El lago Titicaca - Day 2 in Puno

After an overnight journey, we arrived in Puno. The city on the Lake Titicaca is located at an altitude of almost 4000 meters, which is noticeable in the first breaths (and the first climb up the stairs). Of course, we also tried the local remedy for altitude sickness here: Coca tea.

                    

                                            

Our day trip started with a visit to the Uros, the floating islands on Lake Titicaca. These islands existed even before the time of the Inca and are built of a special type of reeds that grow on the lake and keep the islands afloat. The people who inhabit these islands live according to their traditions and have their own laws. Nowadays, there is solar power on the islands, but life is still very tough and challenging.

                                               

From the floating islands, we took a boat for nearly two hours to the island of Taquile in the middle of Lake Titicaca, which is similar to the Mediterranean islands in terms of coastline and nature. Here, too, there is a local population that lives according to their own laws and customs. One typical custom is Servinacuy, a kind of probation period of 2 years in which young couples test their love. During this time, they can still break up, but afterwards, they enter into a lifelong partnership. The people on Taquile live from agriculture and the sale of woven and knitted figures and clothing.

                                   

  

                                 

After a long journey back across Lake Titicaca, where we could admire the beautiful surrounding landscape, we spent a frosty night in Puno before finally heading to our next destination...