Woke up early in Puno, I had started feeling really sick and wasn't too sure about having to sit on a boat for a couple hours, and be far away from a reasonable toilet for the rest of the day. Although there was no way in hell I was going to miss out on this trip. So early the next morning, somewhat reluctantly, I put on my happy-face and got on the pedicab headed for the bay to lay eyes on the infamous Titicaca:
Lake Titicaca
As mentioned before, Titicaca sits at an elevation of 3,812m (12,507 ft), making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. It is connected to over 21 rivers, has an area of 8,372km², an average depth of 107m and is 284m at it's deepest.
Also written Titikaka, it was one of the few places I had actually heard of, prior to this trip, and it came from a very unlikely source: Beavis & Butthead. Here's a memorable clip:
For the rest... Lake Titicaca is enourmous! As we didn't have much time, we opted to see as much as possible and go to the Uros islands in the morning, have lunch back in Puno, and in the afternoon on to Sillustani. Just to give you an idea how large this lake is, Taquile Island (the white dot) is a 2-3 hrs boat ride, one way.
Lake Titicaca, on the left is Peru, on the right Bolivia. Puno (Peru) and La Paz (Bolivia), Uros Islands, Taquile Island, Sillustani.
The Uros Islands
Uros is the name of the people who live on man-made islands located just over 30 minutes by boat from Puno. They are a pre-Incan peoples who have been living on 'land' made by bundling up reeds that grow in the lake. The totora plant is grown for use as food (it tastes like lettuce in stick form), to make boats, homes, watchtowers, and of course the islands themselves.
It is impressive that these peoples surrive solely on the fish in the lake and this one plant. Having almost no use of money, they barter in the Puno market for whatever else they need (like Pooh sweaters for the kids!), although I am curious how much they make from us touristas selling handicrafts.
Lake TiticacaAs mentioned before, Titicaca sits at an elevation of 3,812m (12,507 ft), making it the highest commercially navigable lake in the world. It is connected to over 21 rivers, has an area of 8,372km², an average depth of 107m and is 284m at it's deepest.
Also written Titikaka, it was one of the few places I had actually heard of, prior to this trip, and it came from a very unlikely source: Beavis & Butthead. Here's a memorable clip:For the rest... Lake Titicaca is enourmous! As we didn't have much time, we opted to see as much as possible and go to the Uros islands in the morning, have lunch back in Puno, and in the afternoon on to Sillustani. Just to give you an idea how large this lake is, Taquile Island (the white dot) is a 2-3 hrs boat ride, one way.
Lake Titicaca, on the left is Peru, on the right Bolivia. Puno (Peru) and La Paz (Bolivia), Uros Islands, Taquile Island, Sillustani.
The Uros Islands
Uros is the name of the people who live on man-made islands located just over 30 minutes by boat from Puno. They are a pre-Incan peoples who have been living on 'land' made by bundling up reeds that grow in the lake. The totora plant is grown for use as food (it tastes like lettuce in stick form), to make boats, homes, watchtowers, and of course the islands themselves.
It is impressive that these peoples surrive solely on the fish in the lake and this one plant. Having almost no use of money, they barter in the Puno market for whatever else they need (like Pooh sweaters for the kids!), although I am curious how much they make from us touristas selling handicrafts.
We had a guide that wouldn't shut up (Freddy)... and since I felt like crap, I just wandered around taking photos... not like I could get lost on an island the size of a baskeball court! We visited a couple islands and then headed back to Puno for lunch. The Uros Islands even boasts its own school, with an island all to itself! Each extended family takes care of their island, as the top layer of reed gets dried and sinks, a new layer is laid out over it, simple really. Though forget about running around, definitely not the easiest thing to walk in.
Waving goodbye to the guards at the Uros Islands' entrance/exit.
We got back to Puno with the thought of just going to a shop and buying random things, as I wasn't feeling too great and neither was my mom. Of course, this is before our proper introduction to siesta. Damnit. So we found an indoor market (a proper Peruvian mall!), bought some bread rolls (something like 10cents a roll), and I got tomato and a [massive] avocado so I could make a, you guessed it... a tomato and avocado sandwich. I wish I had pictures from the market, but I didn't have my camera on me. The meat section was... what's the right word... rancid. In proper third world tradition raw beef and chicken just chillin.' Hence my choice with the veggie sandwich.
Although I should point out, that it was roughly around this time (+/- 1 day) I contracted the salmonella virus.
Either way, I felt like crap. We got on another bus and headed into the hills towards Sillustani.
Yes, I know... but I had to... LAKE TITICACA!!!
Sillustani
Sillustani is a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umayo. Most of the towers ("chullpas") that mark the family graves have once again been looted, by dynamite no less. Which reminds me to discuss what I think of the Peruvian people as a whole. All this talk of pachimama, the Inca word for Mother Earth (technically, Mother Universe actually), and yet people throw their trash everywhere. We obviously got stared at wherever we went, the smaller towns were the worst, "who is that paleface, and what is that black contraction on the top of the 3-legged metal spider?!" But this is all familiar too me, what surprised me more, was the lack of interest beyond that. In Tibet, Egypt, even Brooklyn, people come up to you and ask what you're doing (not in the NYPD "whut tha f@ck you doin'" sort of way) and seem like they actually give two sh!ts about who you are and what you're doing there. In Peru... forget about it. First of all no one speaks English. I mean no one. Though that honestly shouldn't be a barrier. I only had ONE guy talk to me for a while, and that was in Cuzco (still to come), we talked for a while about Canon cameras, photography, art school and the such. He was an painting student at an art institute in Cuzco selling his landscapes to tourists, who actually had a Canon 20d (my camera) given to him by some random person! So he just needed some help explaining what half the crap was.
