Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Going to Suasi island, Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca (link, enlace, lien)
click on the links above or below to see more pictures
Again an early get up! We boarded at around 7am. What a freezing morning!
Lake Titicaca is a lake in the Andes on the border of Peru and Bolivia. By volume of water, it is the largest lake in South America.
It is often called the highest navigable lake in the world, with a surface elevation of 3,812 m (12,507 ft). At least two dozen bodies of water around the world are at higher elevations, but all are much smaller and shallower.
On the way we first stop to one of the Uros 44 artificial floating islands made of reeds (totora, a reed that abounds in the shallows of the lake). Their original purpose was defensive, and they could be moved if a threat arose.
Second stop was on Taquile Island
It is a hilly island located 45 kilometers east of Puno with an area of 5.72 km²!. It is narrow and long and was used as a prison during the Spanish Colony and into the 20th century. In 1970 it became property of the Taquile people, who have inhabited the island since then (current population around 2,200. Life on Taquile is still largely unchanged by mainland modernities. There are no cars on the island and no hotels. We were explained their way of living with a demonstration of their music and dances.
With finally arrived at Suasi Island, a little paradise in the middle of our frenetic trip thru Peru. More on it tomorrow.

Lake Titicaca (link, enlace, lien)

1 comment:

  1. 41 years passed had made me forget the brilliant colours of Lake Titikaka. Thank you for bringing them back. The photo with the duck is a master piece!

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