The lake on top of the world

Lake Titicaca may not be the highest navigable lake in the world but there are not any bigger and higher!  Leaving from Puno we spent a day on the Peruvian side of the lake visiting the famous floating islands of the Uros.  The Islands were a sight to see, even with the shifting of the culture from isolationistic:- the original inhabitants moved to the islands to avoid imperialistic neighbors around 800 years ago and remained there though the rise and fall of the Incas, to the modern more tourist driven lifestyle.  The islands are made from large sections of reed roots 2m deep covered with many layers of reeds that need continual replenishment. The chunks of roots are tied together and also anchored to poles imbedded in the lake bottom.  Not only are the islands they live on made of reeds but so are their houses, their boats, and their souvenirs.

One aspect of their life which I found quite appealing was when a couple planned on marrying they were instructed by a special member of their tribe on contraceptives both natural traditional methods and modern condoms and the pill, after which they would live together for two years to ensure compatibility before permission would be given for marriage and children.  If they were not compatible they would go their separate ways with no ill regard from the community as they were never married.

We also visited Taquile island one of the four major islands in the lake, the community was very strictly run with codes of dress for the inhabitants ensuring that marriage status could be seen and if the individual was a leader of the community.  They are reputed to have the finest weavings in the Andes, but the work on display didn’t appeal to us the way the bright cheap works on the mainland did.  I will however give credit for their hats being woven close enough to carry water, though why not use a bucket I’m not so sure.

Crossing to the Bolivian side we looked out over the fleet of paddle boats and kayaks while relaxing in hammocks up on the hill.  If we were not at 4000m the temperature may have risen enough to venture in the water but instead we just soaked up the view.