Day 1 of a 2 day tour to these beautiful islands

  Puno, Peru Monday, April 11, 2016

This was our final destination in Peru. We were quite sad at the thought of leaving Peru as we have had such a wonderful time here and met some wonderful people. But were not finished yet. Puno is a small town on the shores of Lake Titicaca and we have heard only good things about this place. Our hostal (more of a small hotel really) is very friendly and very cold! Luckily they could provide us with a heater for the room. We had booked this place because - and don't laugh because it's funny what attracts you to a place when you have been away from home and your creature comforts for so long! - well the pictures they had on Booking.com showed all the beds with feather duvets on. And we definitely wanted that snuggle factor.Disappointment set in though when we opened the door and realised we just had those heavy blankets and bedspreads again. As we said earlier though, they are lovely people here and they swapped the blankets for feather duvets for us at a moments notice. We were sorted! The main attraction in this town is the Lake. And more importantly, what's on it. This lake, which is the highest navigable lake in the world (ie that means you can have boats on it) has large communities of indigenous people who live on homemade floating islands made from reeds. They are very famous and pull quite a crowd. So a day after we arrived in Puno, we were up and off to see them ourselves. The lovely people at Peru Hop had recommended this particular tour and as they had always come up trumps for us before, we saw no reason to doubt them over this either. We were met at the harbour by the wonderful Bruno. He was to be our guide for the next couple of days as we would overnight on one of the islands on the lake.our guide Bruno Bruno turned out to be hilarious. He didn't know he was, and he wasn't trying to be. He was just so dry and so funny with it that he certainly added value to the tour. Bruno named us "Bruno's Happy Group" as he said all the other groups were not happy! Along with 15 other people who were with us, we would be Bruno's Happy Group for the whole 2 days and we all set off on a boat which carried about 30 people when full. The boat goes at one speed and one speed only - slow! We are not sure why, maybe there is a speed limit on the lake or maybe it's because the boats only have one engine and are old. Whatever the reason it was a very leisurely trip out onto the lake, we passed lots and lots of reed beds and wildlife.An hour later and the inhabited islands of Uros were starting to appear.  There were loads of them! We seemed to be heading for one in particular and a group of ladies in very brightly coloured clothes were waiting for us. Bruno's Happy Group hopped off and Bruno introduced Rosa to us. A very lively, bubbly, smiley lady who was alo the president of this particular island. We were seated on log and Rosa & her husband Jose described how the islands were built (all translated by Bruno). On the islands they speak Aymara, not Spanish.Rosa & Jose had had 3 children on this island but all were away at school on the mainland now. They showed us their houses which actually were just bedrooms where they slept. It seemed as if all the rest of life happened outdoors. Their bedrooms are built onto slightly higher platforms which ensures they stay warm and dry. We have to admit, it was very cosy inside. We had a chance to look at the handicrafts they make here as a family. It was futile to resist buying anything as Rosa & Jose were such lovely warm people we couldn't refuse them. Then to a chorus of wailing and singing - all very out of tune but fun just the same, Jose paddled us off on a reed boat to the next island. We can still hear Rosa's badly tuned singing ringing in our ears now!The next floating island had a cafe on it. A good cup of coffee awaited us and surprise surprise, for 1 soles (20p) you could get your passport stamped with a special island stamp too. Jody always carries her passport with her and duly paid her 1 /s. Bryan was livid! - He had left his passport back at the hotel and was even contemplating getting a boat back just to get it. How could he miss an opportunity like this? It was quite funny but he was quite upset. Back in our original boat now with Bruno and his Happy Group, we made our way over to the Island of Amantani. The largest natural island on Titicaca (this one doesn't float). It would take us about 2 1/2 hours but we didn't mind. The pace was lovely and gentle and the scenery so beautiful - why would we mind? On the way Bruno entertained us with stories about the island and taught us some of the island language of Aymera. Our arrival on the island was very much expected and a group of 'hosts' had gathered at the jetty to welcome us, peer at us and probably argue over which fresh meat they wanted. Us being the fresh meat! They were probably saying "ooo don't like the look of yours Mabel!"The way these tours work, is that each of the communities on the island have a selection of families that take in 'guests'. Of course we are paying guests and each family in the community that is registered for this scheme, takes 10 people. Not all at once but once they have taken 10 guests, it is then the turn of another family in that community to take 10. Once all the families in that community that are part of the scheme have taken 10 guests, then the