We got to Puno at 10AM and right away bought our bus tickets to Cusco, leaving at 8pm. That gave us just enough time to go on a little tour of Lake Titicaca.

Puno is a small town with a big city spirit, due to high volume of visitors and traders that stop by to get to know the biggest lake of South America or to use it as a water connection between Peru and Bolivia.

Titicaca lake has 7 islands – and one day I want to go back to visit them all and stay overnight (add it to the list!) – but the most interesting one is Uros. The boat that takes you there is already something I haven’t seen anywhere else: long like a canoe, made of natural straw-reeds and the tips are either curved or dragon faced. Some even have a small second level deck! I never knew that reeds could be so resistant.

In perfect harmony, the vessel brings visitors to Uros, the Floating Island. The land literally floats on reeds. Or, actually, is the island only vegetation? Im still intrigued.

I step on it unsure that its gonna hold us, but the locals are there, sitting on that fascinating ground, so it must be safe. The habitants live on – you guessed it – reed houses, and their incomes are out of the tourism, selling artifacts and fishing.

With their native-dark skin and deep black eyes, the Peruvians are sweet, and even the kids seem to show an ancient knowledge that makes our modern world seem secondary. One that visits Peru will most likely feel protected by Pachamama, the Inca motherly goddess legend. Pachamama is like the Mother Earth. I love her.

And at Uros, you see how astonishing the Earth is.

Can’t wait to get to Machu Picchu.