November 5, 2011
At 8am on Friday a tour van came by my hotel and picked me up and took us down to the docks. There was 20 of us from different countries but mostly from European countries like Spain, Germany, France, etc... As I was on the boat heading to the floating islands I overheard a guy from France talking in english with a guy from Germany saying he had been studying on Vancouver Island for 2 years in Metchosin so I jumped in and said that is where I am from! Small world! His name is Levi and I thought he must be in his late 20's but found out he is only 18 years old. Very experienced for someone so young.
It took 20 minutes to reach the floating islands of the Uros people. These floating islands were first made 500 years ago so the Uros people could isolate themselves from the aggressive Incas and the Collas. Our guide told us there are 1500 people living on these floating islands that are made from "totora reeds" which grow naturally in lake Titicaca. There are 4 families on each island. They had fish nets under the island so could raise their own fish and pull them up when they want, there were pink flamingos and black ones that they raised on their island. They showed us a wooden rifle that they used to shoot ducks with. Each hut had its own TV set and they had solar panels and satellite dishes. I mean, what modern day tribe can go without satellite tv these days?
I asked our guide about their toilets and he said there is an ecological toilet that they have to take their boat to so I imagine if they have to take a leak they just go right into the lake on their island. You could see the floating islands moving as waves came through from the passing boats which cause a ripple through the reeds that you are standing on. Your footing never feels solid. They have reed boats that look like Viking ships with animal/snake faces at the front.
At the end of the tour they had their merchandise out for display but it was all overpriced. $30US for a towel that was hand made. These things sell for 1/4 of that anywhere else. My guide book said it was a tourist trap but I didn't feel the locals were pressuring you to buy but just to look at their merchandise.
After the floating islands we took a 3 hour boat ride to "Isla Amantani". All the boats here drive slowly at about 12 km/h and Amantani is about 40km off shore from Puno. On the boat I met a couple from Lyon France named Guillaume and Florence. They are cycling South America for 6 months and camping here and there when they don't make it to a town. Now that is real travelling!!
We arrived at Isla Amantani and everyone got paired up with their families with 2 to a family and Guillaume, Florence, Levi, and I went with one family. For lunch they served us a few different types of potatoes and fried cheese. I remember in Chachapoyas I had bought this cheese since it was so cheap (66 cents) when I went to the waterfalls there and didn't like it so I fed it to the 2 dogs I saw up there but when it is fried it is a little better. Our guide "Agustin" stayed with us too and he told us in 1986 El Nino effected the lake and the floating islands so the government gave each family 100 square meters of land.
At 4pm our group of 20 began climbing the mountain on the island. Guillaume and I are fast walkers and got much farther ahead of the group until we came to a fork in the trail and we assumed everyone would be going up the big mountain for our sun set shots but we found out they went up the little one were the Tiwanaka ruins are located. So we took some shots up there before heading to the little mountain where the ruins are. We were at 4100 meters above sea level on the big mountain and could see Bolivia since Peru and Bolivia share lake Titicaca. We took our sunset shots at the ruins and then headed down after 6pm.
On the way down I met John and Elisha from Australia. John works in western Australia in the mining industry for the big mining giant BHP. I told him I had been interested in migrating there as an electrician and he told me they still have a skilled labour shortage and the wages are unbeatable. I am sure the wages are the same as the Canadian oilfields but their weather is much better than ours. The oxygen is thin at these levels and you get tired easily. Altitude sickness effects everyone differently and it makes no difference if you are in shape or not. They had some dancing event for 8pm where everyone dressed up as the locals in their wear. I really wanted to try on those huge bright coloured dresses the women wear but I was very tired and went to bed right when I got home and didn't want dinner.
At 6:50am I hear a knock at my door and I tell them to come in. The hosts 7 year old girl opens the door and stares in at me like she does not know how to approach this big white stranger laying in his bed who speaks another language. She came up to my bed and stared and I asked her what she wanted and I heard her say "comida" (food) so knew she was sent to get me to come down for breakfast. So I headed down and Levi, Guillaume, and Florence were already eating breakfast.
At 8am we left the island and by 9am we reached Isla Taquile (Not tequilla!). We hiked up the mountain to the main plaza of the town. There were 2 women from Montana USA that worked at Yellowstone park and after chatting with them a bit we realized we are on the same flight from Lima to Houston at 12:05am November 23rd. Small world! I also met a couple from Spain named Alvaro and Estare. Alvaro works for a power company that uses windmills for power and I told him I work in the Canadian oilfields converting oilsands to oil.
At 11am we head up to some pre-Incan ruins and then head for lunch which was not included in the tour. Knowing how these tours operate I am already suspicious of the pricing of the meals and find out it is 17 soles for a simple fish lunch which would normally cost 5 soles anywhere else but everyone sits down and has their meals except for Levi, Guillaume, and Florence who opt out and go 20 meters down the road and have the exact same meals as us which costs them 10 soles and at that point I realized it was our guide making 7 soles per head ($2US) from this lunch which I don't mind since his tip is now worked into the tour. Agustin told me he does this tour once a week and shares it with 6 other guys and he is a good guy so I don't mind over paying for the meal.
At 1pm we leave the island and get back to Puno at 4pm and I get dropped off at my hotel. I am still waiting for my Puno tour guide (Alvaro) to give me my bus ticket to Copacabana Bolivia for tomorrow (Sunday). John and Elisha from Australia are going there tomorrow so I may run into them.
