Puno To Cusco

It's just a bit more than 200 miles from Puno to Cusco. We took the tourist bus again, however, and with several great cultural/archaeological stops, and lunch, it took 10 hours. But it was one of our best days and so will require more than a single post. First, pix leaving Puno.

The City of Everything

Street scene

Not a small place

The harbor, the Lake

Rebar in the sky

Passing through beautiful downtown Juliaca

Puno

We got back to Puno early enough to spend an hour or so looking at the historical center, the cathedral, Plaza de Armas and a few streets and shops.

Puma

Since the Incas are not counted among the great navigators, one assumes this
must be of Spanish Catholic iconography; anyone know of a mermaid saint?
We saw this image quite a few times

Inside, the usual

Plaza de Armas

Had to share one of these

Most of Puno's traffic--most of Peru's urban traffic--is taxis

Back in our hotel; I never had to use one of these, but, at 12,000 feet, it was
comforting to know they were around; in Cusco we bought more Diamox (OTC),
upping the dosage to 250mg; that brought some relief...which was good, since
the Inca Trail lay before us...

Hotel decor

These angelic pix, mostly archangels, were quite popular
in the 16th century, and copies are seen everywhere

Leaving Puno the next morning...these are among the few buildings not
surmounted by rebar; one gets a variety of stories about why this is; mostly
a tax dodge, I surmise

Lake Titicaca: Taquile Island

Our second Lake Titicaca stop was the island of Taquile, close also to Puno, another relatively closed society but which welcomes limited tourism. Residents of Taquile speak Quechua, the language of the Incas, although their dress is distinctly Spanish. The men's pants are matador-style. Taquile is famous for its textiles, and, interestingly, it is the men who do most of the knitting. When a man proposes, he must present his bride-to-be with a knitted cap that will actually hold water. If it fails, she tells him to try again and come back in six months. Married men wear red caps; single men red and white. Women wear black shawls. Anyhow, it is a collectivist society, abiding by the three Inca laws: do not lie, do not steal, do not be lazy. All goods sold are through the cooperative, 90% going to the producer, 10% to the community.

The hike from the dock to the top of the hill just about did me in

Lay of the land: mostly potatoes

Black shawl

Widowers?

Helpful milepost

See it to believe it

Outside the Coop

They also spin who only stand and wait; in rural areas, people
often walk and spin

At lunch, a show on Taquile textiles; I should
mention that the restaurant that normally serves
this tour said sorry, all sold out from the feria;
come again next week; our resourceful guide
found an alternative on this island of 2,200 souls,
ready to serve 40 persons, without losing a minute

The guide, Manuel, demonstrating the sashes worn by men of
the island

More demonstration

Caps...so impressive

Little multi-colored bags for carrying one's coca leaves

Sashes

Including this one, made with the wife's hair

Bolivia in the cloudy distance

Taquilenos don't use Head and Shoulders; rather a sudsy mixture
made by grinding this plant

Suds

More demonstration

Main square

Street food

Among Peru's plethora of interesting hats

En route to the Cap 40 Max

Us, there, me, winded

One of the island's two "harbors"; another fascinating visit