Puno

The overnight bus arrives around 5:00 and I spontaneously decide to go on a day trip on the Titicaca lake with Sarana, who I just met this morning.
The Titicaca Lake is the highest navigable lake in the world (3812 m), has a depth from 70 cm to 230 m and his believed to be the birthplace of the Inca civilisation (Isla de Sol, on the Bolivian side). It is divided between Peru (65%) and Bolivia (35%).
We start by boat at 07:30, direction the artificial island of Uros. These are islands constructed on peat blocks and covered in dried reeds. The ground feels very soft, alle the houses are built from reed and 6 families live on this particular island. Even their boats are made of reeds covering PET bottles. The communities historically chose to live on these artificial islands because of conflicts with other people on the shore. Now they mostly live from tourism revenues, as they receive many visitors, on day trips or overnight.
Also boats trips are an income, so I join the group to float in this straw boat. We are shown how they cut the reeds, how they use it for everything, from building houses to use as cataplasms in case of fever.
After the visit we continue to the island of Amantani (not artificial) where 10 communities live for a stroll.
Our last stop will be Llachon for a typical trout lunch and we go back by boat, witnessing an incredible sunset.
I met a Peruvian family who fed me approximately every 2 hours on the deck; and I pass time playing with their kids Michael and unfortunately-I-don’t-remember-his-name.
I spent the evening at the hostel with an Norwegian couple and an American cooking the most impressive feast I witnessed, even more so in a hostel kitchen: steaks, potato gratin, caramelised mushrooms and broccoli, all with 2 bottles of red vine (they are „celebrating“ the fact that they need to split after 6 weeks travelling together, as the American goes to Columbia and the Norwegians continue to Bolivia).
Joining the party is also Mal, a man in his 50s from the UK cycling across South America.Read more