Peru

So feeling very sore and tired from our death road experience, we boarded the truck for another day, on our way to leaving Bolivia we stopped at ancient ruins, Tiahuanaco, which though associated with the Incas is believed to pre-date them. The same guide that had taken us aroung La Paz wandered around the ruins and through a museum explaining the relics scattered around the site.
After lunch we crossed the border into Peru, at times skirting around Lake Titicaca. Our first night was spent in a town called Puno, pretty, but quite tourist orientated. We left the next morning for a cultural experience and a half. A quick ride in a bike-taxi (not sure what they call them here but think rickshaw) to the local port we did a bit of shopping for gifts, then onto a boat and out onto the Lake Titicaca. Our first destination was an island called Taquille where we ate lunch and played soccor or volley ball with the local kids before boarding the boat again and landing on our final destination for the day Amantani island.
We were greated by the locals with a song and dance and then billeted out to families for the night, Maria our mother took us to her home, mud brick abodes, and after watching a game of soccor against the local men and our boys (we lost of course-altitude) we sat in the kitchen and had a glass of red with Maria´s husband and were fed a lovely meal.
After dinner we were dressed in traditional costume, very full skirt, embroidered blouse, tight sash and black embroidered shawl, the guys had it a bit easier in a poncho and beanie! and taken to the local hall where they were holding a fiesta for us, not a huge one, local boys playing in a band, girls leading the dancing, which got a bit frenetic at times. It was a lovely night and the next morning we were served breakfast, said goodbye and boarded the boat again for our return to Puno.
On the way back to shore we stopped at some smaller islands that are made completely of reeds. It´s quite an interesting sensation walking on a couple of metres thick of reeds that can be moved when ever the inhabitants want or need. The houses are made of reeds too and they even have boats, more decorated with weed than made from, that we cruised around bit in one too.
This is my last night in Puno, tommorrow we drive to Cusco, which means Machu Picchu is very close.