Muscle Power

Everything is Carried
Lake Titicaca lies at 12,500 feet (3,810 meters) above sea level, so when the boat arrives at the port on Taquile Island, everything is carried by people up to the house. Some wheelbarrows are in use on the island, but with the various stairstep trails, they have limited use. One interesting historical fact is that the wheel was never used by the Inca or pre-Incan people.

Items ready to bring to the boat

We always buy lots of good food when we are in Puno. Here shows our load last trip, which included solar panels and eggs, besides fruit and cooking oil and much more.

loaded up with beer bottles

Tuesday half the community waited on the dock for the beer/market boat, everyone preparing for the week-long Carnaval celebration. Sam is loaded with two cases of beer bottles (Ivan in the foreground), ready to carry it the mile or so to our house. Carnaval is a progressive party when we will dance from one house to the next. At each house food and watermelon and beer are served.

rain barrel

With so much cloudy weather, the solar water pumping project has rationed water. Our rain barrel had been used up at Delfin and Eufrasia's store, but we carried it the 3/4 mile down to our house for rain catchment. Luckily, it's been raining ever since and the barrel is refilled every night.

Delia moves her storage chest

 I didn't check to learn the weight of this storage chest. Delia stores her many full skirts and other clothing in it. It has been at her grandmother's house and now she is moving it the mile and a half to where she lives with her new husband.

Reeds on the lake

We do get help from the lake. This small boat is carrying totora reeds, quite loaded down. Our collective boats carry huge cargos, as well as tourists and locals from Puno port to Taquile Island every day.