PUNO
The next morning we caught a 7 hour bus ride to Puno on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest fresh water lake in the world at 4000 meters. We were in one of South America's fantastic buses, with seats more comfortable than an airplane. They have leg rests similar to a laz-e-boy. There was not much to do except look at the scenery.
Remote Villages
Rugged living in the shadow of a glacier.
Herds of llama and alpaca
Stone fences to keep the livestock in and the erosion out.
Walled homes to keep things close.
Majestic scenery.
Communities that looked in a perpetual state of construction.
We finally arrived in Puno and checked into the Hostal Balsa Inn. We headed for the main square to orientate ourselves before heading off to the Contraband Market, which was directly in front of the Police Station - interesting. Actually, the market was full of goods from Bolivia. We were told that we could find "genuine fake" items. Alrighty then.... It was a market for the locals, with everyday goods for sale. But, as always, it gave one an idea of what is in demand. Children's clothing, woolen items and hats - those bowler hats that the women perch on their heads, which we have no idea how they keep them on their head.
One lady was selling meat. What kind of meat, you may ask? Meat! OK, mystery meat it is!
A few of us decided to go out for dinner and try the guinea pig (cuy). A couple of guys ordered their own guinea pig. The rest of us ordered one guinea pig for us to all try. It was actually quite good and tasted like pork! That rather surprised all of us, a guinea pig actually tasting like a pig. Two came out split down the middle and splayed out as one would get a trout, this one came sitting on his haunches with a carrot in his teeth and a crown of tomato on his head. Rather gruesome. We were not expecting the head to be attached.
Lake Titicaca tomorrow......
