Lake Titicaca

Stone archway that seperates the different ethic groups on Taquille Island. This is just piled stones not binding compound.

Fresh trout from Lake Titicaca

The pre Inca terraces on Taquille Island

A traditional stove on wet peat on the floating Uros Islands

Floating Uros islands

We were picked up from our hotel in what our guide called
the Puno limousines which were pedal powered tuk tuks. It was surprising that
as soon as we crossed the border in Peru the prevalence of Tuk tuks was
evident. As part of our Lake Titicaca tour we were overnighting with a homestay
family and were expected to bring gifts in the way of food. It was terribly
orchestrated as our guide had told us too late in the evening the night before
to stop at the supermarket so our whole group was taken to one shop where we
stocked up on goods to supplement the villager’s diet. It was a horrible feeling
of being herded and taken to specific locations and having the choice taken
away from us. The tour continued to get more fake when our boat stopped at the
Uros floating islands. The islands are made from reeds and hence float. The
people who use to inhabit these islands were said to be originally from the
Pacific Islands that when they landed in South America a group of they climbed
the mountains and were so unwelcomed when they arrived at Lake Titicaca that
they had no choice but to live on floating islands. There are now none of the
Uros people left but people still build the floating islands. In my view this
is strictly for tourist purposes as there is little evidence of people living
on these islands, I suspect they come over from the mainland in the mornings in
time for the tourist trade. When we arrived on the island we were sat down and
told about the people and how they used the reeds to build the islands, houses
and rafts, it was very interesting. After the well-rehearsed speech the ladies
took us to look at the houses and dress people up in traditional clothes before
being shown their handicrafts. It was a huge exploitation of traditional culture
and I felt uneasy through the whole experience.
I was glad to leave the floating islands and the hoards of
tourists. After a 3 hour boat ride we arrived at Taquille Island which was
beautiful and green with lots of terracing in the landscape. The terraces were
made pre Inca and are an incredible engineering feat. The hike up the hill
tested our lung at 3600m. The tour agency rotates in lunch supplier through a
number of local families so the income is more evenly through the community.
Lunch was a vegetarian quinoa soup followed by fresh trout from the lake, it
was devine!!!!!!!
From here we cruised across the lake for another hour before
arriving at our homestay destination Laguna Chico which was on the Chucuito
Peninsula. The cringe worthy tourist trap continued with the local community accompanying
us with a band up to the school. It was all very awkward, but this community
has been doing this for two years with our tour operator. A local game of
football had been organised on the concrete field with large grass cracks in between
the concrete slabs, it was a miracle I did not sprain my ankle. After the
football game we were dressed up in local costume and taught to dance. As
touristy as this was it was hilarious, F looks quite good in fluro pink J
The lights went out and that was the end to the festivities
and saw us head back to our homestay families for dinner. The families have
been encouraged to develop facilities for tourists, so while our family slept
in one room – mum, dad, 5 kids and granddad, F and I had one room with 3 beds
and a private bathroom. I realise this is a source of income for these families
but it is very false and not a great way of development. The families were paid directly by the tour
company, it would have been more beneficial to have the tour company invest in
the community and develop more sustainable agricultural and fishing techniques
and help with education and providing more job opportunities.
As much as I was concerned by our impact on the community
and its long term sustainability our family was very hospitable. Waldis,
Isabel, Talia, Surina, Jefferson and Diana were gorgeous and the food we were
provided with was delicious (although it was prescribe by the tour agency as to
what to provide). In the morning we helped out with herding the sheep and doing
the dished before heading out for a hike up the hill. A final lunch of trout before
we headed back to Puno.