How can you top the hike to the City in the clouds? We were in Ollytantambo after the train took us back from Aguas Callientes, our hostel had a lovely leafy courtyard and a crazy puppy. Most were resting after the gruelling trek and I was the only taker to see some Inka ruins just in the town in the dark and drizzle, up more stairs, my sore legs not thanking me at all. I was not missing out on anything this trip. We left the next day back to Cusco to catch up on some rest and shopping.
After our final meal in Cuzco which have all been excellent, we got a bus to Lake Titikaka and we stayed in Puno. The lake was soooo large and apparently in the shape of a puma catching a rabbit, and is 270m deep and the second highest navagable lake in the world. We pottered around Puno and had dinner and the next day were taken by cyclos to the dock where we got into a boat to take us to Uros floating reed islands to meet the people who live on the lake. Appárently they fled from the Spanish or the Inkas and built these floating islands, boats and huts made out of the plentiful reeds, with small fish farms attached, which can be added onto of chopped if families have a bone to pick with each other... flexible lifestyles... but the youth are going to uni in town and do not return so a uniqe way of life is coming to a halt and all that will be left is for tourists... how sad. They have small solar panels to watch tv and for some lighting but build clay ovens to cook outdoors and make handicrafts to sell, they bartyr with townsfolk with fish for fruit and vegies etc... so simple, and females dress in very colourful clothing with their dark black hair cascading down in 2 thick plaits tied with colourful pom poms, the bigger and brighter the pom pom the more available the girl, dark and small are for married ladies.
From there we went to another island where we had to climb over and across to lunch, our highest lunch spot at around 3700m, with a view of the lake. The men there knit as the women spin the wool and the designs are just fantastic, wish i could have bought some stuff to bring home but did not take much cash. Then back to puno.
The next day we got another coach for a long ride to Bolivia around the lake, we had a windy road to contend with after crossing the border and my stomach went out of kilter and I felt so sick... but we got to bustling La Paz which was nestled in among mountains and glaciers with hoardes of people and skinny cobbled streets crammed with vendors. We went to the Witches market where they sell all sorts of dried foetuses of llamas, herbs, potions, charms, talismans etc... all very weird, and then to the touristy craft shops before dinner.
The next day we went out of town to another ruin, pre inka and we were by then all tired, unable to take in the information the guide was gushing, and must have looked a bit sheepish. We had lunch and returned to the hotel as it was our last night. So there you have it... all over, and now I am in Argentina after a long wait in Lima for my connecting flight and have walked my legs off exploring the colourful, clean European like city, which is very large. I went to the zoo which was great and saw the animals i did not see in the Amazon, and the botanical gardens full of cats, they are everywhere... what is with that? Then I hit La Boca with its colourful tin houses and tango spontaniously happening everywhere in the tourist zone, and i walked for 5 hours through to the trendy shops and malls which was a huge contrast... my legs were so sore i got a cab back and went for a lovely swim in the hotel pool... the night life here goes on and people are everywhere, dining and drinking and dancing... it is a very cool and sophisticated city and is very European in feel. Great food, from all corners of the globe, wine, beers, cakes, chocolates.... a gourmet´s delight. They do a great caramel sauce which is in and on everything, and you can buy it in big buckets... hmmmm.....
Tomorrow is my last day and i have booked in a massage in the day spa downstairs in anticipation of my very long flight home... cannot believe this trip is over, but i have had an absolute amazing experience here and will definately recommend it and hope to return soon. Thanks for reading my blog, hope it was interesting... c u back home... P
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