After our night of partying, aka dancing three songs, and getting to bed by 9 pm, we woke up early, and ate a breakfast of pancakes, and jam prepared by our sweet Mama Virginia. She gave us her address, so we need to make sure to send her a post card from Canada when we get back home. She told us that next time we can contact her directly and stay with her. If we ever get a chance to come back, I will need to practice at least a little bit of Quechua, it would be great to have a nice long conversation with her, although I don't think I could ever get to a conversational Quechua....one can only dream.
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| Saying our goodbyes to Mama Virginia at the port. |
After Amantani, we headed to Taquile Island...not Tequila. ;)
Apparently Taquile was famous in the 1930s in Peru because it used to be a prison island, and in the 30s it also had a Peruvian president in prison there. We are learning it is not so uncommon in Peru to go from President to prisoner.
We wondered around the island for a bit. We had the chance to go up and see some ruins, but this time only Maija, and Wyatt made it there, Terran was just "too tired" to go up the mountain again, so I stayed behind with him while he rested. The kids walk a lot with us, and complain a lot too....but once in a while we have to give in to their complaints too.
In 2005 Taquile was recognized by UNESCO as one of the best textile producing islands of the world. Unlike most other places we visited so far, in Taquile it is the men who do the knitting.
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| A local from Taquile showing us how to knit. They do not use patterns for their textiles, they just make it up as they go. |
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| A sample of a completed hat...no pattern is used to make them. |
Maija and Terran found this cool sign, I have always seen these types of signs, but this was my first time seeing one.
Here are a few more photos of Taquile....
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| Maija going up to the ruins |
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| There are no alpacas on this island...actually no horses, donkeys, or dogs are permitted in Taquile |
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| Taquile's ruins |
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| No cars, motorcycles, horses, or donkeys are permitted on the island, so on moving day only man power can be used..We saw this guy moving this dresser by the Plaza de Armas |
After a while we all met up for lunch, and then headed back to the boat for our 3 hour ride back to Puno.
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| Wyatt wearing the traditional hat for a married man in Taquile |
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| Terran wearing the traditional hat for a single man in Taquile |
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| This is a cape, and hat for a traditional married couple in Taquile. You can tell a woman is married by the color of her skirt, married ladies wear black, single ladies wear color skirts. |
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| A young men showing us a natural shampoo made out of a local plant. |
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| Cool soup pot for our Quinoa soup |
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| Maija trying a millennial style shot with her trout lunch |
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| Our tour group enjoying lunch together |
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| Maija heading back down to the port. |
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| Terran and Wyatt wanted to jump in the Lake, the water was very clear and inviting, but we had to head back...did not want the boat to leave without us. |
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| Heading back to Puno |
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| Tired after a busy couple of days |
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| One last picture of Taquile |
SO beautiful and cool about the hats and outfits.
ReplyDeleteLove the colour in the knitting! That guy moving! wow! Can you imagine being an elders quorum pres there on moving day :)
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