Lake Titicaca

Lake Titicaca is said to be the highest navigable lake in the world (3812m elevation), and by volume of water, it is the largest lake in South America. Located high in the Andes, with the border of Peru and Bolivia running through it, Lake Titicaca seems like an inland sea, and is astounding in it's beauty.

When the Spanish invaded, a group of indigenous people took to the lake to avoid being slaughtered, and have lived there ever since on the Islas de Uros - floating islands made of reed from the lake. There are 42 islands, each only about 30m wide, often containing 5 or more families living in little reed huts. One day per week is dedicated to maintaining the island, with new reed put down as the reed at the bottom of the island disintegrates away. The people here live a traditional life (apart from the 1 day each month when tourists visit their island; a necessity that is shared between the different islands to allow equal distribution of wealth) and speak a local dialect. The children go to school on the islands, and there is even a medical clinic floating amongst them too.

Another island on Lake Titicaca (this time stationary), Isla Taquile is like taking a step back in time. Used as a prison during Spanish colonisation, the Island of Taquile is amazingly untouched by modern culture: the women spin wool whilst the men knit ... ALL THE TIME. A person's marital status and their status in the community can be judged by the type of hat and clothing that they wear. Single men wear a red hat with white at the end, whilst married men wear totally red hats. A prospective mother-in-law will inspect the knitting of a man's hat to determine if he is worthy of marrying her daughter - hence the knitting of the region is world-renowned - the things a man will do to get that girl ...

Ian wearing the chief's hat - bow to me bitches