Vamos a Amantani
SO the night before, Puno was bumping with the excitement of TOLEDO coming to town, and I opted for an early night.. I wanted to save for energy the next day. At 7am Im up, shower and head down to the buffet breakfast. At 740am exactly, the guide is there to take me to the Puno port. We take a bici taxi! How cool! Puno is high in elevation and its quite cold, thankfully I have brough a good jacket, gloves and a hat.. But this bici taxi is great.. the wind in our faces, fresh air.. and its completely eco friendly! (we're gonna do this with CREAR- its my new goal). Like I have said before the bikes drivers are the owners as well, or so I assume, because each one has their own style, kinda reminds me of the buses in Panama City Panama (not Florida)! Now those are a sight! SO cool! Imagine large school buses painting in all sorts of colors, virgin marys and names on the sides, or big breasted women painted on the back of the bus is provacative poses, those buses are unicos! WOAH! ok.. sidetracked....
The taxi drop us off that the port. There is one dock. Unlike marines that have slips and several docks connected like the branches of a tree, here the boats are just tied up one next to the other, like a big boat party. There are people all over, selling water, coca candies, walking on the boats, hopping from boat to boat, loading them up. Strapping items to the roof, bags, soda, rice, quinoa, beans, etc.. I imagine they are bringing the supplies to the islands. And everyone can just walk on the boats, I mean you have too in order to get to the other ones, so its quite the sight. I was the first one on our boat and then my guide left me there. Slowly the boat fills up with other passangers..
For the first time I think the mean age is 40... and I wasnt the only solo traveler. There were three couples and three solos.. also there was a family, ma, pa, son and sons GF. They were a really cool family. Theyre from Colorado and the Son and Novia had been traveling in South American for some time when they met up with the boys rentals in Cusco to do the Inca Tour. They also had their own guide! A shamic healing guide- how cool to take a journey through such powerful lands with a guide asi... well little did I know, but I was in for an experience of my life...
Okay, so once the boat is loaded, a young guy came on with a little Ukulele and a flute. He jams out for a few mintues, mostly Andian jams, oh and he sings too! Three things at once! Im impressed, but I didnt bring mucha plata, so sorry tio, no tip for you. Once he leaves we head out.. We are all set, we got our Capital Angel, our guide is Angel, and then there is Fausto, the shamic guide and we are off... The morning was kinda raining making the lake a little rough. The originally plan was to go to the Islas Flotantes de los Uros, then Taquila, then Amantani, but they decided to flip it, because prehaps tomorrow will better weather to visit those places, and if not.. no loss.. So we head out! Destination! AMANTANI. Its about a 3 hour trip due to the weather.
Althought it was raining, I felt really happy to be by such a large body of fresh water. Not even close tothe size of Lake Superior, from where I hail, but fresh water is fresh water, and Lake Titicaca is no puddle. Its about 165km long, 600 ft deep in parts, and over 8000km in surface area. My mood change is good, because up to this point I was kinda in a funk.. Missing home, feeling alone, solita.. So the lake was giving me good vibes. Then the sun comes out for the last leg of the trip, excellent. I journey outside and met some of the other travelers... What a beautiful day.. Its cold, but in the sun its nice and toasty. The sky is so blue and the reflection of the sun on the water is unlike anything else.
Once we arrive to Amantani, we are broken up into groups, in order to match the accommedations of our homestay. Amantani is an island with about 3000 inhabitants. I was visiting during down season, but almost every house participates in the homestay program. And during down season, each house recieves visitor about once a month, and they rotate to keep it justo (fair)... SO the Colorado family head off, and I hope to see them later, the BF and the GF were about my age and I would have liked to talk to them a little more.. but well see.. then a little lady with two long braids that eventually connect, in a white blouse, long black skirt, sandals (its tooo cold for sandals by the way) and a black embroidered bufanda.. beautiful. She doesnt say much, but from the looks of it we are to follow her to her house. I get paired up with a German couple in their 60s.. and we begin to follow "mama"..
