Can’t believe I paid big bucks for this. Sure, I anticipated the racing heartbeat and low oxygen levels, but diarrhea? And not just moí — others in our traveling group experienced upset stomachs too. Just another offshoot of altitude sickness, they say. But we endured. Puno is where you’d find Lake Titicaca, the largest freshwater lake in South America and the highest navigable lake in the world. There are less than 20 “ancient” lakes on earth and Titicaca ranks among them. It also borders Bolivia to the east and sits at over 3,800 meters above sea level. That is just a few meters below La Raya, the highest point (4,300 meters) between Cusco and Puno which we passed on our way here. Feeling the way I did here, I gave up on my dream to visit Rainbow Mountain which tops at 5,200 meters, more than twice that of Machu Picchu!
At this elevation, it’s interesting that the waters are very still, so calm it mirrors one’s reflection quite clearly and brightly! The lake claimed to be the birthplace of the Incas is 56% owned by Peru while the remaining 44% lies in La Paz, Bolivia. The lady you see on the photo above rules the village like a Mayor would. When we arrived, there was an assortment of fabrics, rugs, handicraft strewn on the floating island made of reeds, available for sale. Calls to mind my visit to Myanmar’s Inle Lake where I also found “floating villages”. The latter, I find more progressive though. Their weaving industry is far more superior and the villages have become self-sufficient with “floating gardens” complete with weaving factories, schools and even restaurants.
The closest city to the lake is Puno from where we took a private boat to reach Uros Village. The indigenous people who live here are called Uros themselves and they call the floating islands made of Totora reeds their home. I’ve read somewhere that should one fall into the lake, tradition dictates that no rescue will be done. That is, the person who fell into the lake would be considered an “offering” to the Earth Goddess”. Now, if you’re wondering about the lake’s depth, you bet it’s deep at 140 to 280 meters deep!
from the hotel’s wharf.
We tried riding the “reed boats” but felt safer back in our tiny motorboat sailing to the island of Taquile for a short hike for our lunch. Then back to our Puno lakefront hotel. I like our Sonesta Posada del Inca Hotel’s lakefront yard. Breakfast offers a stunning view of the waters and the yard has cozy gazebos and sitting areas. Perfect for cocktails at sundown.
back to the hotel after this excursion
lifeisacelebration 