South America Day 7: Puno to Cusco

December 2011

We caught the 7:15 am Tour Peru bus to Cusco, stopping along the way to enjoy the view - and the altitude!

We arrived in Cusco at around 3:30 pm. We checked into our hotel and had a quick lunch at Jack's Cafe before walking through the Christmas markets in the main square.

After packing for the Amazon the next day we met our group for a Christmas dinner at Aguaymant, which included turkey with all the trimmings (loved the Cusco style stuffing).

As we walked back to the hotel that night, the square was full of fireworks being let off by the locals.

Stay
Corihuasi

Eat
Jack's Cafe
Aguaymant

Do
See the sights in the main square

South America Day 6: Puno

December 2011

Woke up early to the sound of donkeys, chickens and ducks. We had a breakfast of fried bread, eggs and tea with our family before settling into the days activities. This included peeling potatoes with a knife, feeding the pigs and piglets, and taking the pigs for a walk to graze down by the water. We went for a walk to the top of a hill, where you got a great view of the Lake and Taquile Island. When we got back to our home stay family we enjoyed a lunch of quinoa and pumpkin soup, rice and potatoes with vegetables and tea. It was then time to catch the boat back to Puno.

We got back to the hotel around 2 pm, DH went for a walk around town and had a rest, whereas I went to visit Sillustani and the Pre-Inca and Inca ruins.

That night we had dinner at the Inca cafe. DH had the tomato soup and ravioli, whereas I has the salad and trout.

Stay
Italia

Eat
Inca Cafe

Do
Visit the Sillustani ruins

South America Day 5: Puno

December 2011

Up early because I couldn't sleep, followed by breakfast in the hotel. We caught bikes down to the wharf and boarded a ferry for a 30 min ride across the lake to the floating islands. Here we visited local families to learn about their lives on the island. We did a 15 min read boat ride, in the pouring (freezing cold) rain before getting back on the ferry for a 2.5 hour trip to the Island of Taquile.

Once at the Island we walked 30 min uphill to the restaurant, the Island receives many visitors and the restaurants cycle through them and all serve the same meal, which we had the quino and pumpkin soup,trout with rice and peppermint tea with a great view over the lake.

After lunch we took the 500+ stairs back down the hill to the other side of the island to catch the ferry to where we were having our home stay.

The guys played soccer (at 3,800 m!) and we then got dressed up with in the local dress to learn the dances that they do. After dancing we went with our families to our rooms, which were simple but clean. We then had dinner of quinoa soup, quinoa and stir fry vegetables and tea. We were in bed by 8 pm!

Stay
Home stay

Eat
On Taquile Island

Do
Visit the Uros floating islands
Have lunch on Taquile Island

South America Day 4: La Paz to Puno

December 2011

On the road again. New day, new country. We boarded our mini-bus and drove towards the airport, heading out of town and towards Lake Titicaca (about a 3.5 hr drive). We caught a boat across the lake and just as we got off on the other side it started to hail for about 30 minutes! We drove for another 20 minutes to Copacabana where we had hamburgers for lunch at a local hotel. We boarded the BusPeru bus to the boarder (another 20 minutes) and crossed from Bolivia to Peru.

We re boarded our bus and spent another 2 hours to Puno. We checked into our hotel and went to have a look around the main square and cathedral.

That night we had dinner in a very touristy restaurant (that had great food and local dancing), where I had alpaca for the first time (very nice) and DH had the chicken in yellow chili sauce.

Stay
Italia

Eat
Balcones de Puno

Do
Walk through Jr Lima
See the Cathedral on Plaza De Armas