Day 8 Lake Titicaca

Again we were up early for a 7:00am pickup - Ughhhhh again - don’t know why they couldn’t shorten our tours and pick us up later. At least the restaurant was open and we could grab a quick breakfast.

Our tour guide Edwardo was well informed, spoke English well and was personable, but I still preferred Martin.

Our first stop was an island made of reeds not attached to the sea floor so it floated. They demonstrated how they created their island using a base of roots and piling reeds on top. The actual surface was more like straw and the children were running about in bare feet - such fun. We were told that they drank from the lake, but if we did, it would be toxic.

Must say they’re clever marketers. Some in our group bought handicrafts, but most of us - trying to shed rather than accumulate stuff - did not. The option then was to take an island tour in their hand made boats. Who could refuse???

Once on board, the cute little girls serenaded us with songs, then passed around a hat. Clever. The short boat tour was 20 soles - $7.00 Cdn. So with 2 boats and 10 passengers on each, plus more boats arriving shortly, they’re doing A-OK.

Still, I can’t imagine how they live there. The island has to be continually reinforced, and after about 30 years it sinks and they have to create a new one. We were told they don’t pay taxes, and the kids are sent by boat to a school on another island.

Next stop was Taquile, a nearby island where they speak Quechua. About 2,200 live there, and they’re known for their handwoven textiles. The women create the textiles, the men do the knitting, especially the hats that indicate a man’s status. We were welcomed and entertained by dancing - first by them, then we were asked to join in. I, of course, jumped up and asked Peter to take pics, but he missed it. I did get a good video of John, though - such a good sport.

The lunch they provided was surprising good - Canadian trout from Lake Titicaca with veggies, and an option for omelettes. The fish was fresh and beautifully spiced. When questioned about the water, we were told it’s toxic near the floating island, but safe here. Sounds good enough to me - and everyone was A-OK.

That night, exhausted and still heavy headed, we opted to eat at the hotel. It was excellent - can see why Peru is know for its cuisine. The plus for me, was that the floor under me was no longer moving. Perhaps I’m getting used to the altitude. Truth is, we still puffed & paused as we climbed the 3 sets of stairs from our room to the restaurant.Baca lagi