Wednesday, November 16, 2005
South America Trip - Day 29 - Lake Titicaca
We were met by our local guide Lucho at 7.30 am. After a fun rikshaw ride to the port we hopped on a boat for a 3 hour trip to Taquile Island on Lake Titicaca. We first went past the Uros floating islands which are set amongst many groups of reeds. We will visit these tomorrow. Lake Titicaca is huge! Forgive the lack of facts and figures...I haven't got the LP with me but it is probably the biggest in Sth America and one of the highest in the world. Lucho told us many myths and legends about the lake and it's relationship to the origins of the Incas. The Incas were basically the culmination of many pre Inca tribes. Lake Titicaca was a very sacred for them as it is said that the first Incas (children of the sun) were born out of it. A lot of references were made to Pacha Mama (mother earth) and how the local people respect her. A lot of their activity is also dictated by the solstices and astronomical observations. The sun and moon temples where especially aligned to focus the light during special ceremonies. Human and animal sacrifices where also made to Pacha Mama to request a good harvest or the end of a conflict.
We hiked for about an hour on Taquile Island and then had lunch. The island scenery was so beautiful. After lunch we got back on the boat and travelled to Amanti Island where we were to stay the night. We meet our homestay hosts and were taken to their homes. After settling in we went to watch a football match between the tourists and the locals. The tourists did very well considering the altitude would have made it difficult. After the game we went back to our homes for dinner. The electricity service was cut on the island as it was too expensive so we ate by the light of a candle and the oven. This made the atmosphere special. We were given a few Quechua phrases so had a chat with our host Innocencia and her mother using broken Quecha, Spanish, English and body language. The meal consisted of a potato and vege soup followed by a dish of potatoes, veges and rice. The money from the homestay visits goes to the local authorities so we also were told to take gifts to our hosts. We presented these after dinner and they were very much appreciated. We gave them some rice, pasta, sugar, chocolate and coloured pens and pencils for the children. Joy had the foresight to bring mini calendars with pictures of New Zealand landscapes on it so we gave them one of these and our hosts enjoyed looking at the pictures of our home.
After dinner we were dressed in traditional clothing and taken to a 'party' put on for the tourists with traditional music and dancing at the community hall. The outfits were very warm. They consisted of a couple of layers of skirts, a white blouse with large embroidered flowers on it, and a black shawl that also had flowers embroidered on it. The dancing got very energetic when the pace of the music increased. We danced in couples or formed a chain and got whooshed around the dance floor.
We got to bed still able to hear the music but very tired so were out for the count very quickly.
We hiked for about an hour on Taquile Island and then had lunch. The island scenery was so beautiful. After lunch we got back on the boat and travelled to Amanti Island where we were to stay the night. We meet our homestay hosts and were taken to their homes. After settling in we went to watch a football match between the tourists and the locals. The tourists did very well considering the altitude would have made it difficult. After the game we went back to our homes for dinner. The electricity service was cut on the island as it was too expensive so we ate by the light of a candle and the oven. This made the atmosphere special. We were given a few Quechua phrases so had a chat with our host Innocencia and her mother using broken Quecha, Spanish, English and body language. The meal consisted of a potato and vege soup followed by a dish of potatoes, veges and rice. The money from the homestay visits goes to the local authorities so we also were told to take gifts to our hosts. We presented these after dinner and they were very much appreciated. We gave them some rice, pasta, sugar, chocolate and coloured pens and pencils for the children. Joy had the foresight to bring mini calendars with pictures of New Zealand landscapes on it so we gave them one of these and our hosts enjoyed looking at the pictures of our home.
After dinner we were dressed in traditional clothing and taken to a 'party' put on for the tourists with traditional music and dancing at the community hall. The outfits were very warm. They consisted of a couple of layers of skirts, a white blouse with large embroidered flowers on it, and a black shawl that also had flowers embroidered on it. The dancing got very energetic when the pace of the music increased. We danced in couples or formed a chain and got whooshed around the dance floor.
We got to bed still able to hear the music but very tired so were out for the count very quickly.
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