tours move on to another community on the island. Then they all take it in turns to take 10 guests. This is a scheme that was set up by the island leaders so that the income from taking guests is shared by everyone on the island and everyone can benefit. The money doesn't all go in one pocket! Brilliant! As we would be staying with a family, the lady from each host family had come to meet us and we were shared out amongst them. Our host Amanda was taking 4 of us; us and another young English couple; Louise and Rick. The four of us set off up the hill after Amanda and we struggled to keep pace with her as she wound her way up and up across stony paths, climbed walls and dodged bushes.As we walked higher and higher up the hill, we had a glimpse of life here on the island. Pigs, goats and donkeys all being tended by there owners. Ladies walking everywhere carrying things and children in their backpacks. And all set off by the fabulous blue of Lake Titicaca. It was just the most glorious setting and seemed like such an idyllic way of life. Just wonderful! Amanda's house sat high up on the hill and our rooms had the most stunning views of the lake below. We could have just sat and gazed out of the window for hours. Lunch was ready for us and the four of us tucked into soup and rice with vegetables. That's another thing Bruno told us, the whole island is vegetarian! Amazing. Surrounded by all that trout in the water and they don't even eat fish! Jody was in her element and could at last tuck into a meal with confidence. After lunch Amanda led us to a meeting point where Bruno was waiting to gather his Happy Group together again. Then he led us up the hill (again - why is everything always uphill???). This time we were going to the very top of the island. Now bearing in mind Lake Titicaca already sits at 3,813 metres high, so walking is already hard. To climb to the top of the island was another 500metres and it was tough. To make it interesting though, lots of local women were strewn all up the mountain path trying to sell us stuff. We managed to resist and made it to the top. The views were beautiful but alas the sunset panorama we had hoped for wasn't going to happen due to a big storm developing. So really cold and tired now, we all made our way back down again.Bruno had told us there was a party in the main square tonight as the island was tomorrow, celebrating it's 51st year as an independently governed community. So with the promise of dancing, music and fun we headed to the square. What we actually got was a stage with kids taking it in turn to read a poem, sing a song or give a little dance. To be honest it wasn't very good bless'em so most of Bruno's Happy Group piled in the pub! It was the only one in the square but it was warm, they served hot chocolate, muña tè, cocoa tè other alcoholic beverages and all sorts, but Bruno had told us to try the macho tè as it was a combination of just about everything (apart from the hot chocolate). So we did. Can't say it was all that great but it did warm us up.Amanda arrived and led our little family back to her house - in the dark now as the island has no mains electricity - only a little solar powered stuff and that seems to be kept for the houses. We had to find our way up that little path with all the stones, climb a wall, dodge bushes and goodness knows what creepy crawlies. We had another delicious vegetarian meal and were then invited to get dressed up for a party. We were so tired but thought it would be really rude not to agree. Amanada took great delight in bringing out traditional dresses for Jody & Louise, and ponchos for Bryan and Rick. The costumes on the island all have a meaning down to the colours, the embroidery and the way it is worn. Amanda wears a green skirt as do all the women in her community. There are 10 communities on the island and each woman must wear the colour for where she lives. If a girl marries and moves to a different community with her husband, then she must wear the colour skirt of her husband's community.Then dressed up to the eyeballs and barely able to move, we set off again in the pitch dark, way down that ankle breaking little path with all the stones, climb the stone wall again, dodging the bushes on our way. She led us to a community centre where Bruno and only a few as it turned out of Bruno's Happy Group were assembled. There were a couple of other tours here too (not with Bruno) and a few of them had managed to stay awake, get dressed up and join us. Together, we all sat around the edge of the hall in our costumes like teenagers at a school disco! Then the band started playing and the old ladies all jumped up and grabbed a nice young man and made him dance. The dancing was furious and there was no opting out. The old ladies spun us around - threw us around more like and they had a whale of a time. Bruno's Happy Group on the other hand were seriously flagging by now. Luckily Amanda took pity on us and took us home. Yep - back up the path in the dark. We are so surprised none of us twisted an ankle really as wearing those skirts we couldn't see our feet or where we were putting them. We got back to our basic little rooms but the beds were comfortable. Once we had taken all those costumes off it was a bit chilly and the room was cold. But there were plenty of blankets on the bed and it didn't take us long to fall straight to sleep. No cars, no traffic noise just silence. Wonderful!