The hillsides of Amantani are sprinkled with little houses and there are paths from one to another. There is also a main path of sorts from the dock up the hill.. We follow this stone path to our house for the night! its actually pretty big. (later Angel tells me we got one of the nicest houses on the island... but I figure its all relative) I get my own room, there are three twin beds, they must be used to larger groups because the Germans also had an extra bed in their room. And there were two bathrooms. No running water, but they collect the rain water and use that to wash down the toilet and to wash hands and dishes. Oh there was also a shower, but NI MODO! There was NO way I was going to take a shower here.. plus I wasnt sweating and I felt no need!..
Okay, so now its about mid day.. We are to meet with the Group around 3pm for a hike up the hill. But they didnt tell us the spot for whatever reason.. Our host family is to bring us.. and until then, the time is ours. The family starts lunch and I offer to help, but its not nessecary.. The family, pa, ma y hijo were all in the little kitchen. Its a room thats prolly 5 ft high, 4ft wide and 8ft long, BITTY and they cook everything on a little clay stove where they mantain a fire below.. I wish the room had more windows, because all the smoke cant be good, but aleast inside they stay warm. Shortly there after lunch is served. Sopa de Quinoa, papas, choclo y queso! Que rico! nom nom nom.. I could eat all the time and then some, so fresh so filling and so healthy! oh and there is more.. the tea! Mate de muña, its an Andean mint that is FANTASTIC!
After lunch the family sits in the sun on the patio and the mama and another lady knit hats, meanwhile the pa sits and chats, while the son (about 10yrs) plays with a balloon. Hehehe, seriously! He was loving that balloon! If I would have known I would have loved to have brought him a pack.. So the family is relaxing when the German man, who doesnt speak spanish let alone much english, ask me to ask the papa (the man of the house) if he has two wifes.. WOAH talk about being put on the spot.. Just because there were two women knitting together doesnt mean they are both married to one guy.. but the German was serious.. so I had to think about my next move.
I decide to go sit with them, but they arent speaking spanish. I think its Aymara or Quechau... not really sure. But the pa knows spanish, so I sit down and thank them for lunch. Then I ask if they are family? and he say, Yes... but no more specifics. In Andean culture, like many indigenous cultures, everyone is related, everyone is a mother or father, aunt or uncle, son or daughter. Its very common to hear friends call each other Ma in passing and kids call adults tios or tias.. SO I got nowhere with that question.. Okay.. think.. I start to talk about somethine else to change the subject, and then I ask about the boy, if the is their child, and he is.. but he had a friend with him, so I asked about that kid, hes a neighbor, then I ask about the other women sowing, and she is a cousin of the wife. Excellent.. German will be happy. So I end the convo and tell the German the news. I still cant believe that. So blunt. But I feel that I handled it okay. Then I went back to talk to the host dad and double check his name.. well I messed it up soo bad that the ladies started laughing.. I had no idea what I said, but I guess I was calling my host dad a pig in Aymara.. Oh me oh my!
Okay, at this point the fresh air and the lunch and the altitude was making me sleepy so I decided to rest before the group meeting at 3 pm...
The taxi drop us off that the port. There is one dock. Unlike marines that have slips and several docks connected like the branches of a tree, here the boats are just tied up one next to the other, like a big boat party. There are people all over, selling water, coca candies, walking on the boats, hopping from boat to boat, loading them up. Strapping items to the roof, bags, soda, rice, quinoa, beans, etc.. I imagine they are bringing the supplies to the islands. And everyone can just walk on the boats, I mean you have too in order to get to the other ones, so its quite the sight. I was the first one on our boat and then my guide left me there. Slowly the boat fills up with other passangers..
For the first time I think the mean age is 40... and I wasnt the only solo traveler. There were three couples and three solos.. also there was a family, ma, pa, son and sons GF. They were a really cool family. Theyre from Colorado and the Son and Novia had been traveling in South American for some time when they met up with the boys rentals in Cusco to do the Inca Tour. They also had their own guide! A shamic healing guide- how cool to take a journey through such powerful lands with a guide asi... well little did I know, but I was in for an experience of my life...
