Getting High in Peru, Year Two: 12,689 to 13,164 feet high, Taquile

On Lago Titicaca heading to Isla Taquile

Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Sept 19, 20 & 21

A Two-night trip to Puno and Lago (Lake) Titicaca—Here Isla Taquile

On-site map of the Lago and sights

            From Islas de los Uros we boated to another island, one that has a firm foundation, Isla Taquile (about 35km/22 miles) east of Puno. It is small, only 7-sq-km, with perhaps two thousand residents, who speak Quechua. After getting off the boat, we hiked a gradual slope up to the top (13,164 feet in elevation) to the village. I noticed that a mudbrick structure under construction back in 2013 is now set up as a restaurant. If you have traveled to or lived on the Greek islands as I have, life on this island is similar. In fact, I told some students about the comparison recognizing that the cultures are different. Remember too, that this day was sunny and warm, even at 13,000 feet. After spending some time in the village square checking out the local textiles, and now that it was late afternoon, most of us put on warmer clothing due to the now cold breeze. It would be easy for me to relax on this island, and some people do overnight here—confirmed by Profe. The floating Uro Island overnight would be quite the experience  (especially if you walk in your sleep), but here you actually have enough room to hike around and explore.  

Beginning our ascent

I'm focusing on how many miles to Jerusalem

Another archway before the Plaza

While in the village square, we were taught about the local clothing traditions. For example, the women weave colorful and wide waistbands for their men. The men also carry a woven bag containing their coca supply. When the men meet each other they may swap coca leaves. When I heard this, I took out my coca bag from my vest and swapped some coca with a local resident. The pictures will also show him wearing a woven wool red cap. Red meaning that he is married, and other young men wear a red and white cap, meaning that they are available. They tried to get me to wear a red cap last year, but it was way too small, and I was unable to get it onto my head. It is said that the men rarely marry outside this island community.   

In the Plaza learning about local customs above and below

Are they married now--red cap and wide waistband?

Another red cap--another marriage?

Our boat had moved to a different port. This way we were able to experience more of the island as we descended to the dock on another side of the island. Profe mentioned that back in her visit here in 2000 she had ascended and descended on this path. This island opened up to tourism around 1998. This is a steeper path and our earlier and easier ascent was a more recent construction. 

This is the arch currently featured on Lonely Planet's latest edition on Peru. 

I tried to capture all the students passing under it above and below.

Another arch a bit below the above. From here I 'shot' the students above me.

       Once back on board and late in the afternoon, the winds stirred up the lake making for bigger swells. For a while, we were up to 11-12 mph; sometimes some water came over the stern; sometimes the boat slid sideways in the swell, so the pilot slowed down. One of the students asked if there was a problem, but I responded ‘no pasa nada.’ The pilot had slowed due to the swells, but then we did not arrive back to the Puno harbor until after sunset at 6 pm. Nine hours on Lago Titicaca. Wow! I have never spent that many hours on a boat on Lake Michigan. What a treat. The students had plenty of time to bond and to share. And now, some had enough time to do shopping before meeting in the restaurant for supper at 7:30 pm.  

The students encountered sheep and the shepherdess on the trail

Profe remembers that she ascended and descended here in her  2000 visit.

Paz.