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Headed down to harbour in Puno to catch boat out onto Lake Titicaca which sits at 3820m above sea level. First stop was on the floating islands, they are very fascinating. As you walk across you can feel it moving underneath you. There are lots of small islands all roped together, and the reeds that are cut layers over base is replaced every 2 weeks. All the little houses are made of reeds as well as boats. We shown into their houses and how they lived. They also have solar panels and each little house has a single bulb so they have electricity of a night, one family even had a tv.
Then off to another reed Island to buy supplies before heading to Amantani Island for our homestay. Got a very delicious coffee on this floating reed Island and sampled quinoa bread - delicious, bought more quinoa bread for the boat trip, very yummy.
3 hours by boat across Lake Titicaca which is bordered by both Peru and Bolivia, is more like an inland sea, this lake is massive, surface area is 8560km2.
Arrive at Amantani Island and meet the family we will spend the night with, her name is Reena. Is Nat and I plus 2 others Lars (Holland) and Paul (Australia), and we go with Reena to her house. Is made from adobe bricks, only half finished and very basic. The kitchen/dining is a separate little building. As is the toilet with no running water, and no shower. Is good though, Reena and her family are lovely.
They cook us lunch which was vegetable/quinoa soup and a plate 5 small potatoes, cob if corn and cheese omelette. Was delicious but can only eat so much potato.
After lunch we hike up to top of island (4130m elevation) and we thought hiking was over. At the top is the ruins of a temple. On our boat there was 2 Brazilian guys who smoked dope the entire time, when we got to the ruins these 2 are sitting there and again smoking joints and there were about 30 people milling about, they just did not care and no effort to hide it - hilarious. We only spent about 20 minutes there as a huge electrical storm was headed our way.
Our homestay family met us at the bottom to return to their house where they cooked us yet another delicious meal if quinoa/vegetable soup and then a potato stew with rice.
Went to bed listening to rain pound on the tin roof and lightning & thunder all around. Had an amazing sleep.
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