We awoke with hangovers all round and in our fragile state we tripped across the island to the village for breakfast. This was followed by a walk to the high points of the island. The pre-Inca ruins turned out to be a few moss-covered dry-stone walls.
We sat in quiet contemplation amongst the rubble, looking out at the island and the lake until it was time to get our bags and head for the disembarkation point. We ate in the little restaurant by the reception arch and watched the village elders who appeared to be having a council meeting. They swigged at a beer bottle containing a dubious alcoholic spirit in between their deliberations.
There was some excitement as a package containing six panes of glass arrived, delivered to the island by the incoming boats. Workers carried bundles up and down the 567 steps from the newly arrived launches.
Down at the dock everyone was loaded onto one launch, the other two remaining in harbour. At 14:30 hrs. we set off for Puno, waving goodbye to tranquil island of Tequile. The trip back seemed to take ages. I read my book and tried to weave a bracelet in the stiff breeze.
There was a good exchange of information between travellers on the roof of the boat, with me supplying information on Machu Picchu and the Inca Trail. I got plenty of good gen on La Paz in Bolivia and Chile.
There was some argument as to who had cracked the front window of the boat, but after a vicious verbal onslaught from a Brazilian girl and a couple of French people, the crew retreated, looking forlorn and nobody had to pay for the damage.
Back at Puno we went on a brief shopping spree, buying fruit and sweets. It was too dark to examine the quality of stuff on the craft stalls. At the Europa we had hot showers and then dined at the Internacional as usual (great tomato soup). I was with Anita and Reinhard. We had a good social evening aided by beer and Pisco Sours.
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