TRAVERSE 124
The sunset bathed the lake in shades of pink and gold as we headed back to the mainland . It was dark by the time we arrived in Puno and the trinket stalls had closed for the night . Part of me wished we hadn ’ t left yet . The Uros had been magical , and I couldn ’ t help but wonder , what a night in a homestay would be like , experiencing reed island life after most visitors have gone .
I could see how some people may feel like it ’ s all a show put on for the tourists . But then , how can we complain when we essentially invade the families ’ privacy on very tiny , intimate islands , and gawk at their homes and daily goings on , as if it were in a zoo ? Perhaps it is all about our attitude , with which we visit the place . Staying longer would surely have allowed for a deeper immersion . But for the brief time we ’ d been there , I feel that we ’ d been treated to an authentic glimpse into the islanders ’ lives . And that also includes their reality of earning a tourist buck or two , to make ends meet . MS
TRAVERSE 124