Puno, The best so far

Four groggy travellers arrived in Puno from a semi long bus journey at 6am on the Wednesday, and perched on the curb where the bus had dropped them conversing on where they think they would stay.  One of the guys said that he had got a tip from another traveller that there is a small B&B that very few people knew about.  A little doubtful, at 6 in the morning whether there would be room in the inn but we risked it anyway and jumped in a cab to take us to our destination.  Puno is a strange town, quite big, I presume normal size for a border town with so much trade etc. that it would be used for, run down, but not too time warped but enough, 70s I would say, buildings un-painted inside, just brick, almost what you would expect from a eastern European town (hopefully that isn’t too offensive), may be even war torn.

We arrived at our hostel, and it seemed that he was a little surprised to have travellers staying, but the host was more than hospitable.   It was lovely, but lack of heating was a killer, obviously it was still high up altitude so it was chilly, woollies all round for Puno, even in bed.  The husband and wife who owned the place were lovely, spoiling us rotten with tea and constant advice, and we were lucky enough to get our own little apartment with a dining room/living room (with TV!), and a separate kitchen and two bathrooms (but size wise Sylvania Families?), this little number we had all to ourselves for little money. But I must admit that I was feeling a little apprehensive almost tense on tagging along with my new mates, as you would be when sharing so much time with people who you knew for only a couple of days; sharing a room with them, crazy isn’t it that different circumstances, so I was to say the least a little apprehensive about the next few days.  Little did i know that it would be one of the best few days and most amazing places of my trip.  We arrived at fiesta time (which we didn’t even know about, a festival for Our Lady) and we had an experience we would never experience again and one that I will never forget. 

I turned around and to my surprise the first thing she said was aren’t you Patrick Barrett´s sister

We dumped our stuff and made our way out, internet cafe first to get in touch with the rest of the world.  On talking to other travellers in Cusco we found out that a hostel called Inca´s rest was the place to be, quiet for sleeping and near all the festivities.  

Our first day we relaxed and had a walk about town, taking in the sites, and refuelling.  Then the night came, and the whole town came alive.  The fiesta would start early afternoon then make its way through the town ending up at the main Plaza around midnight.  It was amazing to see all these wonderful costumes, confetti flying, voices singing, bear flowing and the legs dancing.  What was particularly interesting was another little ritual they had, (amazing to see different rituals for different countries, even towns, i.e. Messy night in Liverpool consists of throwing eggs at people?); while the parade is going on there is a tradition of girls spraying the boys and vice a versa with foam !  Odd, but everyone got involved, whether you wanted to or not, I found this out when all of a sudden I became a target and therefore was forced to buy a can and take my revenge.  It was a fun night, the whole town was involved, young, old, short, tall (few and far between in Peru); fat, thin, amazing get together similar to the team games you play at department/work days out.

The next day after a lie in,, we crazily decided to walk up the mountain to where a statue of an eagle is.  I say crazily decided to walk up there as it is nearly 700 steps up a steep mountain where the air only gets thinner.  After just one stop, yes one stop and we reached the top.  My heart did nearly stop not only because of the insane trek we just did but because of the beautiful view of Lake Titicaca.  You think that constantly looking at landscapes would get boring but it never fails to surprise you just how wonderful this world is. 

Even better, or may be on the same level (depending on what tickles your fancy) is the surprises that are in store.   On the way down, taking it slow, we suddenly heard music, getting nearer and nearer, like a dog to a bone we wandered towards the music and stumbled on a local party going on.  Seeing that beer was being sold (of course we were thirsty from our climb) we step intside and after one beer we decided to join the locals in their festivities and why not.  And it was amazing.  We walked in like it was the most normal thing in the world for four westerners to gate crash a Peruvian festivity, but something was not so normal is the ambush we got once we sat down by the locals offering us beer and of course to dance.  We danced with the locals, mimed with the locals (as none of us could speech Spanish), drank with the locals, it was brilliant fun.  After the third dance with the locals I managed to get the hang of it.  It went on till the moon was the only light left and as we left we managed to fit in one last spraying match on the way home.  And if that wasn’t enough there was something else in store for me......

Once we finally returned to our Hostel, Alfredo the owner said that an English girl had arrived and that he would like to bring her up and introduce us seeing as she was travelling on her own.  He did so and as she came in I turned around and to my surprise the first thing she said was aren’t you Patrick Barrett´s sister´.  The shock was unbelievable, you can´t go anyway without bumping into people from back home.  Her name is Christina Conrad and apparently we also worked together at House of Java which I cannot remember.  What was even more of a shock was the fact that her parent´s friend works with my mum and after we met gave her my email address so we could meet up in Argentina where she works.  Such a small world!

After getting over the shock of meeting up with the lovely Christina, we all went the next day for a tour of the Lake Titicaca, the beautiful largest and highest (or one of) lakes in the world.  We experienced the native’s life who lives on the lake, managing to eat, sleep, work and make everything they need (well practically) out of the reeds from the lake, very resourceful and truly amazing.

After another wonderful day seeing the sites and taking in the history we decided that we would make the step to travel over the Bolivian border together.  I had already decided not to go to Chile, well for now anyway and take a trip to Bolivia, which was not originally in my plans, and see what everyone was raving about, as I was craving more places like Puno and plus my nerves which I was experiencing at the beginning of travelling with the boys had totally diminished and I liked being with them and it was also an easy route to Argentina.  So instead of making my way back up the coast to Lima, i made my way South to Bolivia, yet another adventure was about to begin.