Peru 2011

February 12, Puno, Peru

Can not believe it!  Not awake until 5.30, great sleep!

Breakfast of fried flat bread (flour, water, milk) and tea, very good.  Tea was peppermint from fresh picked patch somewhere as I saw the daughter head off down the hill.

Only took about 15 minutes to walk down to the dock to catch the boat.  And were sent off by the elders - handshakes and embraces and many mucho gracias.

On the boat for about 1 1/2 hours to the reed village.  Reeds grow in water and are used to make the islands, boats and for food.  The reeds are about 3 meters thick and have to be replaced about each month by just piling more on top.  The buildings appear to be on a wood base that just gets lifted up when they add more reeds to the top of island.  On this island there are 6 families.  Interesting as the island is not really that big, so they do not get a lot of exercise, and it shows!  

After a short presentation, with props of how the island is made, we were taken by different ladies to their homes.  Kind of breaks the whole thing when there is solar panels and tvs!  Oh well.  Brief look at home but then shown the various crafts that they have made for sale!  The went for a boat ride on reed boat - actually a catamaran!  Paddled by 2 people.  Slow going but our boat was not as loaded down as one of the others out on the water.  The boats are made with reeds tied tightly together.  That is the traditional way, it appears the modern way is to tie up empty pop bottles in blue tarps and then wrap the whole thing in reeds!  Looks just the same!

After a 30 minute ride back to Puno port, headed off for coffee!  It is noon, and have not had coffee yet, not a pretty sight!  Got my coffee and then headed off on tour to Sillistani funeral towers.

About 30 minute bus ride out of Puno, these towers are of 2 types.  Pre-Inca (700 AD to 1200) and Inca (1200 to 1500), all situated at the top of a hill which took a bit to climb.  The pre-inca are made of rough stone whereas the Inca are smooth carved outside.  Each are round and each tower is for 1 person.  They are buried with all the treasures they will need for the after world.  There are internal walls which seem to be sealed.  The door of the towers all face east.

Back in Puno went to the Coca Museum.  After a short film about the various dances in the area, wandered through an exhibit about the history and benefits of the coca leaf!  This seemed to be a promotion for the use of Coca.  Only 1 of the 14 components of the coca leaf is used to make cocaine.  They have dated use back  20,000 years and used by many, including some higher ups in the church!  Guess that makes it ok!  The display included reference to the use of it in Coka Cola, but did not say when the coke recipe stopped using the coca leaf.

By the time finished, it was time for a short group meeting and then for dinner.

After dinner went out to a Regge bar.  They had coca beer on the drink menu, but they did not have any!  Too bad, would have been just another of the coca 'products' to try!

February 11, Puno, Peru

Onto boat to Tequille Island, as self contained and governed community of 2000 people.

Beautiful island, but to get to top had to walk up about 300 meters, and we are already at 3800 meters.  Lost breath a couple of times, but guide gave us a peppermint smelling plant to breathe in, which seemed to help with the breathing.  Also smelled nice.

The main square is at the top of village with the town hall, nice view, and markets around the outside.  Very nice as the sun has come out.  Nice lunch, another set menu which seems to be the trend.  Soup and main course for 20 soles (about $8).  Had the trout!  Very good, as it should be as the rainbow trout were introduced to lake from Canada.  

Very interesting as the average life span is 65 to 70.  Not really that old.

The lake itself is huge, 165 km long and 60 km wide (at widest point).  3800 meters above sea level, it is the highest navigable lake above 2000 meters in the world.

Nice walk around one part of island and onto boat to go to homestay village.

What welcome.  The senior people for island met us at the dock, as well we had our own welcoming band.  Big drum, snare drum, flute and guitar!  Very nice.

After another bit of a climb to the village centre, ended up in a soccer game against some of the local kids!  Damn, they were good, and with breathing tough going, it was a lot of exercise.  I had to be 2 times the age of most of the others.  Dubbed ourselves the 'Los Condors', we did ok with the couple of ringers we adopted (the boat captain and his assistant).  Final score 5 to 2, for them!  Lots of fun.

Then off to homestay.  Another 30 minute walk, with most up hill again!  We had a very nice room with 3 beds and a separate toilet.  Was great!  Bed more comfortable than most, but with 4 blankets, the covers weighed a ton!  Big effort just to roll over!

Dinner was an excellent soup and a stewed type vegetable mixture and rice.  Very good.

Stayed with a mother and her youngest daughter.  Mother was 48, daughter 16 (the youngest of 8 children.  All the other children are apparently married and living in Puno.  Or at least that is what we could figure out as they did not speak English and we do not speak Spanish.  Good thing for a small phrase book!

They said good night to us at 7.30 but we talked until 8.30, as wake up call was not going to be until 7 am!  Much too early to go to bed.

February 10, Puno, Peru

On the road by 8 am and arrived in Puno at about 2 pm.  Long ride but seemed to go by fast.  Stopped at the 'triple' tea place again.  This time the sun was shining.

Stopped as well at the highest point along the way, about 4500 m.  There was even a snowman and snow on ground.

Along the way saw a vizcacha, a rabbit look a like animal, but with a long tail.

Also saw many flamingos, cormorants, coots, ducks, llamas, alpacas other unknown birds.

Did a short walk around the city centre.  Staying in a guest house very close to the main square. Nice place and appears to have been recently renovated, but the rooms are very small as is the bathroom.  You need to hop over the toilet to get to shower!  Still this is not the smallest I have experienced.

Puno is at about 3800 m.  Some people being affected by altitude but, knock on wood, I have been ok.