Sunday 24 January

Puno – Lake Titicaca – Lima

It was another early rise today so that we could get the boat to visit the floating islands of Uros on Lake Titicaca. 

Panoramic view of Lake Titicaca from our hotel (floating islands off to the left)

Uros is an absolutely amazing place. Our guide went to great lengths to say that this was real, and not just a show. Lesley remembers reading in National Geographic about it when she was young, some 50 or more years ago, so believed that it was real, and was looking forward to visiting it.

The Uros people have been living there for around 500 years. Today there are 87 islands, give or take a few as they only last about 30 years. The people collect the roots of the reeds and bind them together, using timber to help stabilise them. They then put layer upon layer of reeds on top, first one way then another, to get the surface on which to then build houses. Each island is built and occupied by a family group. Everything is built from reeds, with timber being used now as frames for housing and other buildings. They now have solar power for electricity (novel for islands floating on water). 

The island we visited hosts the junior school and museum, which we visited. In the school was a poster showing everyday items with their name underneath – one was ‘cheque’!! Important, obviously!!

We were given a demonstration of how the islands are built, then anchored so they stay put, then went with various family members to see their houses. 

We were dressed up in their clothing, to see how they lived. Then we had the opportunity to purchase items they had made. Lesley bought two cushion covers. We’d have loved to buy a reed boat, but knew we wouldn’t either get it home in one piece, or be allowed to bring it into Australia.

There is solar power on the islands now, with each house having a panel attached to battery. Seems incongruous to have electricity on islands that just float. 

Sanitation on the islands is as you might expect perhaps (but not think actually possible because it might gross you out!). Each island has separate areas for toileting, washing, and collecting drinking water – BUT ultimately it all happens in the same waters of the lake! We would die if we drank the water, but the people have developed cast-iron guts over the years! The depth of water was about 20m where we were.

We were taken on a ride on one of the reed boats – amazing constructions with two pontoons on which is built a cabin. Nowadays they seem to be using plastic as well as reeds to make them last longer, and are making great use of plastic drink bottles to form pontoons, covered then in reeds. [The ladies lined up on the edge of the island and with huge grins on their faces sang “Row, Row, Row Your Boat’ as the owners rowed us out away from the island!] The reed boat took us to another island where the post office is. Here our passports were stamped with the official stamp used by the people (we had this done in Galapagos and Machu Picchu too).

child's swing

Our guide says that he gives the race another 30 years or so before the govt will have to pay people to live there as a showpiece. The young do not want to stay there – they go to Puno for high school, and want to stay in town. Another set of traditions may be lost.

We then went by coach to the airport at Juliaca. Juliaca by road looks cleaner and nicer than it did by train yesterday, but it is still not a pretty city!

More on construction in Peru – many buildings use a thin galvanised roofing material, which is very shiny so it is glary to look at. Rooves are frequently not nailed down, but rather any manner of other material is used to hold the gal in place – tyres, rocks, pieces of wood, and so on. This adds to the very unfinished nature of the towns.

We flew to Lima over lunch. In the plane we saw animated characters in the safety video. It was odd that they didn’t use real people! We have seen this before, with a different airline. [Saw on ninemsn that QANTAS has a new safety video that uses everyday Aussies in their own space in various parts of Australia, so perhaps it is not so odd after all! Really like the new QANTAS one though!]

Booking in today was a hassle – two flights leaving close together and people lining up for miles for the three only check-in counters. One family held us up because they were on the flight before ours and got there too late to make it! Much consternation and upset! In the end they had to buy more tickets for a later flight, but that cut down the counters to two! They don’t provide headsets in the plane, so showed a video of the 15^th anniversary Gags - a candid-camera type of thing. No headsets needed and no language barrier: everyone is laughing! 

First thing we noticed in Lima was the height and number of security fences! Indicative of a social problem, which is a shame. Many buildings, and some streets, had security guards on them to vet who came in and out.