As usual we woke early - today's view from our bedroom, and the breakfast room, must be one of those to die for - the sun rising over the Andes and lighting up Lake Titicaca.
We all gathered together at 0800am and headed off with David to Acora, a small town on the pan American highway to Bolivia ( 3 hours further on) to see the action at the local weekly market where women, predominantly, had brought their goods and were bartering for others eg beans for pumpkin - there were different areas selling meat, fish from the Lake, alpaca wool, shoes from recycled tyres, cobblers with their machines set up to repair shoes or bags, more expected stalls selling bottles of cola and manufactured goods and a lady and her daughter making and selling icecream - the daughter as she was unmarried wore a very colourful woollen hat with a very long top to it which flopped to one side, a bit like a night cap. Some things changed hands for money but much was bartered for. The one thing we had to pay for was 1 sol for photographs and those not wanting photographs bowed their heads or turned away - others readily took the money! I liked the cobbler best he waved as I took his photo and asked for nothing but I gave him a sol nonetheless ( today's photo).
After stocking up on water we went towards the lake for a short hike up a small hill to a sun gate and over the otherside to the lake and our coach.
It was good to walk for a hour but the uphill section at 4000 metres definitely made us puffy and particularly for those of us suffering from coughs.
By the lake shore we could begin to see the vastness of Lake Titicaca which was formed by tectonic activity and is shared with Bolivia; we were not even able to see Bolivia in the distance; and at 283 meters it is very deep enticing exploration by Jaques Cousteau who found ancient remains below the surface.
Back to Puno for lunch , and a limousine said Bobby would take us to the port for our motor boat trip to the Uros Islands. The limousine turned out to be the colourful bicycle propelled carts/ rickshaws that are the often used street taxis - our driver had trouble getting going the others overtook us and headed off into the wild blue yonder then he wanted to turn left when the others turned right so we could take photos of something - we had to say 'no follow them' but luckily we did end up at port not far behind - phew!
The visit to the Uros people was magical - whether communities will still live on the island in the next 10 years or whether they will become museums - who knows but many of the young people are leaving to earn money in Puno and beyond. The floating islands made from reeds last for about 30 years before they have to be replaced - the one we visited had 8 famillies on it each in their own huts - but there were lots of other islands close by. They showed us how they made the islands and together with David explained their life style. Apparently the Incas (and the Ucos) live by 3 rules - don't lie, don't steal and don't be lazy - if any of the famillies are lazy and fail to help with island maintenance the peat cutter tool comes out and they are chopped off and set adrift! We all then visited different houses and were told not to give tips but to buy one of their handicrafts - we bought a tapestry which cost 100 sols - a big tip- but we could use it as a table centre and it would pack easily. We then took a reed boat ride, in one of their traditional boats, initially pushed by a man in a motorboat then rowed by one of the Indians and some of our number who fancied their chances with the wooden paddles in not very tight rollocks. We finished the journey with a motor boat push and rejoined our own motorboat which took us back to Puno after perusal of more stalls - you could buy and send postcards with their special stamps - we just bought the postcard as we had stamps and addresses back at the hotel.
Back on the boat we headed to Puno, said goodbye to David and thanked him for an excellent day and a half and returned to the hotel. An early supper of soup followed by ice-cream for me and apple pie for John beckoned as we had to get ready for a 6.30 departure tomorrow. One the continuing effects of altitude is loss of appetite and we can both vouch for that!