Lake Titicaca

Puno is a city on the shores of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable waterway in the world (at 12,500 feet).

We couldn't get here a few months ago when we came through to Bolivia, since this city and the lake were closed due to protests.  Luckily, the issues have been resolved, and we had no trouble getting here this time.

About 5 km from the Puno Port is located the floating reed islands of the Uros people.

From Wikipedia:

The Uros are a pre-Incan people who live on forty-two self-fashioned floating islands in Lake Titicaca Puno, Peru and Bolivia. They form three main groups: Uru-Chipayas, Uru-Muratos and the Uru-Iruitos. The latter are still located on the Bolivian side of Lake Titicaca and Desaguadero River.

The Uros use bundles of dried totora reeds to make reed boats (balsas mats), and to make the islands themselves.

The Uros islands at 3810 meters above sea level are just five kilometers west from Puno port.  Around 2,000 descendants of the Uros were counted in the 1997 census, although only a few hundred still live on and maintain the islands; most have moved to the mainland.

We boarded a boat in the late afternoon to make the journey out to the islands.  The air here is cold, as is the water.  As the boat sailed across the lake, the vast stretches of Tortora reeds came into view, and we could make out the lookouts and houses that dot the 47 or so islands.

The local ladies in their brightly coloured dresses, lined the front of the floating island, singing and waving as our boat approached.

The islands are amazing, as they must be continually maintained with new material every month (about 10 cm of new reeds).  The islands (depending on age) are about 3-4 meters thick of reed and root material.  It is an interesting sensation to walk on the islands, as you sink down with each step.

Our guide gave us a introduction to the islands and the people, and then we were given about 45 minutes to explore the small huts and buy some handicrafts from the locals.

We elected to take a ride in one of the local reed "canoes" to one of the neighbouring islands, but at 15 soles (about $5.00 each) for the 20 minute ride, I think we got taken a bit.

One of the reed boats that the locals use.  They take 6-7 months to construct fully of reeds.  In recent times, they have started to line the hulls with plastic water bottles to help with flotation.

The locals in their colourful dress as we approach one of the floating islands.

Singing a welcome.

Adorable.  

Vanessa with one of the locals.  His name is Brian, he lives with his Mom and Dad in a one room, one bed hut on the island.

The sun starting to go down.

Some of the islands.

Riding on the "canoe" to a neighbouring island.

The moon came up and reflected across the lake which was beautiful.

Vanessa and a couple of the locals who hitched a ride back on our boat.

Puno, from the lake as we make our way home.