Day 11: Islands on Lake Titicaca

After 6:30a alarm, we headed to the port. We got tickets that sent us to all the places we wanted to go and back, but the boat didn´t leave til 8 South American time. Had a quick breakfast of egg and maté de coca. During breakfast another odd thing happened, this time, I´m still baffled. A truck came speeding down the road, and turned right at the end of the road at the port. There was a lot of yelling about 4 minutes later, and then everyone started running toward the truck. People starting yelling more and then something that seemed like an explosion went off, pouring smoke all over the street right att the port. Everyone started throwing things at the truck, which sped off. Seevral cars followed it until it was out of sight. I have no explanation.

First we took the boat to Uros, the floating islands. These are made entirely of reeds, and float. It´s absolutely unbgelievable, especially when we got out and stepped on the reeds. It fdelt a little like walking on the beach, but different. After a few minutes though you basically forgot about the fact you were not on ground. Then the boat took us to Amantaní, the smaller and less toursity of the two main islands on the Peruvian side. The whole ride was absolutely freezing, probably because we were on the top level and prey to the wind.

On arrival in Amantaní, the townspeople, by some unknown system communicated in Quechua, their main language, split us (the tourists) up into families. Berry and I were assigned to a very nice fmaily with at least 1 daughter and as many as 3 sons that I saw. We shared the house with 2 German woman, a mother and a daughter. The mother was visiting the daughter, who had been studying in Chile for three months. Shortly we were served lunch of soup and rice + potatoes. After lunch, I had a headache and rested while Berry went for a tour with the daughter. I woke up and went exploring by myself.

My exploration turned out to be the best part of going to the island. I walked up down and around. I came from a bed that was too short in a room with a ceiling straight out of a construction site, having gotten up to the room on a ¨staircase¨ held together with a few nails and a far amount of luck, so needless to say I was a little surprised to see a beautiful soccer stadium. The all-cement stands were expertly joined, with paths below and artistic decoration above the seats, all over-looking and entirely empty field with two goals, on an island where in all other circumstances, all corners, no matter how monutainous, were covered with farm.

I also accidentally stumbled on a wedding, and, caught after sunset, was forced to watch a lightning storm across the lake, too far to hear the thunder at all. I somehow made it back in the dark, probably due to the Strasser Sense of Direction, passed from generation to generation. Berry and I watched the lightning some more and then ate dinner: soup and rice + potatoes (yes I copied and pasted that, and could many more times).

After dinner, the girls got dressed up in traditional Quechua dress and went dancing. As you all could guess, I passed on that. It helped that I was dead tied and could at least lie to myself that that was why I wasn´t going. I have a nice pic of Berry which I will post soon enough. While waiting for Berry to return, I fell asleep.