Anyway, we spent our third day in Peru visiting the Uros islands, the floating islands of Lake Titicaca. Titicaca means grey puma (titi=puma, caca=grey). The Uros people have been living on the lake for hundreds of years on islands made from totora, or cattail-type rushes or reeds. One of the islands even pre dates the Incan civilization. As parts of the islands degrade, they're replaced. There are about 40 islands in all, with most having about 7-10 families each. The island we visited was called Kontiki (which means "god travelers"). Here we are heading out into Lake Titicaca. To the right of us was Bolivia. It was about a 1 1/2 hour ride out there. The weather started out chilly, but warmed up nicely. I could have worn one of my tanks! The sky was clear blue.
This is a really small island, but it gives you a good idea about how they look.
Here they are demonstrating how they build the islands. In the above picture you can see two of the reed boats they build. They said it takes 8 men about 6 weeks to build one, and they last about a year. Pretty good.
Here are some of the Uros women cooking. When we asked the men what happens if the cooking fire is tipped over, they just shrugged and said that was "their" problem, pointing to the women. Nice.
They made us some traditional fried quinoa, which was fabulous! We bought some weaving and some reed boats from the families, then took a reed boat ride to another island, and then it was back to the mainland. There are a lot more pictures of the islands in my Peru gallery. It was a fascinating culture to observe. I'd been so excited about seeing the floating islands, and they were as great as I thought they'd be.
We then went back to the hotel, ate a late lunch and took a nap. We were all still acclimating to the altitude. Most people were doing ok, but there were still one or two who were not doing well. I took this opportunity (after a short nap...even me!) to go to one of the MANY internet cafes and write home. It was just nice to have that contact, and be able to share some of my experiences up to that point.
At about 4:30 we did the same walk my mom had done the day before. Now, back home I would not have even considered this walk an "outing," but at 13,000 feet or so...it literally took my breath away! We walked up to the statue of "The Hero" that sits on a knoll above Puno. Gorgeous view of the town and lake from there. What the rest of the group did was just not quite long enough, so me, my mom and Jean walked a bit farther along. And we saw this: 
Sheep, on the roof. Right in the middle of a "residential section" if you can really say that of any Peruvian town! it was just a very funny sight. Not sure you can see him in the picture, but there was a sheepdog up there too.
The next day September 12, we drove from Puno to Cusco. Initially we were told it was going to be a six hour drive. Pbththth! We left Puno at about 7:40 and arrived in Cusco at 6:15-ish. You know, I'm not sure Wilbur has a really good grasp on the passage of time. I just don't think it's something important in his culture! This is our can all loaded up with our luggage.
We visited Sillustani, an Inca ruin/cemetery. The funnary towers care called chullpas. Most of them were destroyed, but one still has the side the the door still standing. I decided to crawl inside...I was the only one.
Sillustani sits right on the edge of Lake Umayo. Again, just beautiful. And hot enough for a tank top too! :)
We did cross over the "Great Divide," a4,335 meter pass where all the rivers start flowing to the Amazon. We stopped for some more shopping.
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