Anyway, back to Sillustani, which I can keep short and simple because no one really knows anything about them. The only thing worth mentioning is the feeling you got walking around this spiritual area. The stones used for the chullpas are actually magnetic! Strange, yes. So you do get an mysterious feeling while walking around the hilltop.
Birds also damage to the chullpas.
The insides of the tombs are apparently shaped like female insides, and the bodies were mummified in a fetal position to recreate birth. Some of the tombs also have lizards carved into the stone, as they could regrow their tails, lizards were considered a symbol of life.
I walked off away from the group, I was more able to take in the sights, sounds, and that eerie feeling alone, than with Freddy a.k.a. STFU Alfredo. It was while walking alone I had my first close encounter with the alpaca. No tourists around so I was free to shoot away... with my camera that is.
My mom then finally caught up with me, took some photos and we were back on the damn BlaBlaFreddyBus.
I didn't retouch my mom's photos (actually, just a little!), but you can see why it pays to get decent camera, and not use all the FullAutomatic color settings... but then again, I'm a photographer, so I'm never happy.
Early the next morning it was going to be another 8hrs of bus-fun across the Bolivian border via Copacabana and on to La Paz!
Waving goodbye to the guards at the Uros Islands' entrance/exit.We got back to Puno with the thought of just going to a shop and buying random things, as I wasn't feeling too great and neither was my mom. Of course, this is before our proper introduction to siesta. Damnit. So we found an indoor market (a proper Peruvian mall!), bought some bread rolls (something like 10cents a roll), and I got tomato and a [massive] avocado so I could make a, you guessed it... a tomato and avocado sandwich. I wish I had pictures from the market, but I didn't have my camera on me. The meat section was... what's the right word... rancid. In proper third world tradition raw beef and chicken just chillin.' Hence my choice with the veggie sandwich.
Although I should point out, that it was roughly around this time (+/- 1 day) I contracted the salmonella virus.
Either way, I felt like crap. We got on another bus and headed into the hills towards Sillustani.
Yes, I know... but I had to... LAKE TITICACA!!!Sillustani
Sillustani is a pre-Incan burial ground on the shores of Lake Umayo. Most of the towers ("chullpas") that mark the family graves have once again been looted, by dynamite no less. Which reminds me to discuss what I think of the Peruvian people as a whole. All this talk of pachimama, the Inca word for Mother Earth (technically, Mother Universe actually), and yet people throw their trash everywhere. We obviously got stared at wherever we went, the smaller towns were the worst, "who is that paleface, and what is that black contraction on the top of the 3-legged metal spider?!" But this is all familiar too me, what surprised me more, was the lack of interest beyond that. In Tibet, Egypt, even Brooklyn, people come up to you and ask what you're doing (not in the NYPD "whut tha f@ck you doin'" sort of way) and seem like they actually give two sh!ts about who you are and what you're doing there. In Peru... forget about it. First of all no one speaks English. I mean no one. Though that honestly shouldn't be a barrier. I only had ONE guy talk to me for a while, and that was in Cuzco (still to come), we talked for a while about Canon cameras, photography, art school and the such. He was an painting student at an art institute in Cuzco selling his landscapes to tourists, who actually had a Canon 20d (my camera) given to him by some random person! So he just needed some help explaining what half the crap was.Anyway, back to Sillustani, which I can keep short and simple because no one really knows anything about them. The only thing worth mentioning is the feeling you got walking around this spiritual area. The stones used for the chullpas are actually magnetic! Strange, yes. So you do get an mysterious feeling while walking around the hilltop.
Birds also damage to the chullpas.I walked off away from the group, I was more able to take in the sights, sounds, and that eerie feeling alone, than with Freddy a.k.a. STFU Alfredo. It was while walking alone I had my first close encounter with the alpaca. No tourists around so I was free to shoot away... with my camera that is.
My mom then finally caught up with me, took some photos and we were back on the damn BlaBlaFreddyBus.
I didn't retouch my mom's photos (actually, just a little!), but you can see why it pays to get decent camera, and not use all the FullAutomatic color settings... but then again, I'm a photographer, so I'm never happy.
As the sun set, we passed by a typical 
house/farm, where I was somewhat surprised to learned, that although you see firewood in front of the little oven hut (picture left), it is in fact filled with llama patties! Makes me wonder if I should use something like that for my next BBQ...? Maybe not.
Either way, the sun had set, we head back to the hotel in Puno, where I fell asleep to 'Los Simpson' y 'Robot Pollo', while my mom kneeled over the toilet for a bit... ah, the joys of travel!
house/farm, where I was somewhat surprised to learned, that although you see firewood in front of the little oven hut (picture left), it is in fact filled with llama patties! Makes me wonder if I should use something like that for my next BBQ...? Maybe not.Either way, the sun had set, we head back to the hotel in Puno, where I fell asleep to 'Los Simpson' y 'Robot Pollo', while my mom kneeled over the toilet for a bit... ah, the joys of travel!
Early the next morning it was going to be another 8hrs of bus-fun across the Bolivian border via Copacabana and on to La Paz!
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