Uros - Floating Life on Lake Titicaca 提提卡卡湖上的漂浮生活

不愧是上过正大综艺节目的目的地,提提卡卡湖(Lake Titicaca)的确与众不同。湖坐落于海拔四千米之上,周围皆是黄土丘陵,独普诺(Puno)一面密集的都是房子,裸露的砖的红色,或者粉刷成黄色或者白色,在经年累月的沙尘的冲刷下也都褪去了饱和度,和背景的山融为一体,从湖边一直延伸至半山腰。

前一晚大巴抵达普诺小镇,一路翻过一个山脊,开下至湖边,远处一片墨黑色,就知道是湖的方向。

小镇说小很小,一个教堂坐落的中心广场,从广场发散出去两三条还算热闹的步行街,临街的店铺也基本是小卖铺,办理电话卡,杂牌衣裤运动鞋之类的小本生意。看得出来,即使作为提提卡卡湖的门户“城市”,这个八线或十八线的小地方也吸引不了多少游客的长时驻足,顶多就和我一样,歇个脚,第二天就启程。说是歇脚,歇息的也只能说是差强人意。毕竟前一晚才刚从五星级酒店雪白柔软的床褥上醒来,今天就要住在一个招待所。没有稳定的热水,碰一下就掉落的灯罩,第二天早上“简练”的早餐。不过那时候的我们还没想到,没有最差只有更差。当然这是后话。

大清早巴士把我们送去码头,当时的我们与一众外国人一起,对当天行程充满期待着的上了船。

船行至芦苇荡的风光的确很不一样。像是行驶在湿地中,又像是一条河中,两岸是漫漫黄色枯草。这样的景致在地图上尤为特别,来之前在网上看矢量地图,发现湖中一个一个地标,十分困惑——难不成位置标错了?点开卫星图,不知应该是恍然大悟还是大吃一惊,原本纯色的地图实际上竟然呈现这样的图案。一条狭长的缝把这个图案割裂开,原来是船行的路线。但卫星图上所呈现的,是万万联想不到置身其中的样子的。

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逐渐我们驶向了“居民区”。说是居民区,按照导游说法,现今真正生活在这些“浮岛”,或是Uros的居民也不过百来余人,他们大都也在周围的城镇有自己的房子,只是把这里当做一个临时居所,招徕游客的时候偶尔歇歇脚。据说曾经这里的人们是为了躲避战乱,以一层一层的芦苇作为基础,在提提卡卡湖上造出了大大小小的浮动的芦苇岛。这些岛可以被固定在并不算深的湖床之上,以免随波飘走。

我们从船上下船蹦上芦苇岛,那一刻感觉到了整座岛的柔软。脚踩在厚厚的芦苇上就如同踩在厚厚的草垛上,可以很明显的感受到那份弹性。地面也并不潮湿,或许也是因为太阳正当头。几个当地人给我们做了一番介绍以后,给大家都各递过来了一根新鲜的芦苇,说外面的皮剥去了就可以直接吃,我尝了一口,果然充满水分,但是毫无味道,既没有泥土的腥味,也没有植物的鲜甜,只是水被松散的锁在了海绵和纤维组成的结构中。

游船活动虽然不包含在游览行程的价目表中,但作为对当地百姓的支持以及湖上最著名活动之一,也是一项一定会打卡的项目。当然,如今的游船为了载客营业,都不是纯粹的芦苇编织而成,可以隐约从芦苇缝隙中窥见这艘船的塑料本体。另外各家的动手能力和审美水平千差万别,船头的老虎头的装饰自然也千奇百怪。

短暂在几座芦苇小岛停留后,我们重返游船向提提卡卡湖深处前进。

Pre-Winter Panorama Ridge Hike

A gallery recording the trip to Panorama Ridge.

Recorded on Strava, the entire trip covered 20.5 miles with a 5,500 ft elevation gain and took 7h 30min of moving time. We departed from the Rubble Creek Trailhead, took a detour to the Garibaldi Lake Campground, summited the iconic Panorama Ridge, and returned via the Taylor Meadows Trail.

By the end of October, permits were no longer needed. The parking lot was mostly empty at night since fewer people chose to spend the night there. The temperature was only a couple of degrees above freezing, but there was no wind. I camped there and had a sound sleep with the sound of Rubble Creek rumbling all night long.

We set out at around 5 AM, but the sun didn’t rise until after 7 AM, when we had already passed the Garibaldi Lake Campground. The moon was still high in the sky, and the lake water was tranquil.

Along the trail, many small ponds had already frozen over. However, after doing some research on Garibaldi Lake, it seems that the lake does not always freeze over during winter.

Once above the treeline, the hike began to reveal its true beauty. The landscape was a frozen tableau, with frost and snow partially covering the ground, leaving patches of bushes, dirt, and streams exposed. The distant mountain ranges were already capped with snow — some peaks were home to glaciers.

And then, the Black Tusk appeared. So distinctive and identifiable is this monumental rock that one simply cannot tear their gaze away from it. This was the first time I had been so close to it — normally, I would admire it from a distance, from the top of the Peak Express at Whistler Blackcomb.

