Lake Titicaca

The crossing from the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca. And now we are in Peru.



This place is cool. From our hotel in Puno we got tuk tuks (or their equivalent) to the port to catch our boat to the islands.

We stopped to buy our 'families' some gifts to thank them for our stay and then made our way to the island of Taquile.

This is the place where the men knit and the better they are, the more suitable a partner they are. It's a lovely place but it was tough ignoring the children who were trying to sell their woven bracelets, but our guide said that if we bought them, then they would continue making them rather than go to school - or continue making them during their classes. Instead, there was a central place to buy the unique woven goods and the money went directly to the person or family who made then.

From here we headed to a place called Lacuna Chico where were we to spend the night. At the harbour, the families were there to meet us and there was also a band who played the entirety of our procession to the local school.

The guys then had a game of football to pass some of the time and then Chris and I took a long walk up the side of the mountain to where we were staying - I needed new lungs!!!! But after being shown to our room, we were introduced to our family. To say I was nervous was an understatement, but when we were brought into the 'kitchen' to meet the family, all nerves went.
We didn't take any photos of the room, but there was an 'onion' stove in one corner - which could have 4 pots on it, beside it sat our 'mother' Lucy, her sister-in-law Lucile, her mother-in-law Rosa, her daughters Ophellia and Cassia and her husband Juan. Then her father-in-law came in too.

In total, 9 of us were in this smokey room and sat on 2 beds and a small bench. It was similar to a room I saw in the Folk Park. But despite the language barrier, we all had a good time smiling and laughing at the children. Then Chris brought in the i-pod and we were able to show them pictures of our families and the children loved seeing them.

After our meal, Chris and I were dressed in the traditional clothes of the people, and went down to the school room to have an evening of dancing. It was great fun and after the long walk back up to the house, we were please to get to bed - after shedding all my layers of skirts!

7:30am
Juan's Papa, Ophellia, Lucy, Cassia, Juan, Rosa and me. Lucile must have been hiding and Chris took the photo!!!

This is the Uros floating Islands. We'd an hour here and they are just something else.