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Monday, May 11, 2015

Lake Titicaca - The sound of violent illness –‘kombucha’



La Paz (Bolivia) to Puno (Peru)

08 May 2015 – 11 May 2015

If you’re like me then with the onset of a rancid, dirty bout of viral gastroenteritis…or is it food poisoning…whatever it was, there’s an internal dialogue that progresses from early detection, through denial, trade-off and then finally, begrudgingly, acceptance. In the end whatever ‘it’ is and whatever ‘it’ was just becomes too great for all your good will and internal fortitude, but, lets check that carry bag in here, we don’t need to be walking through security with this story just yet.

We were on the way out of Bolivia, slinking our way north west around the waters where the Sun was believed to have been born (according to Andean legend). Desolate & austere, the landscape looks just like what a daze feels like when your eyes glaze over, your mind wanders and you linger in those moments of blank comfort with no thoughts. Ephemeral and transient, moving through these ancient lands of legend we stop on the shores of Lake Titicaca in the town of Copacabana, just as the sun is taking its last bow for the day. The waters shimmer in burnt orange as the small crowd stands on the shoreline, clapping as the gold orb disappears from sight.


Sunset on Lake Titicaca - Copacabana - Bolivia


Lake Titicaca - Peru

 Lake Titicaca - Peru


Was feeling absolutely wretched in this shot

After crossing into Peru we made our way up the coastline under the blanket of darkness, spotted with the most incredible starlight we had seen, equivalent to what we had experienced in the Elqui Valley (Chile). Arriving in Puno mid-evening we checked into the Kuntur Inn and quickly set ourselves up for an excursion onto the Lake Titicaca the next day, specifically to see the floating Uros islands. Again, this had always been on my wish list and was probably inspired by a few travel documentaries hosted by Greg Grainger – who, as a side note, Inga and I ran into whilst staying on the Great Barrier Reef that same year – a story for a later blog however.

Inga and I headed out to downtown Puno that night for some food and a few drinks, and one pesky, errant, subversive Tom Collins. This one non-descript drink. This one small insurrectionist. This dangerous subversive. It was to hold my life for ransom for the next few days with a vice like grip on my well being….and you know…when it strikes, just when the death knell is sounded, what it was that brought you to your knees. That model citizen of the cocktail world, the one that never causes trouble and quite likely would be a very good neighbour, on this morning, took out a baseball bat and hobbled me. I woke up on a bright Puno morning with the violent sounds of ‘KOMBUCHA’ shattering through the walls of the homely Kuntor Inn. How in the world was I going to make it to the front door, let alone the shores of Lake Titicaca this morning?

Lake Titicaca - Peru

After downing a cup full of cement for breakfast I handed over all my valuables, all responsibility and all direction of my motor skills to Inga. I must have looked like a dead man walking in a fait accompli. Arms limp by my side, head bowed, shoulders drooped, I was shattered at 7:00am and there was nothing I could do. Those first few ours on the boat out of Puno were brutal. Occasionally I stuck my head up and looked around in order to appreciate where I was, but I had nothing, I was the one in the pack that would have been picked off out on the plains of the Serengti.

The sun here is piercing, it prickles your skin. The waters are a deep, rich blue and the equally magnificent skies are punctuated by cotton like puffs of white cloud, painting like. This lake is sacred in Peruvian legend and there is the belief that the Sun God, that was born on this lake, created Manco Capac, the first Inca King. Completely aside from  that, but as interesting, are the Uros Indians that life on great floating read islands. They are effectively the guardians of the lake and have inhabited this corner of the world in their unique and ingenious style for generations, utilising water reeds that grow in the lake to make their own floating terra firma. It’s quite incredible and really, not matter what my state, I felt absolutely fortunate to have both seen and set foot on a couple of these islands.

 
The best I could muster - its the most fake smile in illness that I could muster - Lake Titicaca - Peru


Uros floating islands - Lake Titicaca - Peru


Uros floating islands - Lake Titicaca - Peru


Uros islands - Lake Titicaca - Peru

From what I understand the reeds need to be replaced constantly, or indeed, islands need to be rebuilt frequently. The groups are generally small but with that said, even here the ever forward marching band of technology has made its way. TV’s, mobile phone, electronic devices, they are all common places and well utilised through the assistance of solar powered batteries. The children head out by boat to local floating schools and the elders, either do what they do, or, cater to tourists such as us. It makes the whole situation feel a little contrived but that, to me, is affecting me less and less these days. That’s the nature of necessity and human interaction, so if cultures adapt and pander to what we bring, then OK, if it’s beneficial for all I can accept that.