It is said that the original name T’ákt’akmúten tl’a In’inyáxa7n means “Landing Place of the Thunderbird“. I could imagine how the native people would regard this with the utmost respect.

Eventually, after hiking up an exposed rock trail, the entirety of Garibaldi Lake unfolded before us. Until this point, the entire trail was a very typical Pacific Northwest hike, with most sections winding through forests, and finally emerging above the treeline. However, to observe a lake so vast and so vividly green, encircled by glaciers, is truly astounding. Just after summer, the glaciers were though at their smallest size.

Here are the surrounding peaks: The Sphinx, Guard Mountain, Glacier Pikes, Mount Garibaldi, The Table, Mount Price, Clinker Peak.

The overall hiking experience reminded me of our famous Enchantments Thru-Hike. Although this trail surpasses The Enchantments in both length and elevation gain, it is so well-maintained and designed that it feels much less strenuous. Even the final section proved to be far less challenging than the climb up Aasgard Pass. Nevertheless, I must admit that The Enchantment Lakes remain at the pinnacle of my Pacific Northwest list as an alpine wonderland.

Mount Tantalus rises like a colossal wall, with Garibaldi Lake sprawling in the foreground.

Here are some photos of myself and our cherished group. This is my first hiking trip in the Vancouver area, and it’s definitely been a great one. Now, I’m beginning to mark more and more destinations for future trips.

From Cusco to Puno 库斯科至普诺之旅

清晨6点从此行高光的酒店出发,坐上接驳车去往Cusco往返Puno的大巴接驳点。一路从Cusco老城开出来,穿过Cusco新城,来到机场附近的一处不起眼的平房附近,穿过平房坐上大巴车,当天一路的高原行车旅程正式开始。

这个大巴行程一路会经停几处平时不容易专程前往的小镇和景点,如果行程时间不赶,这趟行程很值得推荐。清早第一站是教堂(San Pedro Apóstol de Andahuaylillas Church),此次秘鲁之行一路遇到很多教堂,这座也不例外,“鸠占鹊巢”,西班牙人在原有的当地印加人的祭祀神庙之上盖起了自己的建筑,只留下地基依稀可以辨认出不同时代的痕迹。教堂内部金碧辉煌,处处佐证着当时胜利者的傲慢。教堂内部虽然不允许拍照,但藤校耶鲁大学的学生还是有幸公费旅游到此处,留下了各种高清以及全景照片存档。

教堂后院放着些花花草草,在这样强烈的阳光下肆意生长,除了一个收费的洗手间,还有一个免费的小博物馆,陈列有当地特色的秘鲁玉米

第二站抵达的小镇(Raqch’i)更有看点,一片残垣断壁(the Temple of Wiracocha),一座座没有了顶的圆形谷仓,这些石土堆砌而成的结构就这样伫立在这片高原之上。这里找到了一本小册子详细讲述了这个神庙的由来、结构、各种细节,或者如果你好奇Wiracocha是谁/什么(海洋的泡沫?),可以查一下这部印加词典

行车包含了一顿自助午饭,其中还有一份炸猪五花,虽然偶尔会吃到一点腥膻气,但大体还是不错的。歇脚的地方还能看到远处铁路大桥建起后形成的人工瀑布。

下午一路开入更荒芜的高原,左右两旁都是高耸的山峦,难以想象现在行车的这条路已经4000米以上的海拔,仍然行驶在安第斯山谷之中。行至拉雅垭口(Abra La Raya),是一处观景点,也是Cusco和Puno的分界点,远处的冰川(Chimboya)颇为壮丽。此处是整条线路的最高点,海拔到达4338米。许多摊贩在此等待游客,可惜全车人几乎没有慷慨解囊的,不知道他们一天能够达成多少交易。

傍晚时分最后在Pucara的一处很迷你的博物馆短暂停靠后,穿过Juliaca在太阳落山后来到了Puno。一日行程,早晚的住宿天差地别。短暂休息后,我们散步抵达城市的中心广场,旁边找了一家评分和位置颇为不错的饭店(Mojsas Restaurant)结束一天行程。

不知如何形容Puno这座“城市”,依山傍水,可惜山上几乎没有树木,“城市”的建筑为了更好地融入地貌之中,墙面都直接裸露着红砖,或者直接是灰白色,没有太多带有粉饰。用“线”坐单位的话,不知道算不算得上十八线。如果按人口应该没问题,但是如果按照发展程度,即使放在上个世纪,也还需要打个问号。

中心教堂自然是城里最高的建筑物(后来才发现好像在新城区有些高楼),除此之外,所有的房屋大都两层左右,三层或者堆放杂物,或者是一些未完工的状态。晚上出乎意料的散步的人很多,看样子也大都是本地人,大概是家中生活娱乐选择不多,不如出来吹吹晚风消消食。这让我想到了我小时候饭后散步的样子,当然即使是二三十年前的杭州,与这里也是大相径庭的。

附图数张——包括酒店房间窗外一角,酒店房间厕所一角,酒店房间一角,酒店一角。