Stepping back in time in Puno

Following the adventure to Machu Picchu, we made our way back to Cusco courtesy of some new Columbian friends. After spending one last night there, and getting to share a delicious meal with Shari and Rachel, we boarded an early tourist bus to the town of Puno, which is the main city on the Peru side of Lake Titicaca. The 8 hour bus trip was broken up by stops at small historic villages along the way featuring more inca ruins, churches, museums and a Peruvian lunch. We arrived on Puno that evening, settled into our hotel, grabbed dinner on town, witnessed a pre-easter parade and prepared for the overnight trip we would take the following day to the islands in the middle of Lake Titicaca.

From the port of Puno, we traveled by boat on to Lake Titicaca with a guide and small group. Our first stop in the Puno bay area was the Floating islands. These are islands made from the collection of plants grown up through the water and the inhabitants build homes and maintain the "land" of the island with additional plants for around two years when they need to relocate to a new island due to the deterioration of the plants. The way of life was beyond rural, literally like stepping hundreds of years back in time and was truly fascinating. 

arriving at floating islands

floating islands way of life

on the boat

 We continued our native peruvian tour and arrived a few hours later on one of the natural islands (not man made) named Amantani. Here we had a chance to take a small hike and witness the serene beauty of the island as well as get assigned our family we would eat and stay with for the night. 

the hillside of Amantani

happy hikers

Sabrina and I were assigned with Lucy, a 24 year-old mother who lives with her young daughter and her parents, her husband lives in Puno city where he workes to make money for the family as the only form of income om the island comes from agriculture or selling handicrafts. We enjoyed delicious vegetarian meals at her home, all cooked in clay pots over coals, attempted to speak a bit of Spanish to get to know them (the main language of the island people is Quechua, an indigineous Peruvian language) and even got dressed up in their traditional garb for a dance hall social. That night, huddled under blankets in the frigid non-heated bedroom and using the bucket flush toilet, I thought about all the luxuries we are all used to and how amazing it is that so many people live without or lead a life we associate with another century! It was an enjoyable and educational experience to spend some time witnessing the life the only life that Lucy and her family know. 

all dressed up

After breakfast with the family the next day, we departed Amantani for the island of Taguille, just another hour by boat, where we hikes and enjoyed another traditional Peruvian lunch (can`t get enough of quinoa soup) before heading back to Puno. 

The trip to Peru with Sabrina was filled with so many amazing sites and unreal adventures. I honestly enjoyed every bit of physical discomfort, or freezing cold in the high altitude, or another meal based on soup and potatoes...it was all worth it for the awesome experience we shared and I cant think of anyone I could have done the same with. Saying goodbye is hard especially when you are a solo traveler and meeting up with friends is such a thrill, but all good things come to an end so I said goodbye to Sabs as she headed back to NYC and I hopped an (overnight) plane to Rio to meet other friends from home who had journeyed to the southern hemisphere.

Chao!