gotta love the road

So I find myself at an internet cafe, it has been an interesting few days, don't have a lot of time but basically it all went something like this:

Got in a taxi to go to Peru, came to an accident along the way and turned down a side street as a detour. Along the way the taxi driver stopped because another taxi driver was standing in the way. My taxi driver is Peruvian, the other, Chilean, words started to be exchanged, pretty soon the other taxi driver was kicking the car, so my driver went to get out and fight him, the other driver started slamming the door on his foot and throwing punches. My driver got out and ran away, leaving me, Elisabeth, Sandra, and two other Chileans sitting in the cab, blocking everything. Finally the guy came back with the police and after a short wait we were on our way to Peru.

Got to Peru, stopped in Arequippo, and then onward to Puno, where we tried to get a boat to some of the islands in Lake Titikaka, the highest lake in the world! There are some indigenous groups there that have made artificial islands out of dried reeds. It is really something to see, this floating islands. Then went to a natural island which is covered by stone terraces, doesn't have a single road or car. We lived in a house of a couple, no electricity, only a hole in the ground for a bathroom. The day after we arrived was a celebration and we climbed to the top of the island, which stands above 12,000 feet and offers outstanding views. Lots of offerings going on, and a shaman burning incents and other stuff. Colorful clothes, a few too many tourists, some of which are completely shameless when it comes to pointing cameras in people's faces. After the peak of the ceremony a rainbow formed around the sun, some kind of atmospheric phenomena, it was pretty amazing.

So then we tried to go the next day, and the boat that was supposed to go back wasn't there, so we were stranded, also the tour operator lied about paying entrance fees and we had to pay twice. Finally today we made it back to Puno, and should arrive in Cusco tonight!