More Potatoes!!

This morning after breakfast (more potatoes!), we bade a sad farewell to our hosts. I had really enjoyed my time with Velma, and I think she also enjoyed hosting a young woman. We continued on our little boat ride to the land island of Taquile - which is equally beautiful and serene. On Taquile the women are very shy and quiet, while the men are in charge of the homes and of civic life, including the important tradition of knitting. Everywhere we went, you would see men, from the very elderly to the young boys, knitting and wearing the distinctive knitted Taquile hats, which are a symbol of marital status. We headed down the 530 steps to the dock at the bottom of the island and motored off to Puno, with a quick stop for the adventurous that wanted to dive in to the lake for an exhilarating swim. I can't swim, so I decided to pass and not drown in Lake Titicaca.