Today I went to see the main attraction of this bit of the lake: the remarkable floating islands of Uros (pic). Made out of reeds – and constantly replenished from the top as they rot through from the bottom – they are about the size of a tennis court or football pitch. Obviously you wouldn't play either because you'd keep losing the ball. They do have a 'capital' island though, with a bar and restaurant and even post office.
Each island supports a few families who live in little houses also made of reeds (pic). I don't know why they don't live on the land instead, because there's plenty of it all around the lake. Perhaps they just didn't get on with the neighbours.
If living here was a way to avoid visitors then it hasn't worked, because the islands are busy with tourists every day, seeing the inhabitants' unique lifestyle. Here are four ladies (pic) discussing local customs, such as how much to overcharge the gringos for a postcard.
Clearly you can't grow much here. In fact the only local produce they can eat is fish (pic) and the thick white bases of the reeds themselves. They call them 'reed bananas', because they taste just like reeds.
They get around between the islands on splendid traditional boats, made of reeds (pic). If they want to get to town though, on the shore half an hour away, to buy some food that isn't fish or something that isn't made of reeds for instance, they go by motorboat. Otherwise it would take all day.
The houses are really quite comfy inside (pic) thanks to the soft reed floors. They have solar panels which supply power so they can do vital things such as watch football on the telly.
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