Okay, so once the boat is loaded, a young guy came on with a little Ukulele and a flute. He jams out for a few mintues, mostly Andian jams, oh and he sings too! Three things at once! Im impressed, but I didnt bring mucha plata, so sorry tio, no tip for you. Once he leaves we head out.. We are all set, we got our Capital Angel, our guide is Angel, and then there is Fausto, the shamic guide and we are off... The morning was kinda raining making the lake a little rough. The originally plan was to go to the Islas Flotantes de los Uros, then Taquila, then Amantani, but they decided to flip it, because prehaps tomorrow will better weather to visit those places, and if not.. no loss.. So we head out! Destination! AMANTANI. Its about a 3 hour trip due to the weather.
Althought it was raining, I felt really happy to be by such a large body of fresh water. Not even close tothe size of Lake Superior, from where I hail, but fresh water is fresh water, and Lake Titicaca is no puddle. Its about 165km long, 600 ft deep in parts, and over 8000km in surface area. My mood change is good, because up to this point I was kinda in a funk.. Missing home, feeling alone, solita.. So the lake was giving me good vibes. Then the sun comes out for the last leg of the trip, excellent. I journey outside and met some of the other travelers... What a beautiful day.. Its cold, but in the sun its nice and toasty. The sky is so blue and the reflection of the sun on the water is unlike anything else.Once we arrive to Amantani, we are broken up into groups, in order to match the accommedations of our homestay. Amantani is an island with about 3000 inhabitants. I was visiting during down season, but almost every house participates in the homestay program. And during down season, each house recieves visitor about once a month, and they rotate to keep it justo (fair)... SO the Colorado family head off, and I hope to see them later, the BF and the GF were about my age and I would have liked to talk to them a little more.. but well see.. then a little lady with two long braids that eventually connect, in a white blouse, long black skirt, sandals (its tooo cold for sandals by the way) and a black embroidered bufanda.. beautiful. She doesnt say much, but from the looks of it we are to follow her to her house. I get paired up with a German couple in their 60s.. and we begin to follow "mama"..
The hillsides of Amantani are sprinkled with little houses and there are paths from one to another. There is also a main path of sorts from the dock up the hill.. We follow this stone path to our house for the night! its actually pretty big. (later Angel tells me we got one of the nicest houses on the island... but I figure its all relative) I get my own room, there are three twin beds, they must be used to larger groups because the Germans also had an extra bed in their room. And there were two bathrooms. No running water, but they collect the rain water and use that to wash down the toilet and to wash hands and dishes. Oh there was also a shower, but NI MODO! There was NO way I was going to take a shower here.. plus I wasnt sweating and I felt no need!..  |
| I'm big, but this door in SMALL! |
Okay, so now its about mid day.. We are to meet with the Group around 3pm for a hike up the hill. But they didnt tell us the spot for whatever reason.. Our host family is to bring us.. and until then, the time is ours. The family starts lunch and I offer to help, but its not nessecary.. The family, pa, ma y hijo were all in the little kitchen. Its a room thats prolly 5 ft high, 4ft wide and 8ft long, BITTY and they cook everything on a little clay stove where they mantain a fire below.. I wish the room had more windows, because all the smoke cant be good, but aleast inside they stay warm. Shortly there after lunch is served. Sopa de Quinoa, papas, choclo y queso! Que rico! nom nom nom.. I could eat all the time and then some, so fresh so filling and so healthy! oh and there is more.. the tea! Mate de muña, its an Andean mint that is FANTASTIC!
After lunch the family sits in the sun on the patio and the mama and another lady knit hats, meanwhile the pa sits and chats, while the son (about 10yrs) plays with a balloon. Hehehe, seriously! He was loving that balloon! If I would have known I would have loved to have brought him a pack.. So the family is relaxing when the German man, who doesnt speak spanish let alone much english, ask me to ask the papa (the man of the house) if he has two wifes.. WOAH talk about being put on the spot.. Just because there were two women knitting together doesnt mean they are both married to one guy.. but the German was serious.. so I had to think about my next move.
Comments
Post a Comment