We were up early for another full day. Three of our group members are out of commission with altitude issues. Several others have felt the effects—headache, nausea, difficulty breathing—but recovered. We are hoping a day’s rest will be the cure for these three as well. Coca tea and candies have helped us all.

We were on our bus by 7 a.m. After Miriam fought with the police to let us through a parade-closed street in Puno (she told him we were all American government officials), the first stop was Chucuito at an Incan fertility temple. There are a few walls remaining and an arrangement of many phallic stones. The Spaniards used most of the temples’ stones to build a cathedral nearby. The remnants have been reconfigured to create the site we saw today. Offerings are still left by Andeans today as tribute and prayers for Pachamama, Mother Earth.

At Charcas we caught our boat to the island of Taquile. It was a clear, sunny, crisp day. We switched between the top deck and the cabin for great views across Lake Titicaca (Titikaka in Quechua)—all the way to Bolivia. The lake is crystal clear, covering 8400 square kilometers.

Taquile is a community out of the past. We climbed up, though not easily given the altitud, to the town center whereh we were fortunate to watch a folkloric dance. Yesterday was the beginning San Santiago’s Party. The Andeans who live here speak Quechua and cling to their native dress and subsistence living. The island is terraced. Norma, our very knowledgeable guide, explained that pata-pata is Quechua for terrace. When the Spaniards arrived, they found the Andeans growing primarily potatoes on theses terraces. Although Imilla is the Quechua name for potato, the Spaniards took a variation on pata-pata for this new vegetable—papa, or patata in Spain.

Farming is the main activity in the wet season (potatoes and quinua). Now, in the dry season, everyone is involved in handicrafts. The men knit and the women weave. Many of us bought fine quality knit hats with earflaps, or woven belts and bags. Norma explained that dress indicated a lot. Married men and women wear different hats and bags than children and single adults.

We had a very leisurely 2+ hour trip to Los Uros, the floating islands. We got a chance to rest and nap; no one slept much last night as we adjusted to the altitude.

The floating islands have existed since 1100 A.D. when the Aymara fled to the reeds on Lake Titicaca fearing the Spanish were invading to kill them. We had a demonstration of how the reed roots are cut in blocks, bound together, anchored to the river bed and then layered with reeds to make the islands. There are forty of them. They float thirteen meters above the river bed near the Bay of Puno. The islands survive now on the tourist trade. They compete amongst each other to see which island can attract more tourists. They dressed us in native dress and we danced with them. Then we bought! We are good at that!

We had a quick boat trip back—and cancelled our evening trip to Sillustani. Too dark, too tired. Pizza and bed for us—then a 4:00 a.m. wake up call.

Shauna
Art teacher
Champaign, IL