Ok, this was like nearly two weeks ago so sorry if there seem to be gaps and stuff that we have forgotten!! Anyway, we were picked up from our hotel in Puno at about 8am by a little colectivo, and made our way to the harbour. Here we boarded a fairly bigish boat (should be a photo of it) and met our guide. There were about 20 people on the boat in total, and we chatted to a bit to an English couple who had just retired and were travelling around Peru. At this point, the lake was covered in green algae so didnt look or smell too appealing, and we were glad when we got moving! After about 30 minutes we approached the floating islands. Was really beautiful scenery, and the islands looked like flat pieces of reed, which is basically what they are. The boat pulled up to one of the islands, and we all hopped off. It was a really strange sensation to walk on the island at first, and if you jumped up and down the ground below compressed like a sponge! We all sat in a circle and our guide told us about how the Uros people use the totora reeds for everything - to make the islands, houses and boats. They even eat them, and we were all given one to try. You had to peel the skin back like a banana and then eat the middle - tasted kind of like celery I guess! Had a quick wander and bought some souvenirs. Then we made our way to the neighbouring island. Here we climbed up a flamingo made out of the reeds and could see all over the islands. We watched some of the people pulling another island towards theirs, and then joining it with rope, which was strange! From here we had about a 2 hour boat ride to Amantani. The weather was really nice here, and we sat out on the deck most of the way. Here the lake was crystal clear and glistening with the reflection of the sun. When we arrived at Amantani, we were met by our 'sister'Arealia, who took us up the hill to her house where we met our 'mum' Victoria and the cat pequeno. Everyone was staying with a different family, but we were all in the same village. The house was very sweet (see photo) and had a little courtyard in the middle and a vegetable patch outside. Our room was downstairs, and was made entirely out of mud bricks, and the door was incredibly low that I had to bend over to go through it!! There was no electricity so we had candles in the room, and also no running water. We were shown the toilet, which was up the end of the garden. It was basically a ceramic shaped toilet that emptied into a pit, housed in a tin shed with a bucket of water outside to wash your hands. (I wasnt complaining tho as I would rather have something like this then those awful squat toilets that there were on the Inca trek!!) A few minutes later lunch was ready and we made our way to the kitchen. No electric cookers here, just a fire with lots of pots, and then a gas powered hob similar to a camping cooker. We had soup with vegetables and potatoes in it to start, and then a small omlette type thing with potatoes and tubers for mains and mint tea to drink. After lunch we made our way up to the village football pitch, which is gravel and has football goals with basketball hoops over the top. The locals challenged the tourists to a game, and won 4-2!! From here a few of us climbed up the Pacha Mama mountain to get incredible views of the sun setting over the island and lake. By the time we go back to the house, it was pitch black (no electricity so no street lights anywhere) but the sky was filled with a million stars. I dont think I have ever seen so many little gems of light shimmering in the sky! Dinner was ready and waiting for us - soup with vegetables and potatoes to start and rice and potatoes in a sauce for mains. After dinner we sat and played cards with Victorias son, but it was a bit difficult to think of games that are easy to explain as they didnt speak any English, and Quecha was their first language not Spanish! Anyway we ended up playing pairs, snap and 21! At around 7.30 Victoria dressed us in traditional island dress - we had a long white shirt embroided with flowers that actually comes down to your knees, a petticoat, big redish skirt and a black veil. We looked so silly as she told us to keep our western clothes on underneath so we didnt get cold!! We made our way up to the village community centre, where there was a little band playing panpipes and drums and things. All of the other tourists were there as well, and we all looked pretty silly with trousers and trainers sticking out the bottom of the peruvian skirts!! All of the 'mums' taught their guests a dance, and we probably spent just under an hour there dancing and listening to the music. Back at home we went to sleep, as no light to read! In the morning we were woke up at about 6.30 and quickly got ready. For breakfast we had a bread roll and a pancake! We then said goodbye to Victoria and gave her a bag of rice and a packet of biscuits as a thank you. Arelia then walked us back down to the harbour to get on the boat. When everyone had arrived we waved goodbye to all the families and set off. It took about an hour or so to reach the neighbouring island of Taquile. From the port, we had to climb up a really steep hill and walk along the cliff to get to the village. At this altitude its amazing how quickly you get puffed out! In the village were 3 craft markets that we had a wander around, and then we sat in the square. Kept getting pestered by kids trying to sell us bracelets- they would put the braclet on your wrist and then walk off!! For lunch the whole group walked to a little restaurant that served quite cheap set meals. You could have trout, kingfish or an omlette and soup or a pancake. I tried the trout which was quite good, and then had a pancake with sugar and lemon for dessert!! After lunch we made our way to a port on the other side of the island. Walking down the cliff you got an amazing view of the lake, which was a very beautiful blue colour, almost reflecting the colour of the sky. We got back on the boat and set off for the mainland. The trip took about 3 hours, and we sun bathed most of the way!! Back in Puno we were dropped off back at the hotel, and went out for our last supper in Peru!! Had Papa a la Huancina and a pizza!!