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Other entries in Lake Titicaca

Isla Amantaní, Isla Flotantes and Isla Taquile

Hung-over (again) Jo and I head out to Lake Titicaca for an overnight stay with a local family on the Isla Amantaní!  Before arriving at our destination we make a stop at the Isla Flotantes - floating islands made from the buoyant totora reeds found in the shallows of the lake.  Here we learn a little about these people and their reson for living on these makeshift islands.  The Uros people (inhabitants) originally made these islands centuries ago to escape from the agressive Collas and Incas - why then do I keep being told from our tour guides that the Incas were very passive and religious... bias much!  Anyway these Uros people make everthing out of these reeds; houses, boats, islands, they eat it too - apparently its like ice-cream?!  From here we bought some more artisans and jewellry.. we even got a reed boat ride, and ofcourse took plenty of photos for you guys!!

Next stop was our new home for the evening -Isla Amantaní!  We had a welcome party and then got split up to meet our host families.  Our host mother was call Mary-Lous, and her daughter, the ever cheeky Miselanya.  I don't think I have ever eaten more food than on this tour, obviously Mary-Lous must have thought Jo and I didn't look 'festively plumb' enough!!  Next we were taken to possibly the most beautiful football field ever, over-looking Lake Titicaca, complete with a donkey trail through the middle.  Played a game of soccer, which I have to say I am a complete retard, and the locals figured it out pretty quickly cos they never passed me back the ball!!!  After gasping for breath we decided to do what any other normal person would do.. climb to the top of Amantaní!!  More photos of a sunset. 

More food, more tea, and then party time! Mary-Lous dressed Jo and I up in their traditional dresses and off to the town hall for a dance with the locals.  Jo even danced with the chief!! Lucky girl!  These people dance and dance, and the songs never stop, and even when you think they are going to they continue on and on and on...

Bright and early the next morning, stuffed full of pancakes, and a teary goodbye to Mary-Lous and family, we head off to Isla Taquile, an island that is inhabited by Quechua-speaking locals whose sole purpose is to weave.  Men, women, children, everyone!! The men weave these really tightly woven hats, that symbolise if they are single or married etc.  Amazing to arrive somewhere still today that remains largely unaffected by the modern western way of life!!

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