Lake Titicaca and Reed Homes
June 17, 2009
Photographer: Sue Strickland
Summary Author: Sue Strickland; Jim Foster; Stu Witmer
The photo above showing a small portion of Lake Titicaca in Peru and a residential reed village was taken in May of 2008. Lake Titicaca is situated approximately 12,500 ft (3,812 m) high in the Andes Mountains of Peru and Bolivia. With an area of 3,200 square miles (8,300 square km), Titicaca is the second largest lake in South America and the world's highest lake navigable by large, commercial vessels.
Hundreds of years ago, the Uros Indians built their homes in the lake on floating islands of totora reeds. Some Tour guides like to tell the story that the islands were built in an attempt to escape paying taxes. Today the village is a huge tourist draw and likely earns more money then it ever could pay in taxes.