Peru 2024 - Part 17 - Heading Home

Saturday, 5 October & Sunday, 6 October 2024

We left our hotel in Puno at 10:45 AM on Saturday, and arrived home about 4:30 PM on Sunday. First we had to drive to the airport in Juliaca. Then we had four flights: Juliaca to Lima, Lima to Miami, Miami to Charlotte, and finally, Charlotte to Roanoke. Fortunately, our baggage made all the connections.

A cement plant in Caracoto, on the way to Juliaca.

Juliaca

Sunrise from the window seat as we neared Miami.

Miami

Peru 2024 - Part 16 - Islands in Lake Titicaca

Friday, 4 October 2024

We spent the day on the water and islands of Lake Titicaca.

Islas Uros

The famous floating islands in Lake Titicaca are home to the Uros people. They originally developed the islands to escape hostile peoples on the shores. Today they make their living with tourism and fishing.

Most of the time an island is occupied by a single extended family. Some islands also offer overnight accommodations to tourists. Many have solar panels for electricity.

An unusual lookout tower on one of the islands.

We visited one of the islands, and the family demonstrated how the islands were made. About every two weeks a new layer of reeds has to be placed on the top, as the lower reeds rot away.

We got to try one some traditional garb, and peruse traditional handicrafts. (The hat I’m wearing is really uncomfortable!)

I loved the tassels at the end of this girl’s braids.

We took a ride in a reed catamaran. The channel was crowded with boats of all sorts.

Our seat in the catamaran. We chose to sit in the shade. Even though the day was cool, the tropical sun is intense.

It takes two people to man the oars.

Most of the catamarans were loaded with tourists. In the background, you can also see an example of a modern tour boat that comes to the islands from Puno. Also a small skiff that residents tend to use.

Delivering new reeds.

When we returned to our hotel in the late afternoon, we realized that we could see the Islas Uros from our room.

Isla Taquile

Isla Taquile is the closest rocky island to Puno. We went there for a short hike and lunch.

As we left Puno in the morning, the lake waters were very calm. The breeze picked up every afternoon.

Looking back at our hotel as we leave the Islas Uros.

As we left the Islas Uros, you can see how low they sit on the lake, and how difficult they are to see.

A large fire near the shore - presumably to help regenerate reeds.

Traditional handicraft hanging from the windshield of our tour boat.

Taquile is rising above the lake in the far background at the center of the photo.

The western shore of Lake Titicaca with the western Andes in the background.

Taquile is a small island, about 3 miles long and 3/4 mile wide at the widest. We took a short hike across the island, probably a bit less than two miles. The 250 ft elevation change was challenging at this high elevation. The path was nicely paved with stones. About 4,000 people live on the island in four small self-governing communities.

Terraced agricultural fields on Taquile.

The small playa (beach) and dock where our boat was moored.

Peru 2024 - Part 15 - Along the Shore of Lake Titicaca

Thursday, 3 October 2024

Today we had a tour along the shore of Lake Titicaca from Puno to Pomata, which isn’t too far from the border with Bolivia.

We had a few rain showers as we drove. At other times we could see across the lake to the western Andes and their snow-capped peaks.

The mountains along the way were terraced for agriculture - and had been terraced for centuries.

Trout farming is extensive in Lake Titicaca.

Chucuito

Our first stop was at Inca Uyu in the small town of Chucuito. Inca Uyu is a small pre-Incan temple that was probably a fertility temple, as it was filled with stone penises.

A colonial era church bell tower now overlooks the temple.

The temple walls had interesting stone work, including stones in the corners that were fashioned into right-angle corners (top row and third row down).

Pomata

In Pomata we visited the Iglesia de Santiago Apostol (Church of St. James the Apostle).

A puma carved into the pink granite of the church.

Carvings mixing grapes and indigenous creatures.

The church was decorated for a festival the coming Sunday.

The dome is noted for its alabaster windows.

Juli

In Juli we were supposed to see the cathedral (Catedral de San Pedro Mártir de Verona), but there was a funeral mass in progress, so we just peeked in and then left.

We had a quick snack in the main square, and as we were about to leave, the funeral was over and the procession was leaving the cathedral. A band consisting of drums, bamboo pan pipes, and a cymbal led the way.

A second band followed the procession. This band had more modern western instruments - mostly saxophones, but also a violin, a drum, and, improbably, a harp. This was the same kind of harp we saw in the Monasterio in Arequipa.

The funeral procession walked slowly through town to the cemetery. We had to take a convoluted route out of town to bypass the procession.

Willka Uta

On our way back to Puno we stopped at another pre-Incan site, Willka Uta - a carved “portal” in a rock face.

The entrance to Willka Uta. The door is visible from the main highway, but the entrance is off a one-lane dirt road. The origins and importance of this site are unknown.

The door/portal is carved into a pink granite rock face. Vertical channels are at either side.

Our guide, Juan, demonstrates how to feel the “power” of the portal.

The vertical channel to the left of the door (as viewed). Standing in either channel can be another source of spiritual energy.

An established walkway leads from the door to the hills beyond.

More rock formations at Willka Uta.

The site has a view to Lake Titicaca and the high Andes beyond.

Puno Market

Our last stop of the day was at a traditional market in Puno. (I think it was the Mercado Progreso.)

We walked down the aisle for traditional medicines - herbs, spices, special foods, and a few strange products.

Some of the shops sold food materials that looked rather “normal”.

But some items were a bit strange. These are dried (mummified?) alpaca fetuses.

This shopkeeper was a friend of our guide. Most of the shopkeepers were women, and most of them were knitting as they waited for customers.