Floating Islands of Uros

Our breakfast at the homestay was great - fried bread with muna tea. And they made sure we ate until we were stuffed! We got back on board our boat and sailed for a few hours back towards Puno, stopping at the floating islands of Uros. The totora reeds that grow in the shallows of the lake are used for making everything from the islands themselves to the boats and the homes. The islands are made up of layers upon layers of reeds; as the layers closest to the water start to rot, they are replaced with fresh reeds on top. We were given a tour of one of the islands, including a lecture on how the islands were created and are maintained, and then were given a few minutes to explore. It's a weird feeling to be walking on the reeds - it isn't as solid as the ground, but it isn't as unstable as a water bed either. It's more like walking on a piece of foam. We were given a simple lunch on the way back to Puno and were given the rest of the afternoon to explore the town - I ended up spending the afternoon in a cafe with C, D, and K.