Lake Titicaca

It was touch and go whether we would make it to Lake Titicaca due to strong winds. The route we were supposed to take involved a ferry which was cancelled, so instead we hung around in La Paz most of the day before getting a public bus to Puno - arriving very late at night.

Thankfully the next day the weather had improved and we were able to get out on the lake. The Incas called the lake 'The womb of mankind' and it is still home to traditional Andean culture. Our first stop was to Uros or the 'floating islands' where we were greeted by the inhabitants of the island, shown how they built & maintained the island as well as trying on traditional clothing and seeing the products they make.

Arriving at a second island for lunch, we were lucky to witness a traditional celebration with music and dancing. We learnt about their culture - how hats are a symbol of relationship status - with men knitting and designing their own hat to court women. When asking a family for a ladies hand in marriage, the man has to present his hat to them. The hat is judged on its knitting standard as well as the design. If it meets the family's expectation then a marriage can take place. Once married, the man kints and wears a new hat - one which is mainly black in colour to symbolise he is no longer available.

Our final stop was to the island where we were staying for the night. Some of the group played football against the locals before watching the sunset. We were then dressed in traditional Peruvian clothing and got to participate in their traditional dance. We were then introduced to our local families who we would be staying with. The family I was with had six kids - ranging in ages from 2-14. After being served a home cooked meal we had time to hang out with the kids - I was in my element especially with the younger ones. Despite the language barrier we played a VERY competitive game of uno before heading off to bed.

The next morning we helped out preparing breakfast before helping out with elements of daily life. The family had some farm animals (sheep, pigs, chickens and donkeys) so we helped feed them before spending a lot of time taking dried corn off of the cob. I then went to cut some reeds as more feed for the animals before helping to prepare lunch.

This stay has been one of the highlights of the whole trip for me. Partly because I had so much fun playing with the kids. But also because I have learnt so much about the Peruvian culture and experienced first hand how these people live. It seems like such a simple way of life, with no strict schedule, being fairly self sufficient and having a strong family and community bond.Lue lisää