Description: On route from the small harbour we saw the world’s oldest single propeller driven iron ship in working order. The boat had been given to the Peruvians by the British Government so that they could police the border with Bolivia. It was delivered as a self assembly unit and after being rebuilt on the banks of the lake it had several years of service before standing disused. It has been carefully refurbished and is now fully operational again and has become a tourist attraction although we didn’t have time to check it out.(other than our drive past).

I’m sure most people know that Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world and with the clear blue skies the clear waters of the lake reflect back a variety of blues and turquoises. The lake was central to the myths and legends of the ancient Inca and Aymara cultures as the story goes that that it was these waters that the sun god commanded his children Manco Capac and Mama Ocilo to rise and that they then created the Inca Empire. Our guide suggested that even today it is believed to be sacred to the indigenous people that live and work around the lake and still they throw offerings into the waters to keep the Gods happy.

Furthermore an exploration by Jacques Cousteau resulted in the locals scrutinising his activities and reacting sharply when they saw that he was intent on removing old offerings from the lake. He was ordered not to even consider such a step and of course he fully cooperated with this request. So the old offerings remain in the clear waters of the lake and will doubtless remain there for generations to come.

We’d had an early start and having visited Uros Islands we were again back on the clear waters heading off for Taquile Island. This is a natural island is around 6 square kilometres rising from
3800 metres at the harbour up to its summit of 4059 metres. It takes a good 90 minutes on the motor boat and in all honesty there’s not a lot to see once you leave the Reed Islands behind. Like the Uros islands the island of Taquile is dependent on tourists. So the islanders are extremely welcoming of us.
It’s been inhabited for over 10,000 years and there’s Inca and pre-Inca remains. In the colonial era the island was taken over by the Spanish and used as a political prison up until early in the 20th Century. But it was formally handed over to the Taquile people in 1970 and this colourful group of people now happily live on their island welcoming foreign tourists on a daily basis.

We set off confidently, but soon succumbed to the altitude and realised that we needed to take it easy and pause for breath as we climbed up the steep slope. There are still signs of ancient agricultural terracing and strong indications that the islanders use the follow field system rather than relying on artificial fertilisers. Here on the island the inhabitants are largely self sufficient island and they grow their own potatoes, beans and quinoa with woven and knitted handicrafts being sold onn or batered on the mainland to help fill any gaps. Indeed almost all Talquilenos are weavers or knitters and the guide suggested that their handwork is renowned throughout the Andes.

We pass many islanders, resplendent in their traditional costume, as we trudge on up the hill. But as we got higher and the slope got steeper it was more often the case that islanders were passing us by. Even the locals who were carrying heavy loads to the main square made our efforts look easy. They’d been to the mainland and their purchases were wrapped into the traditional blankets which were then held round the carriers neck as they went up the hill. Our guide said we could stop at a modern restaurant which was only a five minute walk up the slope but we preferred to try and get to the main square. So we carried on for another 30 minutes or so and eventually are persistence paid off as we came in sight of the summit. It’s a steep climb but the pathway is fairly even with a ramp way rather than steps. Still I think you need to be determined and reasonably fit to make the ascent.

Here we were eating in a small local restaurant with traditional soup as a starter and locally caught fish as our main course. And very tasty it was too!

As we’d struggle up the hill side islanders cautiously offer their local handcrafts for sale. They don’t push it at all and this non-confrontative sales technique clearly works with many of the visitors. You can buy small knitted items, handmade jewellery, hats and shawls.

Whilst in the main square we saw young children some with their parent involved in local handicraft and others returning from school. A couple cross the square leading a cow and others a just sitting in small groups and chatting. There’s a great feel to this open square and it is clearly here that the main business is conducted. There’s an old bell tower, an administrative building and small houses making up the square. Check out the superb view across Lake Titicaca and if you want to make a handicraft purchase there are a couple of local halls where the loals are at work.

It’s a peaceful island and even the presence of tourists has not taken the local feel out of the island. Well worth the effort of a visit!
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