Last weekend, I visited Lake Titicaca. It is about a 6 hour journey by bus on a good highway to Puno where Lake Titicaca is located. The terrain changes in the course of the journey from highlands to Altiplano. It is possible to grow most crops in the highlands whereas the Altiplano is higher and suitable for in american terms, 'ranching', or grazing cattle or sheep, llamas or alpacas. It is difficult to grow food because it is very dry.
I took a tour to the Uros islands which are about 45 minutes by boat from Puno harbor. They are called the 'Floating Islands' though now the inhabitants have secured them and they no longer float. However, as you can see in the picture, everything is made from reeds that grow in Lake Titicaca. The sensation of walking is like walking on a very thick carpet that moves up and down. The houses are made from the reeds, the reeds are used for medicine as well. There is a school on the island and the children now go to school, the current generation did not go to school and depend on fish and the eggs of the comorants for food. They also do crafts, like knitting and embroidery.
We took a ride in a boat made from reeds from one side of the island to the other. We were given a demonstration of how they expand the island when they need more room. Also in the picture the women are doing a role play of how they negotiate/barter at the market in Puno with other women for goods that they need, like beans for dried fish.
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