From Puno into Bolivia
The next day was spent in Puno visiting the world-famed reed islands: the party assembled in a specially chartered tour boat with an English–speaking guide. Before leaving the quay local entertainment was provided by a musician playing guitar and panpipes simultaneously, and then singing a song which celebrated the splendours of Puno.
On the islands we saw everything imaginable made from reeds, from dwellings to clothing, and we even tasted the pithy core of the reeds which provides a nutritious food, high in calcium.
Ornate figurehead on a reed boat
A woven reed lookout tower
From Puno we traveled by minibus to Copacabana, crossing the
border into Bolivia, and learning to shift from new soles to bolivianos.