Some Inside Boat Scenes

Our first morning Javier came early, about 8:30am, to take us out on Lake Titicaca. Everyone was still feeling headachy and nauseated, but we had eaten some breakfast, drunk the coco tea, had a little oxygen, and were ready for him. It was cold when we started out but, by mid day, we were down to short sleeves. It was a delightful day even though it took most of the day for everyone to recover, especially Dad. So...do we look like Grandma Hess and Grandpa Slingerland? I was a little shocked to see this picture. Grandma would get a good laugh out of it, for sure.

Emma found Coke helped settle her stomach. Actually, it settled mine as well.

As Michael would say, "Nice boat!" The bathroom is the door to the right--not so bad either.

The seats were comfortable enough to stretch out on for a nap which some did later in the day. Ted and Kate were enjoying some Dad and daughter time.

Hmmm Is our boat captain taking a nap? Spencer's at the wheel, lookin' good.

Kate is doing quite well driving the boat with a little help from the boat captain.

Sicuani

Sicuani is an Inca burial site just outside Puno. The towers are the burial tombs. A body was sealed in the the tower and a level was added to the tower. Felix is pointing out the access or doorway into the tower. Imagine even knowing which stone to remove to find the entrance to the tomb. The first body was found just inside this opening. Another body was found a little farther up in the tower. The cemetary was field of towers. In addition to the towers there were great circles--sun dials or clocks which give true time even today. Even today the Quechua people use the grounds for sacred rites and occasions.

This picture shows the one of the larger towers. The blocks of stone are massive and, like other Inca structures, the great blocks are placed together without mortar.

Emma and I are standing in front of one of the burial towers. The top has crumbled. The ground is littered with the blocks and stones from the towers. Felix said some stones were taken to build other structures. The site has been protected since the 1900s.

This picture gives a better idea of the number of towers and their sizes. We hiked on a path that goes up and around the site. At times the climb was difficult because of the depth of the steps, just rocks in the dirt.

Ted and Spencer are standing on either side of one of the great blocks which has fallen from the tower. You can get a better idea of the size, weight, and shape of each stone and how the Inca fit the stones together to make the walls hold together.

Margaret is standing in the field of stones. There are more small structures off to her right. Also, a long stone wall is to her right.

Felix told us that the wall of stones is ancient but was constructed after the the time of the Inca which spanned 500 years.

These pigs weren't one bit concerned with us. We wondered if they belong to the family who runs the market and rest rooms on the site.

All the tourist sites have markets, some quite grand. This one was quite good. This is where Margaret and Emma found their hats.

High Adventure Part II The Uros Floating Islands

One of the personal experiences which made our ten-day trip really meaningful was meeting a family who lives on the Islas Flotantes or Uros Floating Islands of Lake Titicaca. We had only arrived the night before and were still suffering from some altitude sickness, but most of us recovered enough to really enjoy and appreciate meeting an LDS family whose family for generations has lived on the islands. Two islands are home to members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Felix, our guide from Puno to Cusco, knew the three-generation family and took us to meet them. The first picture shows the Islanders' mode of transportation, the reed boat, in the shape of a seahorse which has significance we didn't quite understand.

After leaving the port in Juliaca, we traveled through a narrow channel until we we reached the open lake. We passed islands of grazing cattle and llama. The uninhabited islands' reeds are harvested to strengthen or build up the inhabited islands which have to be re-reeded or replenished every three months. To replenish the island, the reeds are cut and then tied into bundles which are dried in the sun. Then they are laid across the old reed in a criss cross fashion. Every ten years the islanders have to abandon the island because it eventually sinks.

The Islanders hope a tour boat of people will visit them. If they want visitors, they line up along the edge and wave. With as may tour boats as there were on the lake, probably every island was visited sometime during the day. The Islanders rise with the sun and go to bed when the sun goes down.

Our experience was very educational. The young father is pointing out the layout of the Uros Islands.

The islands are actually anchored so they will not move far. In the upper middle of the picture, you can barely see the anchor line.

These fish are not for eating...exactly. I asked the young mother how she used the fish. She said they are boiled to make a broth to which vegetables are added.

The Islanders sell the crafts and textiles they make. While we were being taught about island life, this woman worked on her embroidery. She told us it takes her about eight hours to make a small rug or wrap.

These reeds are freshly cut and green. The are edible as a vegetable as well and usually eaten in a soup or stew.

Every island has a tower look out. The young man showed us how the reeds are laid to give strength and depth to the island.

This is a section of island cut in half to show how the island looks in the water. He explained to us that the islands can be joined together or divided, depending on the needs of the families.

Emma was really excited to meet the Young Women president of the local ward. Emma has just gone into Young Women. She turned 12 on July 6.

We were invited to go into the bedroom of the Young Women president and change into the clothing worn on the islands. We had great fun choosing hats and skirts. The grandfather came in to help us choose the hats and decorative pom poms. The hats are heavy and itchy. In fact, the clothing is heavy. There are no zippers or buttons, only ties.