At 8am on Friday a tour van came by my hotel and picked me up and took us down to the docks. There was 20 of us from different countries but mostly from European countries like Spain, Germany, France, etc... As I was on the boat heading to the floating islands I overheard a guy from France talking in english with a guy from Germany saying he had been studying on Vancouver Island for 2 years in Metchosin so I jumped in and said that is where I am from! Small world! His name is Levi and I thought he must be in his late 20's but found out he is only 18 years old. Very experienced for someone so young.
It took 20 minutes to reach the floating islands of the Uros people. These floating islands were first made 500 years ago so the Uros people could isolate themselves from the aggressive Incas and the Collas. Our guide told us there are 1500 people living on these floating islands that are made from "totora reeds" which grow naturally in lake Titicaca. There are 4 families on each island. They had fish nets under the island so could raise their own fish and pull them up when they want, there were pink flamingos and black ones that they raised on their island. They showed us a wooden rifle that they used to shoot ducks with. Each hut had its own TV set and they had solar panels and satellite dishes. I mean, what modern day tribe can go without satellite tv these days?
I asked our guide about their toilets and he said there is an ecological toilet that they have to take their boat to so I imagine if they have to take a leak they just go right into the lake on their island. You could see the floating islands moving as waves came through from the passing boats which cause a ripple through the reeds that you are standing on. Your footing never feels solid. They have reed boats that look like Viking ships with animal/snake faces at the front.
At the end of the tour they had their merchandise out for display but it was all overpriced. $30US for a towel that was hand made. These things sell for 1/4 of that anywhere else. My guide book said it was a tourist trap but I didn't feel the locals were pressuring you to buy but just to look at their merchandise.
After the floating islands we took a 3 hour boat ride to "Isla Amantani". All the boats here drive slowly at about 12 km/h and Amantani is about 40km off shore from Puno. On the boat I met a couple from Lyon France named Guillaume and Florence. They are cycling South America for 6 months and camping here and there when they don't make it to a town. Now that is real travelling!!
We arrived at Isla Amantani and everyone got paired up with their families with 2 to a family and Guillaume, Florence, Levi, and I went with one family. For lunch they served us a few different types of potatoes and fried cheese. I remember in Chachapoyas I had bought this cheese since it was so cheap (66 cents) when I went to the waterfalls there and didn't like it so I fed it to the 2 dogs I saw up there but when it is fried it is a little better. Our guide "Agustin" stayed with us too and he told us in 1986 El Nino effected the lake and the floating islands so the government gave each family 100 square meters of land.
At 4pm our group of 20 began climbing the mountain on the island. Guillaume and I are fast walkers and got much farther ahead of the group until we came to a fork in the trail and we assumed everyone would be going up the big mountain for our sun set shots but we found out they went up the little one were the Tiwanaka ruins are located. So we took some shots up there before heading to the little mountain where the ruins are. We were at 4100 meters above sea level on the big mountain and could see Bolivia since Peru and Bolivia share lake Titicaca. We took our sunset shots at the ruins and then headed down after 6pm.
On the way down I met John and Elisha from Australia. John works in western Australia in the mining industry for the big mining giant BHP. I told him I had been interested in migrating there as an electrician and he told me they still have a skilled labour shortage and the wages are unbeatable. I am sure the wages are the same as the Canadian oilfields but their weather is much better than ours. The oxygen is thin at these levels and you get tired easily. Altitude sickness effects everyone differently and it makes no difference if you are in shape or not. They had some dancing event for 8pm where everyone dressed up as the locals in their wear. I really wanted to try on those huge bright coloured dresses the women wear but I was very tired and went to bed right when I got home and didn't want dinner.
At 6:50am I hear a knock at my door and I tell them to come in. The hosts 7 year old girl opens the door and stares in at me like she does not know how to approach this big white stranger laying in his bed who speaks another language. She came up to my bed and stared and I asked her what she wanted and I heard her say "comida" (food) so knew she was sent to get me to come down for breakfast. So I headed down and Levi, Guillaume, and Florence were already eating breakfast.
At 8am we left the island and by 9am we reached Isla Taquile (Not tequilla!). We hiked up the mountain to the main plaza of the town. There were 2 women from Montana USA that worked at Yellowstone park and after chatting with them a bit we realized we are on the same flight from Lima to Houston at 12:05am November 23rd. Small world! I also met a couple from Spain named Alvaro and Estare. Alvaro works for a power company that uses windmills for power and I told him I work in the Canadian oilfields converting oilsands to oil.
At 11am we head up to some pre-Incan ruins and then head for lunch which was not included in the tour. Knowing how these tours operate I am already suspicious of the pricing of the meals and find out it is 17 soles for a simple fish lunch which would normally cost 5 soles anywhere else but everyone sits down and has their meals except for Levi, Guillaume, and Florence who opt out and go 20 meters down the road and have the exact same meals as us which costs them 10 soles and at that point I realized it was our guide making 7 soles per head ($2US) from this lunch which I don't mind since his tip is now worked into the tour. Agustin told me he does this tour once a week and shares it with 6 other guys and he is a good guy so I don't mind over paying for the meal.
At 1pm we leave the island and get back to Puno at 4pm and I get dropped off at my hotel. I am still waiting for my Puno tour guide (Alvaro) to give me my bus ticket to Copacabana Bolivia for tomorrow (Sunday). John and Elisha from Australia are going there tomorrow so I may run into them.
