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Postcards from:
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Tegucigalpa Honduras
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Tumbes Peru
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Cuzco Peru
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Machu Picchu Peru
Machu Picchu Photos
Cuzco Again
Lake Titicaca Peru
Lake Titicaca Photos
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Paramaribo Suriname
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Dominican Republic
Miami Florida
Back Home in California
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Tourist boat constructed from reeds await
passengers at one of the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This normal looking structure actually is built on
pontoons.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Floating islands support an amazing array of
structures.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This is our first view of the floating islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We are getting closer to the first of the three
floating islands we will visit.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We are getting closer to the first of the three
floating islands we will visit.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Carlos sits us down around the "campfire" and tells
us a bit about the Uros culture and lifestyle.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Domesticated bird seen on one of the floating
islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Boat constructed from bundles of reeds used for
taking tourists on rides around the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the better gift shops on the first floating
island
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Boat constructed from bundles of reeds used for
taking tourists on rides around the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: The island residents also use modern boats to get
to and from town.
.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This built up path leads to a small cluster of
huts.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: My foot makes an indentation in the reed matting.
Though herd to see in this photo my foot sinks down into the spongy layer
five or six inches. It is like walking on a mattress.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the inhabitants works on something new to
sell the tourists.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: A row of anchor poles reaching through the island
mats and into the lake bottom. The reed skirts mark their location.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Two days after the American Thanksgiving I came
upon this domesticated bird that looks an awful lot like a turkey.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Boat constructed from bundles of reeds used for
taking tourists on rides around the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Sven and Angar, two Finnish passengers on our
island tour boat.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island had one of these observation towers.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Another anchor pole with its skirt in the
foreground.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Looking across the masthead of a reed boat at one
of the floating islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island we visited had a bunch of cute kids in
their native costumes happily playing... and posing for the tourist's
cameras.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Some of the people in our tour group did buy things
form the island ladies.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island we visited had a bunch of cute kids in
their native costumes happily playing... and posing for the tourist's
cameras.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Tourists inspecting some of the crafts produced by
the Uros people on their islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Toy replicas of the reed boats still used by the
Uros people are very popular with the tourists.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Huts like these are still in use by the Uros tribe
on the many "floating islands" found on Lake Titicaca.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Sign designating this is Winay Totota Island.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Serious negotiations over the price of native
crafts being offered to tourists.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Here, from the upper deck of our boat the edge of the thick reed mats that form the
floating islands can be seen clearly.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: A pontoon builder rests while a lady smokes
something in an oven... all on the spongy surface of the reed island.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Life for the Uros residents of these islands go on
despite the frequent interruptions of tourists... which, of course bring
money.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island had one of these observation towers.
The kids here on Santa Maria Island seemed to make as much use of them as
the tourists.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island had multiple displays of crafts made
by the Uros people. Here one of the tourists haggles with a seller over the
price.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This lady is a member of the Uros tribe and wanted
to trade some of her crafts for my little camera.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This kid watches the tourists from his perch atop
the observation tower erected on each of the islands. All three of the
islands had many children playing among themselves and with the tourists.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This lady is tending a smoky fire. She asked one of
our group if she had any hair shampoo.
Puno Peru: This young Uros girl steadies our boat while we climb back aboard
in preparation for leaving the floating islands.
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  26 November 2005
Hello from Puno
on Lake Titicaca
in southern Peru,
This page contains all the photos I took
while touring the floating islands of the Uros people on Lake Titicaca
in southern Peru near the border with Bolivia. The other photos of
things seen on the way to Puno and around that town are presented on the
main Titicaca page.
On
22 November I took one of the Cuzco based
First Class
Bus Company tours
down to
Puno
near the border with
Bolivia. This service costs about four times as much as one of the deluxe
transportation only intercity buses and takes about two hours longer.
However, it includes an English speaking tour guide narrating sights along
the way and makes several brief stops en route at the village of
Andahuaylilla and the ruins at Racchi and Pukara... excerpted from the
Titicaca postcard.
Peace
Fred L
Bellomy
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Huts like
these are still in use by the Uros tribe on the many "floating islands"
found on Lake Titicaca.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We are getting closer to the first of the three
floating islands we will visit.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Sign welcoming visitors to the islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Finally we arrive at the first of the three
floating islands. Some of the Uros Indian residents are waiting to greet
us... and sell us some of the crafts they have made for the occasion.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Carlos sits us down around the "campfire" and tells
us a bit about the Uros culture and lifestyle.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Carlos sits us down around the "campfire" and tells
us a bit about the Uros culture and lifestyle.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Boat constructed from bundles of reeds used for
taking tourists on rides around the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Boat constructed from bundles of reeds used for
taking tourists on rides around the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We never did figure out what function the "swimming
pool" constructed in the middle of one island served. A fishing hole, maybe?
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: The floating islands vary in size from the surface
of a small apartment to that of a mansion with extensive grounds
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: No running water on the islands, but they do have
electricity provided by solar panels like this one.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Another display of crafts available for sale.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Good shot showing the edge of the constructed
island. "Be careful," warned our guide Carlos; "Some of the edges are not
firm."
