Reed This! Uros Islands, Lake Titicaca

If you ever get to Bolivia and Peru, do make sure you go to Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world. The lake is so huge and has such amazing scenery that you feel like you are in another world. We loved the Bolivian side of Titicaca and spent a night on Isla del Sol there. But we wanted to show you a bit of the Peruvian side because of the very unique Islas Flotantes (Floating Islands), which are entirely made of reed (see above pic). The Uros people, who continue to live on these islands, pre-date and outlasted the Incans. Not bad for a group of people who live by the reed. Their transport, food, houses, and anything else that can be are made of reed. It's pretty amazing that such a simple crop can produce so much. Below is a picture of the reed houses the Uros live in. Some of these houses are pretty hi-tech with solar panels to provide energy to the Uros.



We got a demonstration of how they use and replace reeds continually to keep their homes and islands fresh.



Then, we got a chance to eat the reed. Tasted like tough asparagus to us!



And then we got quite a big farewell as we went to explore some of the other islands. We have to note that the Peruvians are much friendlier than the Bolivians...however, they are also much more tourist savvy. A connection?



This lovely lady rowed us to the other island on a reed boat. I loved her outfit and her long braided hair as well.



This is the reed boat we travelled in. Though it floated well, it was very slow getting to an island only 200 meters away.



One thing I haven't mentioned about Kevin that everyone should know. He LOVES heights. If there is a ladder, mountain, hill, temple, steeple or anything that requires stairs or climbing, he immediately runs to it in order to conquer it.