On my last trip to Puno and Lake Titicaca the increase in quality and quantity of lake side accommodation impressed me - as well as how Puno’s ever-friendly people are doing such an incredible job in maintaining a level of sustainability whereby both culture and environment benefit from tourism. As you may know, Lake Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world and is usually included in tour programs as a complement to Cusco and Machu Picchu; Puno and Titicaca however are much more than just that.

Steeped in legend, the lake is said to be the birthplace of the Inca - they say that the children of the Sun and Moon were sent out to found the empire from its waters. With a mysterious past, the area has its own mystic personality and appeal. And looking out over the majestically blue waters of the Lake you can feel it. Less than an hour from Puno in a comfortable boat, one arrives at the Floating Islands of Uros.

A seemingly odd miracle of ancient invention, the Islands of Uros are in fact manmade - having been put together by tortora reeds in ages past. The tenacity of the islanders never ceases to amaze me - they have their own schools, markets and even their own mayor. It is an extraordinary culture that flourishes on an absolute marvel of ancient engineering.

The Uros however, are just the entry way to the wildly diverse and beautiful universe that makes up Lake Titicaca and her culture. There is Taquile Island, which is filled with quaint island houses and cobble stone streets. There is the island of Amantani, where a local family took me in and where I got to wonder at Pre Incan temples dedicated to the earth's fertility. And finally there is Suasi Island; an island shrouded in mythology and filled with friendly faces willing to tell you something about their ancient past. Everything about Titicaca is commendable and after traveling on its mysterious waters I am always comforted and awed by the beauty of Peru. Titicaca is fantastical.