Lake Titicaca

This weekend´s adventure entailed two of the volunteers and I setting off for Lake Titicaca.  Lake Titicaca is 3200 square miles and 1000 feet in depth lake to give you an idea about the vastness of this special and unique place.  It is so large that it has small islands which indigenous families live on and where we got to spend the evening.  It took us three hours by boat to arrive on the main island and we got situated with our host families upon our arrival.  The families set the foundation for the islands and their homes with totora leaves and makes boats, houses, and beds from them too.  The leaves are needle-like and a deep olive and green color and on average 3-4 meters in height.  It looked like a really large green onion to me.  I was fascinated to watch and learn about the process from which these communities live and thrive.  From there we settled into our rooms for the evening and met up later for a late afternoon hike.  This was spectacluar getting to see the island from above and all the surroundings.  I had a hard time believing I was on a lake that contained islands.  It was massive!  However, one of the greatest aspects of this trip was getting to experience the local families.  We had dinner with them in their tiny cocina that had a wood burning stove which they cooked traditional foods for us.  I was able to play with the kids and show them some of my favorite games.  We also took the liberty to sing English songs to them and I was grateful that they couldn´t understand how off key I was in my own language!  I absolutely delighted in having this authetic experience with this family.  Later in the evening they dressed us in their traditional wardrobe and we set off for the discoteca.  We danced in the local Peruvian dance and I thoroughly enjoyed shaking my tail feather with this community.  The following day we had fresh trout from the lake and it was by far one of the best fish I have eaten in Peru thus far.  As we left the island headed back home I couldn´t help but be grateful for the whole experience.  It stays in my favorite top five experiences of my trip to date.