Lake Titicaca

Yesterday I took a bus to Puno, home to the highest lake in the world... Lake Titicaca. I spent the night in town and then took a small boat to several islands. The first island I visited is a floating island. They take the local reeds that grow in shallow water and tie them all together to form giant islands !  Seriously!  And lots of people live on these islands year round.  We got to see exactly how they made the islands and how they live.  It is absolutely astounding.

Then I got back on the boat and they dropped me off at Amantani island where this wonderfully sweet woman, Flora, was waiting for me. We walked to her house which was about a thirty or so minute walk up and down little paths, around rock walls, through garden plots, and neighboring villas. Me... With a giant backpack, a little backpack on the front, and a waist pack.  Why was my load so big and heavy, you ask? Because I was afraid there wouldn't be enough water...on an ISLAND...so I hauled almost 5 liters of water...bananas, oranges,  a kilo of sugar, and stupidly, a kilo of quinoa (I didn't know they grew it here! It was supposed to be a nice gift.)Hmmm. 

So what was for lunch? She made me delicious quinoa soup. She had actually grown the quinoa herself. Oh well. You can never have too much quinoa. 

My Spanish is improving and we can communicate fairly well. However, sometimes we have conversations that I have no idea what we are talking about. And the niños! I couldn't understand why I did not have a clue as to what they were saying but later learned that they mostly speak Quechua mixed with a little Spanish. That was a relief actually. I was thinking I just didn't speak child. 

In the afternoon, I rejoined a few of the other people that came over on the boat with me and we hiked up to Pachatata (The male energy ceremonial place at the top of one of the two mountains on the island.  The other is Pachamama...mother earth).  

I didn't realize how cold and windy it would be at the top. Luckily for me the pathway was filled with local women selling the hats, gloves, and sweaters they make with the local alpaca and wool. I broke down and bought a hat from the woman at the very top...she lugged all her wares alllllll the way up to the top of a very steep mountain!  And now I get to look cool just like the locals.