As I’ve stated in a previous blog it was only when Paddington The Movie came out in 2014 that the people of Peru realised my favourite bear, whose adventures I’ve followed since childhood, even existed. It seemed only fitting that I introduce as many Peruvians as possible to Paddington, even though one or two saw him as merely “a teddy”. What an insult! My toy bear therefore accompanied me to Lake Titikaka, the largest lake in South America, 3810m above sea level.
High on my list of places to visit; (pardon the terrible pun) my fellow travellers, Paddington and I took a boat ride across the quiet waters of the lake early in the morning. Like Loch Ness, which I visited a couple of years ago, the lake has a monster. A huge frog, which unlike other frogs, lives under the water on the lake bed (Please Google this to find some terrific photos). It was discovered by one of my all time heroes Jacques Cousteau and I was interested to learn of its existence, but disappointed not to be able to spot a live one. Like Nessie, the frog likes to remain elusive!
With the sun shining and a lovely breeze the journey across the lake was refreshing and we soon arrived at the floating islands of Uros, home to about two thousand islanders.
These islands are made by the people who dwell there and we were immediately made welcome by Ernestina and her sister, Maria. Both women had a wonderful sense of humour and were happy to include Paddington in a story they told of how they construct the islands.
Julio, our guide, assisted Maria as she explained how the people cut rectangular slabs of peat, about the size of a small coffee table, with a large handsaw.
These are skewered together by hardy reeds, then totora reeds are alternatively criss-crossed and multi-layered on top. A large pole is then used to anchor the island in the lake bed. Stepping onto the island from the boat was like stepping onto a soft plush carpet and I could feel the island move slightly underfoot.
I did mention to my guide that in Ireland we used peat to burn on the fires to heat our homes, but due to it diminishing from the land it is no longer sold and in many places peat bogs are no longer worked. He said that the Peruvians were experiencing the same and was surprised I knew of the turf, let alone had used it for many years prior to the recent ruling.
The totora reed is the lifeblood of the islanders. The fleshy interior is jokingly called a “totora banana” and is eaten, but the reeds are also used to build the small thatched houses in which the islanders live.
Ernestina welcomed me into hers, a comfy dwelling with a mattress (also made from totora) heaped with warm blankets and numerous pillows the women make themselves. The kitchen was a simple stove, but I noticed a small television to keep apace with the outside world and clothes hanging on pegs attached to the reedy walls. I usually enquire about toilet facilities, but this time I didn’t being distracted by the smiling faces and enthusiasm of the two women.
Maria quite happily showed us the gun she used to shoot birds for her dinner, but the islanders mostly dine on fish from the lake, buying fruits and vegetables in the nearby town of Puno.
The Uros people live as a collective, any money they make is shared amongst the community and we spent our money whilst we were there. I was happy to buy the only memento I have of Peru, a small blanket which will be framed and go on the wall, not on the bed. Ernestina assured me she made it herself.
The traditional dress the women wore was gloriously colourful and like the island itself, multi-layered. They wear wide brimmed felt hats to protect them from the sun, an item of clothing I actually bought and have found it to be invaluable. We were then invited to take a short trip on their own boat, made from totora reeds and lately discarded plastic bottles, the puma’s heads representing strength, wisdom and intelligence. The ladies sang songs as we boarded including Michael, Row the Boat Ashore, and we clapped and sang along too.
Maria and Ernestina rowed for a little while, making the menfolk in my party feel a little guilty, but soon Ernestina started up an outboard motor and we were taken to a neighbouring island where we bade farewell to our lovely hosts.
The waters of Lake Titikaka are clear but slightly salty and therefore it’s not suitable for agriculture, hence the dependence on the totora reed. However on other islands potatoes are grown on the terraces and our lunch that day consisted of fresh trout from the lake with delicious fried potatoes that were delightfully sweet, reminiscent of those from the Mediterranean islands.
I would have liked to have stayed longer on the islands, learning more of the islanders’ way of life, but the impending general strikes in Peru urged us to move on to Arequipa overnight but, other than Machu Picchu and the Nazca Lines, it was one of the highlights of my visit to Peru. And what’s more: Paddington agrees!
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I’d like to thank Mercury Holidays, my two guides Hans and Julio, and Suri Fastboats for this wonderful trip. It was at Lake Titikaka that I felt weaker due to the altitude, but it didn’t stop me from enjoying the day. An even bigger thank you to Maria and Ernestina for their wonderful hospitality. Ladies, it was a pleasure to meet you both and I wish you well in the future.
Discover more about my trip to Peru accompanied by Paddington by perusing my other blogs. Just click on the following links.
My tour of the Highlands of Scotland, including my visit to Loch Ness, was most informative and a great day out. Read more about it by clicking on the link:
I also mention peat bogs in this blog and a great place to see where turf was saved is in County Donegal, Ireland. Click on this link to learn more about this fabulous county.
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