reeds are so cool

Feb. 19

1. 6:30 am always means 7:30am in latin america. i thought i would have learned by now.

2. watch the sun when you are at a higher elevation. xavier and i both got FRIED after only one hour of being in the sun.

3. don't sit in the back of a boat going to the islas on lago titicaca. you will suffocate from the smell of gasoline.

4. Lake Titicaca is one of the highest commercially navigable lakes in the world.

5. The Uros floating islands are really cool. they are made out of reeds. and so are their houses, beds, and boats. they even eat reeds, too! it was hard to believe communities of people actually live on those primitive islands.

6. spend the night on Isla Amantani.

xavier and i made friends with a Peruvian who currently lives in NYC, Ricardo. He joined us as we spent the next day with our host family: Paula y Simón.

7. Agricultural work is hard. we all took turns with the pitch fork.

8. Quinoa soup is delicious. and so is fresh llama cheese. even the rice tasted great because it was also made in the small wood-burning (actually they burned eucalyptus tree branches) stove. mate de muña is also very delicious. and so is mixing muña y coca.

9. the hike up to Templo Pacha Mama is absolutely gorgeous. and very spiritual.