High Altitude Island Hopping

Probably because we were getting sick of buses, Jim and I decided to mix it up a bit and take a boat to some islands on Peru´s Lake Titikaka, the world´s largest high altitude lake. Not surprisenly, buses were not a transport option to the islands.

The first islands we stopped at are the very famous and very touristy floating islands of the Uros tribe. Back in the days of the Incas, the Uros tribe made their islands out of roots and mud tied together with about six feet of reeds stacked on top to escape the Incas. The reeds are continually decaying, so the natives have put on a new layer every 20 days or so. The women who showed us around their island wore bright clothes of yellows, oranges, and pinks. When Jim asked them why they wore such bright clothes they answered, ´Oh, because the tourists like them.´

To come to the next island, we rode the boat for three hours, during which we talked, read, and slept. Upon landing, we were met by our host dad, who escorted us to his house for the evening. Our meals all consisted of quenwa soup, potatoes, and vegtables becuase the natives only eat food they can grow on the island. Meat is very rare because it has to come from the mainland, a long boatride away. In the evening we climbed up to the top of the mountain, and then after dinner we dressed up in native gard and went to a party of other grincos dressed up in native gard. We managed to get a family photo before we took off in the morning, a task we thought might not happen because the 4 year old son was constantly running away from his parents and us!

We boarded our boat just past 7 and went to another island. At this island the natives actually wore colorful clothes because that was the custom, not because tourists liked them. Our boat met us on the other side so that we could walk half-way around the island. Just before we boarded we were taken to a restaurant to buy lunch, even though it was only 10:30. We decided to split a dish because of the time and the tourist price we were being charged. When Jim asked them why the lunch cost so much, the guide said because the food had to come from the mainland. But our food consisted of grains and vegtables grown on the island and, or all foods, fish. Considering we were on an island, Jim and I think it very unlikely the fish came from the mainland.