In Spanglish the name Titicaca sounds a bit well, rude, but in the Quechua language of the indigenous Andes people it translates into "grey puma" owing to the lake's shape. Our trip here included a few days in the secluded and very rustic village of Llachon, viewing the beautiful scenery and kayaking while enjoying the hospitality of locals and communicating primarily in hand gestures. (Spanish is decidedly not the native language of Peru and Bolivia, and Quechua is a super tough language to learn.) Also, we visited the famous "floating reed island" community of Uros, and then crossed the Peru/Bolivian border (the lake is split in half and shared by both countries), landing in the town of Copacabana (different from both the song and the famous Brazilian beach).
Llachon - Casa de Valentine
Our experience in Llachon (a trip we made rather randomly based on a fellow traveler's suggestion) was by far the most rustic/rural/remote/you-get-the-idea. No hot water, no shops, little electricity and few people other than our very friendly hostess and another group of tourists provided a tranquil, off-the-grid break.
(Andrew is reminding me that it was also quite frigid....lovely under the bright sun, but freezing at night. I'm talking 2 people squeeze into tiny bed in order to share body heat cold.)
A fascinating aspect of our lovely and modest accommodation was that its build process was in plain site: Dig up clay, pack it into bricks, let it dry, and then, build a house!
Playing Dress-Up
Natives!
Authentic Travelers
I'm telling you...Peruvians and Bolivians know how to rock a good hat. And how to pack a mini-bus.
The customary triangular hat is popular enough to have a community center/lookout point built in its likeness! Of course, the shape and style of these hats bears some significance, but I no longer remember it, nor do I remember the Quechua word for "triangular hat with pom poms":
Uros - Floating Reed Islands
AKA major tourist trap...
