It's a living situation unlike any other.
The Uros, a pre-Incan people in Peru, reside on artificial islands built out of totora reeds in Lake Titicaca. The manmade islands have been a major tourist attraction ever since photographs of the Uros were first published in National Geographic in the 1940s.
Though it doesn't seem like it at first glance, life on the islands has changed drastically since tourism came to Lake Titicaca. Not only have the Uros lost their original language, they now earn most of their income through tourism and even use solar electricity to sustain TVs, radios, and lights in their homes.
This juxtaposition of the old and new is part of the reason tourists flock to the floating islands — or "Islas Flotantes"— in the first place.
Flickr user Bruce Tuten was fortunate enough to visit the Uros in 2011 and shared his photographs of the unforgettable day trip with us.
There are 42 manmade islands floating in Lake Titicaca near the city of Puno, Peru. They are populated by the Uros, an indigenous group.
Source: Go South America
The islands are made of dried bundles of totora reeds that are common in the shallows of the lake. The larger islands house about ten families, and the smaller ones house only two or three.
Source: Inca Tourism
The islands float because of the gasses produced by decomposing reeds. Since the reeds at the bottom rot fairly quickly, new reeds must be added every three months. The islands typically last about 30 years.
Source: Go South America
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