Lights of the Orient
lamps sold at the Egyptian Bazaar Istanbul
October 15, 2010
Random post from the past:
Reed Boat, Uros Islands, Lago Titicaca (Peru)
One of the "must sees" on Lago Titicaca are the artificial "islands of the Uros", made of marsh reeds (totora). The tradition of constructing such islands dates back to times well before the Inca empire. The original inhabitants were believed to have black blood and other magical qualities. When they started to mix with the neighbouring Aymara tribes, however, they were no longer regarded with awe. Today, the inhabitants of the floating islands no longer are Uros but people from other Indian cultures who speak Aymara or Quechua. The totora reeds are also used to produce boats such as the one ...