Lake Titicaca Puno Lake Titicaca is known as the world highest navigable lake, at an altitude of approximately 12,000 feet. The lake is also the largest in South America, with a length of over 170 kilometers. The main cities located on the shores of this large lake are Copacabana, Bolivia and Puno, Peru. I had the opportunity to visit both of these cities for a short period of time.
FLOATING UROS ISLANDS
The Uros Islands are located on
Lake Titicaca in a lagoon outside the City of Puno. The Uros people live full-time on these floating islands. These islands are made from totora reeds which grow in abundance on the shallows of
Lake Titicaca. Their islands are made entirely from these reeds thrown down to form a walkable platform. Walking along, each footstep you sink in about 4 - 6 inches, but never enough to get your feet wet. They also make their boats from these reeds and much of their homes. As tourist excursions visit the island, the locals set up their craft displays in two long lines on the reed surface. Tourists run this gauntlet of merchants and frequently buy their local crafts.
TAQUILE ISLAND (Isla Taquile)
Visiting this island was one of the highlights of my Peruvian trip, although I spent only about a few hours on the island. It was a long, three hour boat ride from Puno to Taquile Island. Once on the island, you immediately have to climb over 500 stone stairs to reach the first village (remember, you are at 12,000 feet elevation). The Quechua Indians who live on the island have maintained their communal and traditional lifestyles. Clothing is very traditional, with the men wearing coarse cotton woven shirts and calf-length black woolen pants. The women wear shawls which are black if they are married and red if they are single. Men also wear different color stocking caps if they are married or single. All residents of the island are vegetarian, and fish from the Lake are their main food source. Women are associated with fertility, and usually tend the agricultural fields. Men on the other hand, usually stand around in small groups and knit hats and gloves in the traditional style, which they sell in the village cooperative. Ten percent of the price goes to the village.