Lake Titicaca

While buying a bus ticket from Cusco to Puno, I felt somebody tap my right shoulder.  Having fallen for the oldest trick in the book one too many times, I immediately looked over my left shoulder.  There, a girl about my age with red hair stood.  I figured I must know her from somewhere, and gave an enthusiastic, "HI!  How are you?!"  She, not having any idea who I was, answered, "I`m doing well- and you?"  We later figured out that 1) She never tapped my shoulder.  Either it was a ghost or my imagination. 2) She and her 2 sisters, with whom she was traveling, are all from Cottage Grove, MN. 3) She graduated from St. Ben`s 2 years before me, and studied Spanish.  Woah.  Small world, getting crowded.

As it turned out, we were all heading to the same city, so after a long bus ride (6 hours on a crowded bus, but no puking!), we reconnected and the three of them joined me in the cab to my hotel.  They ended up staying there, too, much to my delight, and we booked a tour of Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world, for the next day.  Ate at a nice restaurant where we got good bread, olive oil (of which the three sisters are big fans), and veggie lasagna.  Not exactly traditional Peruvian food, but oh so good.

The next morning, we woke up early, had a fabulous breakfast at the hotel that included bread, cheese, avocado, cereal, yogurt, fruit, coffee, etc. and then headed out in a station wagon for Lake Titicaca.  It was like going to camp.  Freezing cold, backpacks full of necessities like sunscreen, sunglasses, scarves, cameras, etc.

Because the lake is divided between Peru and Bolivia, and because there is a big rivalry between the two countries, the Peruvians joke that the Titi part of the name is for Peru, and the caca part is for Bolivia.  (caca= crap).  Ha!  Very clever, those Peruvians.

I`m about to be picked up in by a camión (mini-bus) for a 1-hour trip to the airport in Juliaca.  I would be lying if I said I wasn`t just a bit nervous, as all the camiones I`ve seen driving by have been packed to the gills with people.  A friend I met in Cusco said that he once had a Peruvian woman sitting on his lap for the entire camión ride.  Hopefully that won`t be the case for me.  I`ll post pictures of Lake Titicaca later, but for now, the first leg of my long journey home begins!  Cheers!