Horses, Dress Up & Floating Islands

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Back from the Inka Trail....everyone pretty tired, and the hotel somewhat resembling a hospital!1 We decided that we quite wanted to see the ruins around the city (but a stiff 30min-1hr uphill walk away) but couldnt be bothered to walk....so we hired horses & a guide for the morning and headed out around Cuzco, the scenery was beautiful, definitely worth seeing....the horse part however was somewhat interesting...I guess horseriding is something I fancy myself as naturally able to do, but I actually haven´t been on a horse since I was 10, and the horse i rode (for all of 10weeks maybe) called Honey, got pregnant, and I haven´t been near a horse since...despite my aunts attempts!! So yes, on this ere horse, called Abela or something, white, pretty and "gentle" apparantly....however the guide didn´t happen to mention that the two white horses had a tendency to go fast, very fast. Argh! I was not prepared for this....walking was just about okay, but when another horse decided to move slightly faster than mine, mine took off....I had NO control whatsoever!! And after we´d seen some of the ruins and were on our way back through a forrest mine just took off....apparantly we needed to be at the front...was so glad not to fall off as this horse charged threw the forrest...arghh!! Afterwards it was decided that we needed to be treated, so we headed off for Massages & Manicures..a lot cheaper than at home, and so relaxing...we did look rather fetching in Hugh Heffner gowns too!! Mon dieu!!

Spent the 30th just chilling out around Cuzco, shopping and avoiding all museums...(I speak for myself there actually) but it was a lazy day. Bumped into Jill & Derrick who I´d hung out with in Lima, and organised to go out that evening (the GAP lot almost being well enough for a night out now too!) But, all went wrong when we were rushed out of the city at 5pm because there were strikes.....FOR GODS SAKE; SOMEONE LET ME DRINK!! So yes, we caught a 7hr bus to Puno, on Lake Titicaca, arriving past midnight...bedtime!!

Spent the next day wandering around a very uninspiring Puno, rubbish on the streets, smelly...urgh...so much so I have no photos!! (heaven forbid!) One main street, with "shops" but it was a big disappointment after Cuzco. Ohh well! Off to Lake Titicaca the next morning. Caught a boat first thing out to Taquille Island, the lake was huuuuge, and took hours to travel around...such high altitude too made it pretty cold...it is also winter over here...humph! Had lunch on Taquille, taking a walk around the island before pushing off for another island an hour or so away. This was where we were to spend the night, with a local family basic styleee, in my very own mud hut!! Marian and I went to the same family, who were lovely, and it was a great opportunity to practice the Spanish...didn´t bother with the Quechua (local lingo!)..I have enough trouble with Spanish!! Went out that evening after a dinner of carbs to a "fiesta", which involved dressing me up in local clothes...the photos are truly horrific, but a great hour or so dancing like idiots to panpipes was had! So cold in the evenings though, in bed by 10ish...no heating, no fires, no warmth at all...brrr!!!

The next day we visited the floating islands, made of reed. Incredible that people live on reed roots which act as buoys covered by layers of reed....wierrdddd!! Was very picturesque though, and of course there was shopping to be done....it´s giving back to the local communities directly dont you know!! Mon dieu!! Back to Puno to watch Bolivia v Peru in the south american cup (I finally got my drink, Rachel and I couldn´t have cared less, and the drink was so cheap!!)

Off to Bolivia next, woowoo!! A very long and winding journey, on shitty roads and a shitty bus. Was somewhat amusing to see the bus be put onto a tiny boat and be shipped across a strip of water!!! Crazy folks...no bridges, just boats! Insane!

Bolivia- next update! xxx

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Comments

[Tricia]

getting behind in my reading!
Really enjoyed this one! Could so relate to the horse riding, having done that with camels: mine rushed off to the sunset to Jeremy's HUGE amusement . Loved the fancy dress, looks cute. Can't believe you're seeing all this stuff I did in geog 40 years ago!