Raqchi, Puno and The Uros Islands

After visiting the Gate 1 Foundation–sponsored school, we continued through the Andean Highlands to Raqchi on our way to Puno and the Uros Islands on Lake Titicaca, South America’s largest freshwater lake.

 

 

Raqchi

Raqchi is home to Wiracocha, a 15th-century temple known for its stonework. It is the largest Inca temple ever discovered.

 

 

When we arrived at the archaeological site, off to one side on a slight embankment was a group of young musicians filming a music video. Even with the artists wearing traditional attire, it starkly contrasted with the ancient stonework.

 

 

In the small village is a stone chapel built in the first decade of the 19th century using volcanic stone. While much of the artwork from the original chapel has been removed over the years, the most significant relic is an old wind organ.

 

Today, Raqchi is still inhabited by farmers, ranchers, and artisans. It is home to another Gate 1 Foundation-sponsored school.

 

 

Box Lunch

As you saw in our comments previously, Box Lunches seem to be the big topic of discussion on many of the Gate 1 social media groups.

So, it always warrants a comment. The long drive included several stops for bathrooms and Coffee breaks.

The box lunch on this drive included a meat-filled Empanada, Peach Juice, and Orange, Bottled Water, Fruit, and Nut Mix, Coca Candy, a Quinoa Bar, a layered Cookie, Pound Cake, and a Ham and Cheese Sandwich on a Croissant.

There was plenty to eat, and it was all very good.

 

 

Coati Coffee

Along the drive through the Altiplano or high plains, we stopped at a souvenir shop for a bathroom and Coffee break. 

This region, specifically this stop, is known for its Coati Coffee. We became obsessed with Coati after seeing them on our Gate 1 Mexico trip. They look like a cross between an anteater and a raccoon and are really cute.

Apparently, the Coati eat coffee beans and ferment them during digestion. The beans are then cleaned and processed to make incredible coffee.

Mark, who is the coffee drinker, tried a cup. It was strong and flavorful, so he bought 250g to take home. FYI, the coffee beans are pretty pricey (which is why he got just a quarter kilo (half a pound). 

 

 

Truthfully, the coffee is good, not exceptional, and probably not worth the price.

 

Sonesta Posadas del Inca – Puno

Arriving in Puno, we checked into the Sonesta Posada del Inca—Puno. This sister hotel to the Sonesta Posadas del Inca Yucay, where we stayed in the Sacred Valley, is located on the shores of Lake Titicaca and has beautiful waterfront views.

 

 

The rooms are quaint and comfortable but nothing extravagant. The one challenge we had was the heater. On the wall above the TV was what looked like a sound bar. However, it was a radiant heat bar. While it warmed up the damp, chilly room, it also made the air very, very dry.

 

Llamas roamed many of the resorts where we stayed in Peru. If you’ve ever heard about llamas spitting – it’s actually more of a sneeze, with sort of a grassy hairball. Mark got too colse and found out.

 

Arriving late in the day, we opted, along with many group members, to stay at the hotel for dinner.

We had our first Pisco Sour, which was delicious. It’s easy to see why it’s Peru’s National Cocktail. During the trip, we limited our alcohol intake as it can intensify any altitude sickness you may be having. But we’re glad we tried one.

 

Pisco Sour is amde with 1 1/2 oz Pisco (a Peruvian Brandy), 1 Egg White, 1 oz Lemon Juice, and 3/4 oz Simple syrup

 

Chuck chose the Chicken Soup with Angel Hair Pasta, Carrots, Green Beans, and Yellow Potatoes. It was hearty, flavorful, and just enough after a long day.

 

 

Mark chose their Fettuccini Alfredo with Shiitake Mushrooms, Parmesan Cheese, and Pecans. This dish was outstanding and packed with flavor.

 

 

The restaurant had beautiful views, the service was excellent, and it was also the location of our breakfast buffet the following day, which had a wonderful selection of foods.

 

 

Lake Titicaca and The Uros Islands

After breakfast, our group walked to the hotel’s dock and boarded a boat to explore the lake. Lake Titicaca is 12,500 feet above sea level, and on the far side, you can see Bolivia’s snowcapped mountains.

 

 

Our destination was the Uros Islands, a group of floating islands made of reeds where Indigenous people lived much like their ancestors did and followed ancient customs.

 

 

It was so cool to see how the reeds were cut and transported, layered together to make these floating islands with houses.

The people could not have been nicer, the children were adorable, and we loved their handcrafts. We purchased a beautiful woven tapestry for our house.

 

 

Exploring Puno

After we visited the islands, we took a quick tour around Puno. There wasn’t much to see, but the main square and pedestrian shopping district were an excellent way to stretch our legs.

 

 

We had some Pepperoni Pizza for lunch ( a little light on the Pepperoni) and were treated to some delicious Rum Raisin Ice Cream by some of our travel friends.

 

 

We walked the square and returned to our hotel to pack for the flight back to Lima. Our flight from Juliana Airport outside Puno to Lima was delayed several hours, which we heard was typical.

Returning to Lima, we had our group’s Farewell dinner and boarded our flight home, wrapping up our Gate 1 Travel – 10-Day Classic Peru trip!

One more blog sharing our thoughts on the entire Peruvian adventure, and we’re on to our next destination!