U of M goes to Puno

So after writing my last post I headed to the bus station to start my journey to Puno. Unfortunately due to a transportation strike I had to postpone my trip to the following day. I think it would have been better if I had left at night so I couldn't see what was going on while on the road. I'm sure you're all familiar with the "not a good time to pass" signs on the road when the center line of a two lane road changes from dashed to solid. Apparently here, those no passing laws are more of a suggestion than an actual rule. While traveling up steep twisty mountain roads in a bus packed with over 50 tourists it was common practice for our driver to pass cars as we were traveling a mind blowing 2 mph faster than they were. One time there was a large truck coming straight for us...I was sure I was going to die!

Small houses along the side of the road in the middle of nowhere.

Another interesting fact about Peruvian bus trips, it is apparently acceptable for the bus driver to stop the bus at will to take care of personal business. We stopped 3 times so our driver could check the price of wood on the side of the road.

Bus driver checking wood prices.

Thankfully, I did make it to Puno, unharmed where I met up with a group of 16 U of M students. I happened to know 7 of them, but had no idea some were there prior to my arrival, so it was quite a pleasant surprise when I arrived! My first night there, they naturally had a welcome to Puno party for me, so we headed out to the bars. After one more clam night, it was time for me to leave...so another night out on the town for a going away party. It was really fun to be hanging out with old friends and familiar faces.

During my first full day in Puno I traveled to the Uros islands on Lake Titicaca. These are floating islands constructed completely from reeds (small lake plants) grown in the shallows of the lake. There are about 2000 people living on about 50 small islands basically living off of the lake, eating small fish in the area or the same reeds with which they constructed their islands and use to fuel cooking fires. Life on these islands originally started as a way to protect villagers from land attacks. Eventually, people permanently inhabited the islands and still do today. It was a really fascinating lifestyle to see.

Uros Islands

Small home on the islands.

As the tour guide described it, this is the Mercedes Benz of the Uros. (also constructed from reeds)

On day 2 I decided to be adventurous and take a 2 hour bus trip from the city to a small village on the far side of the lake for some cool mountain views. I was the only tourist on the small 15 passenger van (which I think can actually fit 30 Peruvians...the trip was a little uncomfortable). On the bus however, I met a 17 year old local from the village to which I was traveling. After talking for about a half an hour on our bus trip, I got off at the same stop as him when he invited me to his small Adobe house overlooking the lake to meet his family.

My new friend's house

I naturally accepted and headed off to unknowingly meet his entire extended family as they were there this past Sunday for the passing of his grandfather the Friday prior. I felt a little uncomfortable during the remembrance ceremony which was performed in the local Quechua language, but afterward I enjoyed a bowl of soup made from water fresh from Lake Titicaca.

After this, my new friend Edgar invited me to his neighbor's house who lent us their small wooden row boat to head out for a trip on the lake. After walking through knee high mud and muck to get to the boat, we had a good time rowing around the shallows of the lake and using the onboard bucket to remove water leaking in :)

Trecking through the muck out to the boat.

Rowing around Lake Titicaca with Edgar.

My new friends.

The following day it was back to Cusco to start another week of improved cook stove investigation via the internet. The project is really coming along now and I have some good design ideas. More about that to come in the next post.

Until next time, keep livin' the dream!