Puno

Wednesday, Oct. 13
Today began with a box of unnecessary stuff and a few gifts starting the journey to Cathy’s place. We got the box at the corner mercado (I had the choice of three sizes!), and the front desk supplied the packing tape. In order to send it, I needed a photocopy of my passport and had to affix my index finger print to all five copies of the official sheet. Now, after over $75 cnd we hope it arrives in the two to three weeks the nice lady said. While Peter retrieved the copy, the clerk and I had a lovely conversation about our families. Women talk is universal.
We took a tour of a Uros floating island. Talking about having nothing. The entire family group live on an island. The one we visited was about 50 x 100 feet. Each couple have their own hut. They fish and shoot birds (with a musket). There was a pet flamingo, a puppy, and a cat kept as pets. They make cash through their handicrafts and tourist visits. I did buy an embroidered cloth which will have fond memories for me. Margarita dressed me in a local outfit over all the clothes I had on and Peter got a picture. We also took the ride to the next island in their fancy reed boat - you don’t pay if you don’t make it. I had to admire how hard Margarita worked rowing this large craft with the crudest of paddles. I will certainly be way more vocal when people whine about anything they don’t have in Canada. It makes our complex expansion seem quite excessive. The women on each island all wear the same brightly coloured dress skirt so even in town they know who is from which island. Ours wore a fluoresant pink which simply did not photograph truly.
That evening in our hotel we met a couple about twenty-years our junior who are from Nelson, New Zealand. Mike kept commenting that his wife and I were way to dangerous together. Anyway, we have an invitation to crash if we do get to Nelson in December.
It is certainly being proven to us that it is not the destination, but the journey that is important.
I want to take a moment to say some thank you -s. Eileen for the scarf I wear almost every day. Cathy for lending me her wool socks that I wear even to bed. Lach for recommending that we do not do the four-day Inca Trail and that we do go to the expense of buying the Eagle Creek Switchback luggage. Peter is still swearing at the day pack as it has too many zipper sections for him, but I love it as I zip the two pieces together for bus rides. Henry for recommending the Kindle which Peter is using everyday and is recommending to other travelers. Finally to our wonderful kids who chipped-in and bought the Kindle for their Dad and who were so encouraging that we should spend their inheritance and have the trip of a lifetime. There have been no hitches yet, but I am sure in the six + months there will be some, but who cares, it is just so much fun wandering.