15/07/04- 17/07/04 Puno (again) & Lake Titicaca

There is nothing nice to say about this town, but the lake once you get out of the swamp of a port is very nice. The floating islands are a bit strange and I have to admit to feeling pretty uncomfortable on them as they are tiny and everyone who lives on them just sits around in a circle whilst the tourists walk around and take photos of them. It kind of feels like you are looking at people in a zoo.

We also visit the Island of Tranquil which was very pretty and the walk up to the top of the island had some lovely views over the lake. We spent the rest of the journey back to Puno trying not to be gassed by the fumes coming off the boat and playing cards.

Although it looks as if this is a picture of random people it is actually a game of "Where´s Wally" only you have to find Roger. Good luck.


Each of the floating islands (which were great actually) have a little wooden tower from which one can:

i. take aerial pictures of the floating islands
ii. spot incoming tourist boats so that you can get the island population to sit unnaturally in a circle doing the expected aboriginal thing of beating wheat, making gifts from reeds etc.
iii. ensure tourist boats far enough away to continue on their playstations.

To be honest, they don't really have playstations- I confiscated them.

...and you can eat the bottoms of the reeds that they use for the island and they don't taste too bad at all.