Puno and Lake Titicaca

Woke to a bright sunny day. Yummie buffet breakfast of fruit, cheese, ham and scrambled eggs. Decided to try coca leaves, supposed to be really good for altitude sickness and tummy bugs - we are both suffering from both - tastes surprisingly good!

After skyping, emailing and blogging set off to explore Lima Street. A buzzy little road that is full of restaurants, street vendors and Peruvian life in all its forms.

Am constantly amazed by the efficiency here... no matter what you do it happens in a twinkle. Money from bank in small notes takes seconds it seems! As we leave the bank a tiny wizened woman in traditional dress approached us with arms full of alapaca sweaters "No! no! no!" we say - but then we look again, they are rather nice. We are off to Armanstani in the morning. It could be cold.... so five minutes later, our pockets lighter by $20 and we are the owners of two gorgeous sweaters!

The market was incredible. We strolled firstly through stalls selling clothing, hats, scarves, jumpers and Yellow underwear?!! Celebration for New Year or do all Peruvians wear yellow undies, now there is a thought! A little bikini number took my eye... scanty as ... with a picture of Jesus in the vital spot! I did resist!

Loved to see the women sitting serenely under their bowler hats with their colourful wide skirts billowing around them, spinning wool and using it on the spot to make clothing. Roger was mesmerised and soon found himself the owner of a warm hat. It is really hot here through the day but suddenly at 4.00pm the day cools and warm jackets are needed for the night.

We are starting to wonder what our stay on Armantani will be like, we have been told there is no running water and electricity. We stay with the family - a bit like we did in Vietnam. I imagine mud floors and lots of amimals. mmm we will see!

I wander through the market, a gory bullfight on TV has caught Roger's eye! Suddenly I too am surrounded by blood and gore. In among the yellow undies is a stall selling meat. Men run with huge pigs hung over their shoulders. They dump them on the stall and quick as a flash the pig is cut up and put on display. Women reach over pointing at different bits, the knife flashes and chunks of meat are haggled over vehemently. Its seems prices are high for New Year's eve and the meat passes backwards and forward between buyers and sellers before an agreement is reached.

Some sections of the pigs are quickly dispensed to other stalls and as I look to the right and see a row of pig's heads with tongues hanging out peer balefully at me with their blue eyes.

The meat stalls gave way to flower stalls where women put together small bunches: 1 rose with the petals carefully pulled back, Baby's Breath, a bullrush and a dahlia seemed to be the order for the day.

Great to walk down to Lake Titicaca and hear the bands practicing for the nights festivities – or it could be a festival in itself as there always seems to be one happening!

The edge of the lake is more like Butlins than I expected with paddle boats and a fun fair atmosphere. Water and Fritos Papas set us up for the walk back but the heat and altitude get to us and we succumb to taking a cyclo back.

As we drive back I am amazed at how there is always someone selling something they have made or found. We see people collecting bottles (later used without washing to hold the local wine or chi cha - beer); selling plastic bags, car parts; as well as colourful clothes, hats fruit, flowers – if you want it someone can get it for you!

After a chill out, I realise that I am jealous of Roger's hat! So back to the frenetic market and then Lima Street for dinner. Same lady approaches us with sweaters, we engage the services of a young guy to explain we already have sweaters only to discover somehow we have bought a small oil painting from him!

The small restaurant we chose looks so cosy ... a small pizza oven looks so cute. Within minutes we are peeling off clothing as the oven heats up and we are left gasping for air! Great meal though .. We tend to choose Menu Touristico, as it is economical but also gives you a chance to try local produce. Typically it has sopa, fish, or meat, plus desert for around $6. Here in Puno, trucha is my favourite - fresh trout from the lake. Yum!

Off to celebrate New Year's Eve. As we arrive at the main square we are greeted by the usual scene of police frantically blowing whistles with no one paying any attention!

A couple of hundred people line the square. To us just looking at the array of national dress is fascinating. Two really boring bands were playing, but we noticed behind them were some incredibly dressed dancers. Eventually they took centre stage. The first lot wore bright yellow sparkling- quite outrageous costumes. The women in short, short skirts and high, high heels while the guys wore michael jackson type jackets with huge flaring shoulders - glitz was definitely it! The dance itself was highly energetic interspersed with slow romanic sections which quickly dissolved into pure raunch!

The second group of dancers looked more traditional, the women wearing bright red skirts and white lace "kerchiefs" and tiny white veils. Surprise was in the air here too as the dance exploded onto the square with a general e shooting a young "terrorist" with a pistol. The general kicked the terrorist around the square which set up a keening from the rest of the dance group. The women linked armed and graciously swayed their way around the square. Balaclava clad men toting wooden machine guns leapt an energetic dance and then everyone whooped it out of the square, leaving us in total confusion. Totally awestruck at their energy - how do they do it - altitude gets us after climbing a few stairs!

Two guys then emerge from the crowd and carefully lay a line of gunpowder with fireworks strewn along. One guy runs out and lights the fuse and fireworks shoot into the air or the crowd causing great amusement or fear as the case may be! Every few seconds the gunpowder fizzles out and someone would run out and tentatively lit the fuse once - scurrying back to safety to the amusement of the crowd!

When we arrived in the square we had noticed a large bamboo structure which looked as if it had Catherine Wheels attached. From time to time groups of men had come and added another "storey" or more fireworks to it. It reminded us of fireworks in Mexico. Sure enough as soon as the dancing was finished, a guy emerges with a paper bull on his head. The fuse was lit and he roared off into the square with fireworks shooting out into the crowd. The band played blandly on until they too were showered with sparks and fireworks like everyone else!

Suddenly a police pick up arrived. We wonder what is happening, only to find that it is time for Hot chocolate and panatoni. The crowd eagerly accept the food and drinks which are dolled out by immaculately uniformed police.

Every couple of minutes more men adorned by bulls or goats scatter fireworks into the crowd. In the park opposite men let of sky rockets, most of which explode high in the sky but occasionally the rockets would lose direction and shoot into the crowd. One shot through the door of the church causing great consternation!

At ten o'clock it was time for the major event. The huge bamboo firework display was set alight. Flames shot up the side and Catherine Wheels span with great gusto initially and then faded. The same guy had to tentatively relight them or give them a poke with a long pole. This was repeated for each side of the structure until the final rocket shot from the top. Within seconds, the Hill people and locals had disappeared just leaving the tourists looking in wonder at what had been!

Back at the hotel we are excited to pack our daypack for the island trip. Will leave most of luggage here and just take one daypack with us. Tough to pack as we will need to take all water with us, plus clothing for heat and cold.... and we are bearing in mind all those hills we have to climb.

Just had a thought we now have luggage in Santa Monica, Puno, and of course confiscated boxes in Sydney!!!