Chivay to Puno, Peru

To save several hours in a bus we used a tourist bus ...3 times the cost...to go from Chivay and Colca Canyon to Puno, Peru which is on the shore of Lake Tikicaca.  Another high altitude ride actually somewhat reminiscent of parts of Arizona or Utah.

The next day we booked a two day one night on Lake Tikicaca which claims to be the highest navigable lake in the world at aound 3800 meters.   It truly is a big lake with the border betwen Peru and Bolivia running down the middle.

The lake is known for its residents on the floating island ....hold on...Denyse just had her backpack stolen.....ok, Ill talk about that later.

In addition to floating islands which seemed a little hokey and for tourist interest there are real rock islands which house inhabitants of which their ancestors may have left the mainland for the island to escape the Incas who were really not all that nice a people.

About 500 live on this island with few services (like running water, vehicles, internet or mail service).  Diet is vegetable based  from terraced gardens and tourist dollars when we spend an overnight with a local family.

We stayed with Maria and her baby.  Had good food (vegetable soup and potatoes), pancakes and tea from locally grabbed herbs.  Appaarently her family helped her build the additional two bedrooms that are used by tourist like us about once a month.

Heres a look at the terracing and typical house on this island.


And here is our host and her baby...


I was a little suspicious at first that this would be a lame tourist even but in fact it was quite enjoyable.

Oh, and here is the required sunset photo from the top of this island, about 4200 meters above sea level if you are counting.





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