My first introduction to Peru was the ‘quirky’ city of Puno, which is located on the north-western shore of Lake Titicaca.
The bus journey and hassle free border crossing from Bolivia took around 4-hours. Puno is a nice half way stop between Copacabana and Cusco. It’s easy to try and cover too much ground too quickly; I had made a conscious decision to take things at a leisurely pace.
With a regal plaza, concrete block buildings and crumbling bricks that blend into the hills, Puno has its share of both grit and cheer, but it’s rackety charm captured my heart.
Smoke from unvented fires wafts through Puno’s streets, along with jangling waves of traffic, including mototaxis and triciclos (three-wheeled cycles) that edge pedestrians to the narrow slivers of sidewalks. Its urban centre can feel a little contaminated and cold. But Puno’s people are upbeat, cheeky and ready to drop everything if there’s a good time to be had, as I would find out on my second night!
It was nice and warm during the day but at night the temperature plummeted. The highly recommend restaurant was jam packed when I arrived but the staff managed to find me a small table by the entrance door. However, due to its popularity, people kept opening said door to enquire about a table. I ended up eating my meal wearing coat, hat and gloves.
Next stage: sightseeing in Puno.
