Up pretty early today for breakfast in order to catch the fast boat to Isla Suasi. A little adventure with a "lost" room key bit I found it in my vest pocket after we were on the first floating Island.
Lake Titicaca is pretty massive - 100 miles long by about 70 miles wide. We loaded onto the boat and motored for about and hour and a half when we disembarked on on of the Uros Islands. All of these islands are made of reeds and the President of the island we stopped on told us about how they are made and maintained. There are PLENTY of reeds available for construction purposes! The island we stopped on had 35 people living on it - 15 families. Even their houses are made out of the reeds. A floating island lasts about 30 years after which time the people who live on that island have to make a new one.
These 4 ladies crouch over their traditional looms for quite a while making textiles.
Thanks to Richie Steingart for this awesome closeup
Preparing thread from raw wool.
After a while the the men played music traditional dance) for us with instruments and the 4 women asked others to join in the dance.
Luis dancing with one of the ladies with Chio taking images (and dancing)
Young men watching the group shop. The 2 on the right are single and not interested in looking for a wife (too young). The one on the left is single AND interested. All shown by the way the tasseled part is lined up. Straight back, not interested. Left side, interested.
Bobi Steingart shot this incredible image of a married man. The tassel to the right tells anyone that he is married. We found he is 72 years young and going strong.
I think this is his wife. She is wearing a red garment which signifies marriage.
Shortly after our arrival at Casa Andina Suasi Island Hotel we had a delicious outdoor barbecue buffet. Delicious trout, chicken, pork AND Alpaca. The alpaca didm't taste like chicken! Tasty but if the portion you got was too thin it was a little overdone. The larger ones were very tasty. Many grilled vegetables and some delicious sauces to put on them. Locally made breads and lemon custard with fruits for dessert. Delicioso!
Our room - pretty swank!
Wild vicuna on the walk to the "hill". All of 500 feet - took us to 13,000 feet though. And, still out of breath even though it was only 500 feet.
Full moon over Isla Suasi
Lake Titicaca is pretty massive - 100 miles long by about 70 miles wide. We loaded onto the boat and motored for about and hour and a half when we disembarked on on of the Uros Islands. All of these islands are made of reeds and the President of the island we stopped on told us about how they are made and maintained. There are PLENTY of reeds available for construction purposes! The island we stopped on had 35 people living on it - 15 families. Even their houses are made out of the reeds. A floating island lasts about 30 years after which time the people who live on that island have to make a new one.
This is the President of the floating island we stopped at today showing us the base element of the islands. These blocks of reed roots are cut and transported to where they will build there new island. Massive blocks of reed roots tied together and anchored using a 10 meter long eucalyptus pole ito the lake bottom. The we were on was made of 3 blocks of reed roots.
Here are Richie, Larainne and Connie in front of traditional huts on Isla Uros. You can see the reeds
forming the base of the island - the base is 3 meters deep The reeds that make up the island base are topped off every 17 days. Each hut is physically lifted up and moved so the new reeds can be added. The reason they the islands last about 17 years is after that amount of time the base looses it's bouyancy and the entire island would sink. In the really old days the islands were not anchored and if the people got into a dispute with their neighbors they would just pole the entire island somewhere else!
Extreme closeup of reeds. Thanks Richie Steingart!
This lady and her little girl had set up some of the items they had made for sale to visitors. The little girl is eating the bottom part of the reed. We all got to try it and it wash't really sweet. It had the consistency of celery with a bit of a cucumber taste. Some people said ti tasted like nothing at all. Not like sugar cane.
Two awesome images by Luis Costales!
Some of us went for a short ride in a traditional reed boat.
Here are Richie, Larainne and Connie in front of traditional huts on Isla Uros. You can see the reeds
forming the base of the island - the base is 3 meters deep The reeds that make up the island base are topped off every 17 days. Each hut is physically lifted up and moved so the new reeds can be added. The reason they the islands last about 17 years is after that amount of time the base looses it's bouyancy and the entire island would sink. In the really old days the islands were not anchored and if the people got into a dispute with their neighbors they would just pole the entire island somewhere else!
Extreme closeup of reeds. Thanks Richie Steingart!
This lady and her little girl had set up some of the items they had made for sale to visitors. The little girl is eating the bottom part of the reed. We all got to try it and it wash't really sweet. It had the consistency of celery with a bit of a cucumber taste. Some people said ti tasted like nothing at all. Not like sugar cane.
Two awesome images by Luis Costales!
Some of us went for a short ride in a traditional reed boat.
We met people from 2 distinct cultures today. The people on the floating islands speak Quechua. The people on Isla Tequile speak Aymara. In the area around Lake Titicaka, generally the people to the north speak Quechua and this to the south Aymara. Our guide told us that at one time there was just one nation with 2 distinct zones. Peru and High Peru. Eventually Peru to the north remained Peru while the Aymara speaking area (High Peru) became Bolivia. Both groups are direct descendent of the Incas. By the way Titicaca means Titi (Puma) and Caca (rock) in the Quechua and Aymara languages.
The men on Isla Tequile do all of the knitting of caps and the women weave textiles, blankets, decorative belts for the men and coca leave baskets. We watched both the men knitting and the women weaving. Incredibly difficult weaving using traditional ways - a blanket takes 4 years to complete!
These 4 ladies crouch over their traditional looms for quite a while making textiles.
Thanks to Richie Steingart for this awesome closeup
Preparing thread from raw wool.
After a while the the men played music traditional dance) for us with instruments and the 4 women asked others to join in the dance.
Luis dancing with one of the ladies with Chio taking images (and dancing)
Young men watching the group shop. The 2 on the right are single and not interested in looking for a wife (too young). The one on the left is single AND interested. All shown by the way the tasseled part is lined up. Straight back, not interested. Left side, interested.
Bobi Steingart shot this incredible image of a married man. The tassel to the right tells anyone that he is married. We found he is 72 years young and going strong.
I think this is his wife. She is wearing a red garment which signifies marriage.
Shortly after our arrival at Casa Andina Suasi Island Hotel we had a delicious outdoor barbecue buffet. Delicious trout, chicken, pork AND Alpaca. The alpaca didm't taste like chicken! Tasty but if the portion you got was too thin it was a little overdone. The larger ones were very tasty. Many grilled vegetables and some delicious sauces to put on them. Locally made breads and lemon custard with fruits for dessert. Delicioso!
Our room - pretty swank!
Wild vicuna on the walk to the "hill". All of 500 feet - took us to 13,000 feet though. And, still out of breath even though it was only 500 feet.
Looks like the weather improved. Beautiful place - love the picture of the full moon!
ReplyDelete