Emma is dressed in the Young Women president's clothes. They are really quite colorful. They are worn year round for warmth and protection from the sun.

Well, here are the two old folks. Don't you love Dad's tassles? My hat is noteworthy as well.

This Young Woman, daughter of the YW president, wanted me so much to buy this colorful rug with the condor design. I wanted to as well, but we were at the beginning of our trip and I didn't know how I could pack it home. I bought only a small mobile which is hanging on the bulletin board near the computer. However, Spencer bought a beautiful tapestry, a rug of deep blues, browns, and blacks to hang on the wall of his new bedroom.

Felix explained that life on an island can be quite dangerous for little children. Unless they are with their parents or grandparents, they can play only in the center of the island. They are bidding us farewell as we take a turn around the island on their reed boat.

This is the kindergarten school building.

In this picture you can see the construction of the reed boat and the reeds along the edge of the back side of the island. Someone lives in this house. We saw laundry lying on top of the roof of the house. Most of the houses are made from the woven reeds as well. We can imagine it is really cold in the winter, especially at night.

Kate is watching the young father guide the boat. We were still suffering from nausea from the altitude sickness, but there was so much to see and do, the kids seemed to forget how sick they were. Dad, on the other hand, missed the reed boat ride. He went back to the tour boat to lie down.

This is the back of the elementary school house. We couldn't get a shot of the front. When the children reach high school age, they go off the island for school and return at night. Imagine! The school bus is a reed boat. Some Islanders do have motor boats. We didn't see evidence of this family having a motor boat, however.

This is a fun shot of a boat being paddled by a man or woman standing up. We are somewhere around the island.

High Adventure Part III

Our on-the-lake experience was a full day of adventure. The last stop was Taquille, a rocky, steep, terraced island. On the top was a restaurant with million dollar views of Peru and into Bolivia. The only way up was steep, and the climbing was difficult because of the altitude sickness some of us were still suffering. Dad and I started the climb but we were winded just climbing to the entrance. He knew I couldn't make it with my ankle, and he was really nauseated. So we went back to the boat. According to Ted and Margaret we missed the view of the trip. We didn't miss lunch however, a woman carrried our lunch of trout, rice, and chicken soup, all the way down those 500 steps. She visited while we ate and then carried the bowls and plates back up the five hundred steps to the restaurant at the top of Tequille.

This sign announced the sights of Taquille, including the restaurant. This was the begining of the hike to the top. Of course, the vendors were at the gate to sell warm water, Inca Cola, and Coke.

Emma, wearing my hat, returned to the boat about 20 minutes after Dad and I gave up. She said her chest and head hurt. So while her grandpa slept, she and I hung out together on the top of the boat. We both were thoroughly sunburned. Emma bought her own hat at a market the next day.

As I was walking back to the boat after taking some pictures, these colorful people were just coming from one of the boats. Many were vendors coming to sell their handiwork. Others may live on the island.

This young woman had several packs of soda wrapped up in a blanket. I couldn't imagine having to carry such a heavy load, but she carried the load down the 500 stone steps to the boat.

This man has two gas tanks on his back. He also came down the stone steps.

This fellow dressed like a pirate was crew on a tourist boat filled with North Americans. Actually, I heard some British English as well. We were really grateful to have a private boat and guide.

Our guide said this terracing was done by a people who came before the Inca.

These are houses on the edge of Lake Titicaca. The animals graze on the terraces behind the homes.

We were pulling away from the boat dock to go to the side of the island where the Jeffries would descend the stone stairs when I took this picture.

Ted, Kate, and Spencer are crossing the bridge which leads to the boat dock. Kate bounded down the steps like a little mountain goat.


After we left Sicuani, on the last day of our Puno tour, we drove through the bustling streets of Juliaca where we had landed two days before. It was dark when we landed. We noticed the taxis as we drove through the city, making our way into the countryside, so Margaret asked Felix if we could return to Juliaca long enough to take some pictures before leaving for the day's journey to Cusco. With all the stops to take pictures and to visit unplanned sites, we were two hours late getting into Cusco. Felix and the driver had to make the six-hour return trip that night because he was guiding German tourists on a kayaking adventure the next day.

This taxi driver couldn't have been any older than 16.

Taxis carry people, fruits and vegetables, etc.

I loved this Quechua woman's coordinated look. I tried to get her face but she wouldn't look at me.

The seats look comfortable, no? If we had time to hang around Juliaca, we'd have taken a ride. We saw families and mothers and school children being driven somewhere. There are no other kinds of taxis in Juliaca.

This is one view of a city street in the early morning sunshine. By mid day, the sun will be warm enough to be in short sleeves. In the morning and evenings it's quite cool. Juliaca is at 13,000 feet. We climbed to Puno.

From the highway above Juliaca, I shot this last view of Lake Titicaca. What an experience we had visiting Tequille, the familes of the Uros Islands, and seeing the pre-Inca terraces and the grazing animals on the many islands on the lake!

It's one thing to have to pass trucks, buses, and vans on a narrow way, but cows are difficult to pass. Like some drivers in Peru, they don't always look back to see what's behind them.