Puictures of the life on Lake Titikaka

Hi to our faithful followers

Have arrived in La Paz, which is the capital of Bolivia after leaving Puno in Peru. We are in a hotel which has good wi fi in the hotel rooms, so are able to display a few shots of our time on the beautiful Lake Titikaka which is 12500 feet above sea level and the highest lake of its size in the world. It covers 8300 sq kms and lies between Peru and Bolivia.

On the outskirt sections of the lake, villages build of reeds by the local people, float on top with ties for stabilisation. On each island, homes have been built out of reeds and straw and the people's daily lives consists of fishing, farming and weaving, as well as providing tourists with a taste of their way of life.

We will show more shots when we get home, like to shot of me holding a gorgeous little bambino and Ross and I taking a ride on a reed boat.

Overlooking the township of Puno

With compliments of Google Images

A sample google image pic

Unable to upload any of our pictures at present but here´s a sample of the images we are experiencing.

The wheels on the bus go round and round, round and round

Its 4am in the morning Saturday and with altitude sickness trying its hardest to capture my spirit, I find myself at the computer catching up with online communications to loved ones back home.

Today we leave Puno in Peru which is the city that is home to Lake Titikaka - the highest altitude lake in the world I believe.

We have been in Puno, Peru for two days, travelling from Cusco by bus on a 9 hour journey. At first our companions questioned how they would last the distance but we all found with at least 4 - 5 stops to marvel at ruins or 1300 ad churches, the time soon passed. Not to mention, the forty winks cat naps we had which were induced by the hum of the engine and the gentle rocking of the bus.

Along the way we viewed shepherds tending their small flocks of cows, alpaca, lamas or sheep. A lonely figure in the vast green plains with surrounding mountain peaks casting shadows, catching clouds or watching over the lands below.

We saw little old ladies with their jet black hair in plats with their cheery faces beneath a black or brown bowler hat greeting us with wide smiles and souvenirs. We also saw the same aged women with colourful fabrics on their backs laden with firewood, shopping, young children or their souvenir shop yet to be unpacked.

The churches and museums we visited on our stops are absolutely amazing with their history and workmanship of times gone by. In one museum of the inka tribe, it had dsiplayed some human skulls which had evidence of brain surgery operations. Put All Saints to shame I think.

We arrived in Puna around 5.30 p.m., checked into our hotel and started to explore the streets and main square.... but that´s another story. Till then.

Photos of the community - Peru Challenge Project

Our last day in Cusco - Peru

Hi faithful followers

It is our last day in this beautiful city and today we visit a non-government organisation named Peru Challenge iworking in a rural village where a project to build a school, teach school aged children to grade 6, support mothers in afternoon sessions of craft making and health education, support the local community to become sustainable through development of their own skills, knowledge and abilities.

Before we take the 30 minute drive we are taken to a local produce market where we can purchase non perishables to donate to the village we are travelling to. An amazing picture of local and colourful spices, corns and legumes, meats, vegetables, a food court for locals (consisting of huge aluminium pots with home made soups) beautiful breads and the never ending supply of decoratively arranged t shirts and souvenirs.

We purchase rice, oil, pastas, toilet paper, soaps etc which we are guided by our tour guide to buy and at one stall a young boy no older than 12 serves us with the professional retail skill of an adult. His sister (we presume) is unpacking carrots and other vegetables at a nearby table. I smile and say Hola to her. In return I receive a nod and a smile which has a semi disengaged face of a young girl who is slightly retarded, yet her work ethic would put a so called 'normal' child to shame in some cases.

The organisation where we are visiting one project site started in approx 2003 by a 24 year old Australian woman (that's right - pretty awesome) and a local person in Peru. We have been told today that they married last year and have given birth to a baby girl two weeks ago.

Social issues in some low economic areas are linked to government policies and the demon things we have at home - lack of education in some instances, alcohol and domestic violence in some cases and a govt which shut down over 600 rural schools because the children didnt want to attend. We were told of a near by village where the only teacher of the local school was a drunk. That situation has now been rectified.

Some great work has been done by this one organisation and our guide for the morning was the manager of this particular village project who started out as a volunteer whilst back packing around the globe with his girlfriend. They originate from Adelaide, Australia.

We were given a tour of a nearly completed set of classrooms, a chook pen, the sanitary health area where kids learn to wash their hands properly and wash their faces, then apply cream to help protect their skin from the cold winds and altitude related issues. We were also shown the kitchen where a placid smiling lady sat on an upturned bucket peeling a large drum of potatoes with a knife - a meal being prepared for tomorrow.

At present, all children are on school holidays, but the centre provides a holiday program where the children get to sing and dance, use computers (yes, there is a computer lab) and have a meal. We were pleased to wave to the gorgeous children through the glass of their rooms.

The concept of the program is to involve the whole community and learn about sustainable practices - dads, mums and all the family are involved in how everything is done and help through their own commitment to build a better life for their community.
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We purchased some crafts made by the women's program where a proportion of the proceeds go to: the person who made the craft, the centre and the kitty for ad hoc expenses.

I also donated some US dollars to the centre to buy pens and paper for the children and teachers - one less shopping spree for me at Officeworks when I get home.

Peregrine, our travel company also sponsor the organisation directly and indirectly by allocating half day tours which we experienced today.

Safety vests but not much safety

Of course, Jen's on the lookout for safety and spotted construction men working by a rapid stream, breaking large boulders up by pick and moving stones by human chain. There are lots of manual handling issues here. But perhaps because of the proud ancestory of the Inka Tribes and their manful skill of building Machu Pichu and other monumental mountain sites, this activity for these Peruvian men is trivial.