Sunday, 18 January 2009

• Straw Islands of Lake Titicaca

  by Molly

  If going there just because the name sounds cool isn't enough reason for you, you should go to Lake Titicaca to ride on a straw boat and see what it feels to walk around on reed islands!

  

  Lake Titicaca  is the highest navigable lake in the world, and is home to one of the oldest living indigenous tribes of Peru. The Uros islands sit at 3,810 meters (12,500 feet) above sea level, and were originally built as a defense mechanism for the Uros tribe from imposing forces. They are a series of small islets that are made from large blocks of soil and the totora reeds indigenous to the area, which were designed to be moved if need be. When the Incans ruled most of Peru, the Uros tribe was able to protect themselves from being conquered by living on these small moveable islands 5 km west of the port town of Puno. They were eventually subjected to Incan taxes, but have remained inhabitants of these islets for thousands of years.

  Today, the Uros islands have become a popular tourist detination to backpackers and visitors of Puno. One of the islets has set up a small market with a few restaurants and a straw inn. The locals offer a bite of the totora root, which is one of the staples of their diet, and sell handicrafts made primarily from totora reeds. They have also set up a small model of an islet, and demonstrate how they created these moveable masses. It is a pretty interesting story....they take a block of soil with strong roots in it (to keep it together), stake it down to the bottom of the lake, spread reeds over the top, and build their reed village over that. They have to change the straw every couple of months to prevent the islets from rotting, but it is pretty amazing that they have been able to live on these islands for such a long period of time!

  

  If you ever make it over to Puno, Peru, you should definitely arrange a trip to the Uros Islands. It takes a few minutes to get used to the feeling of walking on reeds, but they are a sight that you won't see anywhere else in the world.

  Has anyone been to Lake Titicaca or heard about the straw islands? Have you seen other places like this one on your travels?

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