TrekHound.com

Photo Credits: TrekHound.Com

We had a fabulous boat touring day on Lake Titicaca with fantastic weather. Our first stop, the floating reed islands.

These are truly unique and rather phenomenal, in our opinion. Apparently, this particular tribal group took to dwelling in the water to separate themselves from the Incan empire (according to our guide).

These villages are constructed by piling several feet of dried lake reeds on top of a bed of their own bouyant root clusters. The huts, schools and medical buildings all sit on top of the reeds.

The people spend most of their time barefoot and live off bird hunting, net fishing and the tourist market of handicrafts and overnight home-stay guests. 

 

They get from floating village to floating village with very elaborate reed boats. When these eventually wear out, they use them as container gardens to grow vegetables and weave new boats for water use.

The reed “ground” is almost constantly being replaced by fresh layers from the top. The guide told us that after approximately 25 years, the buoyant root-base begins to wear out. When that happens, they simply construct a new base and island, move the whole community to the new island, unanchor the old one from the lake bed and and anchor in their new town wherever they wish it to be.

 

Usually, this is at the mouth of a large river emptying into the lake, as the fresh moving water provides a cleaner supply.

 

I’m assuming the old ones are destroyed, but not sure. We’ll have to save the question for a future trip . . .

Next, we had a long boat ride to one of the solid land islands, Taquile.

Here, they have slightly different local costumes than we have previously seen.

The men do most of the knitting, and people live almost completely off the land and tourist trade.

 

The grade is steep, and there is no road system, or even one suitable for biking. Everything is accomplished on foot.

It’s a beautiful spot. We hope you enjoy the pics. . .

Photo Credits: TrekHound.Com

Posted on February 6th, 2007 by Myscha Theriault
Filed under: Trips and Destinations