Inge could after four days the hospital in Cusco again leave, we had however still further three days in the city to remain, since it had again to control, which consisted however only of a friendly handshake. So we could leave after nine days Cusco finally and drove by probably one to the most beautiful landscape from Peru and reached the city Puno at the Titikakasee on 3830m. On the next day we made a boat travel loose the Isla de Uros, for the swimming islands. These are built and with stones at the sea-reason embodied from reed and can be united if necessary, with celebrations or the like, and separated again. Also the huts on it are likewise mobile from the same material and and can be shifted to each point of the island. Everything moves if one on the island runs around. The people nourish themselves almost exclusively of the tiny fish from the lake and also the reed there are edible, taste however after nothing. One has in the past tries larger fish to settle, those however with the time became also ever smaller, which, as one is been assumed because of the small oxygen content of the water. Today the people there probably exclusively live on the tourists, who visit the violently scharenweise islands. Thus at least the tradition of the swimming islands remains. A two and a half hour boat travel brought us then on the Isla de Taquile, where humans live very separated on everything without roads and traffic in conformity with nature and the tourist. In Peru one constantly is either in the nothing or in a tourist center. On the next morning we started in the stroehmenden rain and drove from the city outside. Far we did not come however, because after only 7km the water pump of Ingeborgs 650er gave its spirit up and in such a way began for us the infinite history of Puno. Piece by piece we went back into the city and had to leave again and again standing to remain around the engine cooling. The rain helped with it strongly. We found a Hospedaje at the outskirts of a town with inner court and again once much, to very narrow entrance. After the friendly landlord the advertisement sign at the entrance had dismounted came we with the motorcycles. We telephoned with the half world (south and North America and Europe) because of a replacement and then finally found the suitable part in San Diego, the USA, where it was storing and they wanted to loose-send it also still directly on the same day with UPS and it should be in approx. five days in Puno. In the meantime we sought to then insert a workshop to us the part also can. In Puno there is a quantity of garage mechanics however none for motorcycles, but in Juliaca, approx. 45km direction the north. In Puno there are some policemen on motorcycles and we asked one, where he lets his motorcycle repair and it brought us to a small inner court, full-plugged with mopeds from China and few Honda a XL, which serves most as spare parts depots and also a few police motorcycles stood around and between them a bischen tool. It looked everything very chaotically, but we had somehow confidence into the pair of brothers that operates the shop, organized a Pickup and brought the 650er here. Now the spare part had to only arrive. The days passed and we latschten two times on the day to the post office, which we had indicated as address, but nothing came. On the UPS side in the Internet we saw that the part was for days in Lima and did not move. The tariff made problems. Unzahlige of telephone calls and enamels followed. We got forms course and, which we not understood and these had to send filled out with not-functioning fax devices to not-existing fax numbers. We had gotten on the way once the telephone number of a German pair, called those in La Paz, Bolivia, to live to be supposed and for them for assistance to ask on there. Those were however already before two years away-pulled and finally landed we in Konrad Adenauer donation. Mrs. Dr. Maria Elena Zegada, flowing German speaks us then also very much helped and with Lima telephoned, since we with our Spanish knowledge with not to cooperieren a wanting, stubborn, ignorant official stop soon to our borders push. Then also everything into order and arrive the package should go in the next days. It did not do however. Instead came a further Mail and a further form and the request into an indicated account number tariff too to deposit. Victor, of Allways Travel in Puno, which we likewise asked for assistance helped us then also very much and the package reached then on 13 February really Puno. On 2 February it had left San Diego. Our joy was large, when we could take it finally in receipt and we had to unpack it on the spot naturally directly. It feelings, which we had as we the part then in the hands held are indescribably. It was the wrong!
Now we had paid 50US$ for the part, to 150US$ for the dispatch and then again 50US$ tariff. To hope time perhaps to pay that the people from San Diego send second the correct, again so much for transport and then the whole battle with the tariff a further times, in addition we did not have desire and looked for another solution. With Felipe, Tobias drove to our mechanic to Juliaca around there on the scrap iron market, on which in addition, really everything was and it is together-repaired still in such a way, again sold, for two fitting, small gear wheels to look - in vain. We found then a turner in Puno, which could copy the two gear wheels from bronze. In addition, with this action our patience was placed always a hard sample. Again and again hies it mas tarde (later) or mañana (tomorrow). Finally then both were made, but one so schlampig that it did not fit and we had to wait for third. On Sunday Felipe could begin 18 February then finally with the installation of the two handcarved parts, which turned out as extremely difficult and it had to re-file for hours. On Monday then the installation settles 19 February commodity. The parts rattle terribly and nobody can say as far we thereby will come. They probably got over a short test run, but whether they will really hold out to Chile or not even until La Paz we will hold to see… This was now a rough summary of spare part history. It in the Deteil to tell will let well the text become 10x so long. What is otherwise still so passed in Puno? On Sunday 4 February was the prelude to the two-week Festivalls Virgen de la Candelaria. This is a mixture from religious celebration and Karnevall. From the whole country blowing bands and Taenzer come/inside into Trachten and/or in devil and kite costumes into the city and pull making music and dancing by the lanes and then really go off the post office there. Thus that goes through the whole two weeks day and night. A group consists thousands musicians and Taenzer of approx. 120 persons and transforms the city into a witch boiler. The alcohol flows into flows and some the Taenzer or musician comes in such a way easily from the clock or torquing ELT only more with… Toilets there are as well as none and in such a way pisst each straight where it straight stands and by so some road flows a correct brook and the Pisse stands in parts knoechelhoch, without exaggeration. Nearly tagliche partially extremely violent thunderstorms diluted and away-rinsed the whole soup again and again, but nevertheless stank it that it drove the tears into the eyes… Also in our Hospedaje at this time some had risen loosely, all rooms occupied and the price over up to 300%. One wanted to take also from us a higher price, but we resisted energetically and with success. Our deaf-mute landlord along-celebrated likewise strongly and a whole week through-drank. In this time it made nothing at all and also the other guests, likewise all always stockbesoffen to the fact contributed that generally speaking we leave the only functioning WC to house, naja,… Once, as we the house abandoned wanted stood already some people with the Gittertuere, which are locked with a padlock always. Perhaps two girls, who itself straight mutually vollgkotzten, wanted inside and a few other people those that at a later time were approaching, wanted outside and waited allegedly already for one hour on the Señor with the key. Us the thing became soon too stupid and Tobias sawed with our small saw short hand the lock through and all was lucky… We saw the celebration the full two weeks and although us always to to really celebrate too was became we nevertheless very drug along from whole driving and our dreiwochiger obligation stay got hir something color. Thus we hope now that we can to leave and make this city and Peru on 20 February us on the way direction Bolivia Km: 47,982
