Puno and Lake Titicaca

Puno and Lake Titicaca

Tuesday 3rd June

We arrived back from Puno – P and Lake Titicaca – LT – last night about 6pm by the Andean Explorer – a very modern train – first class travel from P having left Cusco last Friday 29th May.

So here is part one, rather long as is part two, but we hope not to bore you.

Friday, 29th, up at 5.30am to catch transfer bus into Cusco at 6.40am for tourist coach. In great Peruvian style, bus does not arrive. By 7am plan B instigated, get taxi and as there were 7 of us with luggage, two taxis were required. Not so much of a problem, walk to end on street hail a taxi, as they are prowling all the time. By now its panic situation, coach leaves at 7.30, taxi ride rather fast, in duo racing along Avenida de Cultura, down this street , turn here turn there – by now totally relying on taxi drivers, Arrived at central bus station at 7.25 panic panic, wrong bus station!!! All pile into two taxi’s for another 5 minute ride then onto coach which was held up for us. OK, now we begin to wonder what else may not go according to plan, but for the next 4 days all OK.  Bus to P is a comfortable tourist coach like Stateliner or similar stops 4 or 5 times at historical sites, one magnificent church built by the Spaniards in their conquest of the Incas plus other Inca sites. By now we are Inca – ed out!!! Arrived P about 10 hours later. Into hotel, then dinner. It happened to be one member’s birthday so we had dinner at a restaurant, arranged cake and balloons and enjoyed a very nice meal.

Saturday, up again quite early for boat to Ucos islands, our first stop. These are the floating reed islands on LT about 40 minutes from mainland. LT is 180 kms long and about 70 kms wide, it is as big as Kangaroo Island and is situated 3,800 metres above sea level. Ucos island is a collection of floating reed islands where a tribe of descendents of the indigenous people have chosen to live in reed houses each about 3mX4m. Their survival depends on fishing, eggs from water birds, guinea pig and bartering for vegetables on nearby mainland villages with craft etc. We were each taken to one family’s home, very basic of course, no toilet, running water, or kitchen other than an out door camp type situation. But, solar panels do provide electricity for some families so they have radio, even TV, cd players. Gas is also used for cooking. The women proceeded to dress in traditional dress and then we were given a role play demonstration of how they barter, make their handicrafts etc. All the women in our party were then dressed in costume for the photo sessions, we shopped for crafts, wall hanging, cushion covers and other things. What is quite remarkable is there ability to live as they do the islands are literally floating and must be anchored into position. As they sink more reeds are cut and laid on the surface to keep above the water level. If an island touches the lake floor it will be flooded so new islands are created by – growing one from blocks of reeds cut in metre square sizes and tied together in a floating barge type of arrangement. More cut reeds placed on top and presto a new island which will grow to the size of an average block of land in Adelaide. The whole scene was like Disneyland – it seemed so pristine and idyllic – the brilliant yellow colour of the reed floor and the houses contrasted with almost psychedelic colours of the traditional costumes. All of this very nice on a beautiful sunny day – disguises what must be a very tough life other times of the year.  They can only have visitors for 3 months of the year due to the weather. Naturally purchasing of some traditional needlework items seemed the least we could do to help the people. We were then taken on a reed boat ride and rowed around the island before getting back before getting back into the motor boat to travel on to Amatani island a further 3 hours into the lake. OK, end of part one of this adventure. Photos to organize and part two – over night on Amatani- with a local family. Trevor.