Lake Titicaca

Today, 6 Dec, we have a full day traveling by bus from Cusco to the Lake Titicaca. In Sicuani we had our lunch break, with Lamas all around us and if You get close they spit on You!! We have to climb up over the mountains to be able to climb "down" again to reach Puno, the village beside Lake Titicaca. On the highest point, Abra la Raya 4.312 we will stop for a short Photo pause. Eva bought us two Alpaca-sweaters and Anders says; -Well Eva, I know that You have a black belt in shopping but now You also have an altitude record in shopping!!

It is a kind of funny feeling to be this high up and still have the mountains around You!! We reached our Hotel, Sonesta del Inca, in the afternoon and we had to drink a lot of Coca thé to cope with the height, the Titicaca lake is 3.850 meter above the sea level!! We went to bed early and had once again an early wakeup the following morning.

This is a full day at the lake. We will visit the URO-Indians that live on floating islands! Very interesting! If You are angry with Your neighbors You just simply let the island float away.......They both build their islands, boats and eat the Totora-reed. About 300 Indians lives on the islands. A strange feeling when You feel a bit seasick ON the islands instead of on the boat. And there is a smell of rotten reed........

Another two hours boat trip (the Titicaca lake is bigger than Vänern and Vättern, the biggest lakes in Sweden, together) and we reach the Taquile Island. This is an island were the Indians not only wear traditional clothes they also have a living handicraft tradition. The women are weaving and the men are knitting!! AND... the men are walking, talking and knitting at the same time!!!!!

We had some lunch before we have to climb down again to our boat and the 3 hour trip back to Puno.

Just in front of the hotel there is a Steamer from 1862. This boat was built in England, sailed to the coast of Peru, put a part, transported up to Titicaca and then put together again, what a project!!! This is our last evening with the Thabela group......sad......we just met them and they are really good new friends of us........

The "Farwell dinner" starts with a Pisco sour and a much appreciated Thank You and farewell speech from Eva. Thank You a thousand times, Karin and Thabela Travel!!!! Tomorrow will be the last "early bird morning" within this group!

Most of us feel a little dizzy due to the height and many of us have a bad stomach, Anders among them. He also has blue lips...... but he was in good shape. We don’t need to say that we all enjoyed the flight back to Lima, just by the sea level!

On this our last day, Dec 8, we will visit a home for parentless children, 600 of them. We gave them money from the whole group to be spent for renovation of the boys-home.

We also visited the Museum of gold. The most famous thing was a ceremonial knife (a Tumi) in gold and turquoises. Now is the time for real Goodbyes!! Some of us have to go back home (to Sweden) some of us will have a break in Bonaire, some will continue to the Nasca lines and we will stay in Lima three more days before we will go back to Quito in Ecuador and meet up with our children for celebrating Eva’s very BIG birthday, Dec 17!

Hasta Luego

EvAnders