen so we went in and sat at the table, felt bad watching them work but there wasn't really much we could do to help. felt even worse when the meal was ready and we were sitting at the table and Olga was sitting on a little stool in the corner near the fire. Lorenza had taken a portion of food out and went somewhere
else. Juan (the baby) was flying round in a baby walker, he kept hitting into the table and we kept having to grab the candle so it didnt fall off on to him!
Tea was a bowl of soup followed by a cheesy pototo thing with rice. both were really lovely. we then had a drink of coca tea before going back to our room. after a while olga came up and dressed us in the traditional clothes to go to the dance (incatech!). the clothes were tied really tight around our chest (just higher than our waist) which made it really hard to walk up the hill as it was hard enough to breathe anyway! it also really didn't help we were so full from just eating!
there were two bands playing, one from each end of the room. the first few dances involved everyone joining together and racing round the room which was interesting!!! we then danced alternate dances with Olga. was really tired towards the end of the night, and the whole thing stopped before 10. think we did really well with the food we were given cos the others didn;t all seem to have enjoyed theirs!
we went to bed when we got back after braving the toilet in the dark, which was in a little metal hut in the garden. really wasn't bad actually! there were three blankets on our beds, thought we might have been cold but we were actually fine.
we got up the next morning and got ready to leave. we opened the door so they could see we were awake and Olga came up to fetch us. we went down and there were two pancakes waiting for us. they were again really good! after breakfast we collected our stuff and walked with Olga down to the dock. we took photos of us with her and gave her a hug before we got on the boat to leave.
we then went to the floating islands which are just as they are named. they have to be anchored to stop them from moving. the inhabitants make them from reeds. there are up to eight families living on each island. they showed us how thick the reeds are and how deep the lake itself is. we then were given a reed each to eat. they eat them as you would do a banana, peeling
round the outside and eating the middle. there not too bad but it does kinda seem like your eating cardboard which tastes a bit like pond! we had a bit of time to explore the island before we got into a reed boat to go to another island where our boat was waiting for us. the boat was rowed by two of the people on the island and me and heath decided to have a go at rowing. was good fun but hard work. makes it harder as you have no idea where you are going as you cant see. i ended up rowing faster than heath so we didn't go in a straight line. Caz took over from Heath but i rowed for quite a while before the guy came and took over again. on the island we went to, we saw the guinea pigs they were keeping for food, they were absoultly enormous!
we then went back to the shore and got on a bus to the hotel. we didn't do much for the rest of the day, just looking round and went out for a milkshake.
that night we went out for a meal in a reataurant
where there were guys playing traditional music for us. the food was really nice and we ordered some wine. dont think our waiter could have been more dozy but in a really sweet way. he took about half an hour to open each bottle of wine and he looked so happy when the cork popped out each time! he poured us all a glass but was most offended when half way through the meal heath tried to top up everyones glass, he came over took the bottle and finished off filling everyone elses glasses. he had written what we had all ordered on a table seating plan but when it arrived he couldn't seem to work it out at all and got it a bit wrong! was really cute in the way he had done everything so carefully he got a big tip from us anyway!
we went out for a few drinks in a local bar before heading to bed. we tried pisco and lemonade and it tastes wrong!
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Kim
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Bike cart
how did you get a go n that bike cart?!! where was i, i never saw them! gutted!