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: From the upper deck of our boat passengers get a
better view of the surroundings.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every time we approached another island the
residents rushed out to greet us.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Here is another shot of that enigmatic pond cut in
the middle of this island.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: A reed boat prepares to give toursts a ride.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We leave our boat and prepare to explore one of the
floating islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Layer upon layer of loose dry reeds are piled upon
the submerged pontoons to create the (more or less) dry walking surface.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island we visited had a bunch of cute kids in
their native costumes happily playing... and posing for the tourist's
cameras.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We never did establish for sure what this pool
built in the middle of one island did. Some suggested a swimming pool,
others a fish farm and still others a place to raise water fowl. A cold hot
tub, perhaps?
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We never did establish for sure what this pool
built in the middle of one island did. Some suggested a swimming pool,
others a fish farm and still others a place to raise water fowl.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: A view of the island activity as seen from the
observation tower.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the boats constructed entirely from reeds
waiting to take tourists on a $1.50 ride. Several of our group went.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Dry reeds are piled on top ot the floating root
masses until the mat is thick enough to remain above the water surface.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: The islands are anchored to the lake bottom by
poles pushed through the reed mat. Two of as many as ten can be seen
surrounded by protective reed bundles in the foreground.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island had one of these observation towers.
The kids seemed to make as much use of them as the tourists.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Small fish like these are a staple in the diet of
the floating island people. Here a recent catch dries in the sun
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Fish drying in the sun must be turned over every
now and then.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This lady is shows me a couple toy reed boats and
asks if I would like to trade my camera for them.
Puno Peru: Some of the Uros ladies come out to see us off as our boat pulls
away from one of the floating islands.
Puno Peru: The ladies continue to wave as our boat pulls away from one of
the floating islands.
Puno Peru: As we prepare to leave the islands of the Uros people we see more
ordinary activity.
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Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Reeds grow all over the shallow Lake Titicaca. Here
a channel has been cleared so boats can take tourists out to see the
floating islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Reeds grow all over the shallow Lake Titicaca. Here
a channel has been cleared so boats can take tourists out to see the
floating islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Our guide Carlos chats with one of the regulars
along our course out to the islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Reeds grow all over the shallow Lake Titicaca. Here
a channel has been cleared so boats can take tourists out to see the
floating islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We are getting closer to the first of the three
floating islands we will visit.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Finally we arrive at the first of the three
floating islands. Some of the Uros Indian residents are waiting to greet
us... and sell us some of the crafts they have made for the occasion.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Finally we arrive at the first of the three
floating islands. Some of the Uros Indian residents are waiting to greet
us... and sell us some of the crafts they have made for the occasion.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Our tour boat docks at one of the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Carlos sits us down around the "campfire" and tells
us a bit about the Uros culture and lifestyle.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Map of Lake Titicaca showing the location of the
floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Carlos sits us down around the "campfire" and tells
us a bit about the Uros culture and lifestyle.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Carlos sits us down around the "campfire" and tells
us a bit about the Uros culture and lifestyle.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: We are getting closer to the first of the three
floating islands we will visit.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Carlos sits us down around the "campfire" and tells
us a bit about the Uros culture and lifestyle.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Boat constructed from bundles of reeds used for
taking tourists on rides around the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Boat constructed from bundles of reeds used for
taking tourists on rides around the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: The floating islands vary in size from the surface
of a small apartment to that of a mansion with extensive grounds.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the tourist boats that bring visitors to the
floating islands.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: People actually live on these anchored rafts so it
is not surprising to see a working kitchen like this one.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This is how the island residents make cooking fires
on the dry surface of the reed mats.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Some of the floating islands are quite extensive.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Sign and diagram with information about Santa Maria
Island.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Huts like these are still in use by the Uros tribe
on the many "floating islands" found on Lake Titicaca.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Boat constructed from bundles of reeds used for
taking tourists on rides around the floating islands
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island had one of these observation towers
shown in the background as our boat docs.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Fish farming operation.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: During the hour we spent among the islands perhaps
a dozen other tour boats were not far off.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: From the upper deck of our boat passengers get a
better view of the surroundings.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: From the upper deck of our boat passengers get a
better view of the surroundings.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Every island we visited had a bunch of cute kids in
their native costumes happily playing... and posing for the tourist's
cameras.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the Uros ladies displays her wares.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the Uros ladies points out she has many
other nice things than toy reed boats.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the Uros ladies points out she has many
other nice things than toy reed boats.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the several anchor poles that keep the
island from floating away.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Reed bundle benches circle the area where guides
make their introductory presentations on the island.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Reed bundle benches circle the area where guides
make their introductory presentations on the island.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: Here, the good ship San Antonio... er, boat waits
for us to re-board.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This is a section of the root mass from which the
reeds sprout. As it is buoyant, it is harvested and cubic foot chunks are
fastened together to form the "pontoons" on which the "islands" are built.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This is the most organic garden I have ever seen.
Soil is placed on the surface of the floating reeds and vegetables planted
there. As the lake water seeps up near the top of the floating mass,
watering should not be a problem.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: A fisherman tending his drying catch.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This lady is trying to let me know she and her
friends are interested in my little camera.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: This boy got very interested in my little "toy"
camera and watched as his parents tried to barter with me.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: One of the Uros ladies making something to sell to
the tourists who visit her island.
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: "Yea, I'm stuck on the island today. Just sell the
block of AT&T and I'll talk to you about the rest when I get into the office
tomorrow."
Puno Peru-Lake Titicaca: All three islands featured many displays of crafts
produced by the resident Uros people.
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