Just the high lights on one of the worlds highest lakes.
After ariving back from Machu Picchu Wednesday night at 8pm we boarded a train the next morning at 7:15am to beautiful Puno, on the shores of Lake Titicaca.
About 11 hours and half of "for whom the bell tolls" later (no sleep really because of the freakishly large group of loud blond men) we arived in Puno.
Accosted by a multitude of short dark people with hostel flyers (did I mention that Carlyn and I are giants here... I think the average hight for a man is about 5 4) we were lead by our new best friend (excuse me if i forgot his name) to a very nice hostel... Hostel Don Tito. All we cared about was the 24hour hot water.
Dave was leaving soon, so that night it was necessary to arrange the trip round the lake. Carlyn and Dave found a travel agency and made the arrangements while I frantically ran around inquiring in broken as to where i could by sun glasses.
We were picked up the next morning at 7:45am and taken by taxi to the docks where we were to meet all the other tourists we would be spending the next 2 days with.
A short 23minutes later we arrived at the floating islands of Uros. They are made completely of reeds and as dave and I agreeded, completely for tourists. It felt kind of like a peruvian luau show... complete with singing... not touristy at all.
3 hours later (unfortunately, no one brought any reading material) we arrived on the next island (and this was one made of dirt and rocks) This is where we were matched up with our host family. Patrico was the man that we stayed with. He had a great adobe house with a court yard, rickety fence and even more rickety stairway to the upstairs where Carlyn an I slept. Lunch was served around 2ish and consisted of soup (there seems to be a theme with all the lunches) and followed by rice... potato (imagine that) some purple carrots (which were quite tasty) and what looked like a fried egg.
Well, we all found out it wasnt a fried egg. it was infact a very salty, very squeaky type of cheese... from hence forth to be know as squeeky cheese. It turns out that many of the tourist were given squeeky cheese as their meal, and believe it or not, it agreed with vey few of us.
At 4 we headed to the local soccer stadium to meet up and climb to the top of the largest mountain on the island (oh, believe me, the three of us were extactic to get to climb to the top of another island... as if we hadnt been doing enough of this on the trip) only this time while climbing we were also accosted by the usual small children selling bracelets, candy and hats... although believe it or not there were no gourds to be found... not that i would have bought any.
Got to the top of the mountain. Froze. Walked back down. Went to our home where we tried to think of ways to get out of going to the party scheduled for later that night. While trying to think of excused we migrated to the kitchen, it being the only heated room in the house. It was also the smokeiest room ive ever been in, due to its heater being the wood buring stove (did i mention a lack of a flew which added to that campfire smell I now cant get out of my clothes) All I remember about dinner was that it involved lentals and sitting next to carlyn who was doubled over with cramps due to her previous meal of squeeky cheese.
Then came the kicker. As we were discussing how to get out of going to the party our host, who had yet to crack a smile the entire time we had known him, lit up at the mention of the up comming dance. Yes... it was a dance. Oh, not just any dance. One involving authentic clothing. Part of the reason i think Patricio was so excited about this party was the fact that both carlyn and I were dressed in traditional clothing made for someone who was 5 1. The locals enjoy the party because the tourists look so stupid with their short fluffy wool petty coat type skirts on top of, in mine and carlys case, rainpants and hiking boots.
We had no choice but to go to the party.
It was supposed to be optional... they lied.
Three hours later after quite a bit of uncoordinated dancing, uncomfortable laughter, and in Daves case, beer, we were able to go home and sleep. Not that i could sleep, because all i could think about was the fact that I was in an adobe house... an adobe house. Do you know what insect lives in adobe houses? Its that one that climbs out at night and bites you around the mouth, then poops on you, then you get a horrible untreatable disease, chagas disease... yes, kissing bugs live in adobe. So, yeah, if you cant tell, i didnt sleep very well. The travel nurse at Cornell had done a great job of freaking me out.
The next day we headed out at 7am. Said good by to our families and were offered one last chance to buy hats (i have no clue what im going to do with the 6 ive already bought, so i was able to hold my ground this time) We were of to Taquile island. This is the island where the men knit and the women tend the live stock, dress denotes single or married, and apparently the way a boy shows interest in a girl is by thrown rocks at the parts of her he likes.
Well, no one told us it was going to involve another 45 minute up hill walk. I would like to quote Dave here and say "hell no" but we didnt really have another option. So up to the town square where... guess what? yep, we could by hats. We were on a tight schedule and given 30 minutes to wander, which, believe it or not, was about 24 more than needed to see everything.
We then walked some more to have a set lunch at a nice restaurant overlooking our marina. There was a great balcony structually supported by sticks ballanced on rocks (we didnt see this till after we had hung out on the balcony, or else we would have never gone near it) Down 500 steps (something even less exciting than going up) to our boat and then we were off.
Well sort of. The engine took a while to warm up, so for a while it looked as if we might be spending the night on the lovely island of Taquile. Something noone was excited about, because it would have involved walking up 500 steps. Luckly the engine started and we were off, back to the exciting city of Puno only a short 3 hours or so away.
Did I say just the highlights... oh well, ill try and keep the next one short.
