A military parade where marching looks like a dance

Who would have thought Puno would be a happening place. Last night we were going to try new year´s eve all over again cos of all the hickups that we had on the original night. So we started with a bit of garlic bread to line the stomach and beer before going to an small but interesting bar on the little main strip of town. There we bagan to treat ourselves to cocktails. Not that they were particularly strong but at this altitude (3,800m asl) it took me an hour to take down one and by then i was rolling down the aisle. Not to mention there was a little help from Marylane. No need to go to eat, we ordered from the pizza joint across the road and they delivered, sweet. Embarrassingly we made it home before midnight, but in any case it was a rocking good night. Joining us were 3 argentines and a venezuelan who we met on our recent 2day trip to the islands in the lake Titicaca, where we saw floating islands! they were made of reeds but not built on the the bed of the lake so they were anchored, and and in fact there are many small communities who live like this on their floating islands, although the one we were on was specially made for us... But we also visited real islands where we were going to spend the night with a host family seeing no hostels exist on the island, nor electricity despite the wires hanging around the place. Poxy i thought at first and artificial - but in the end that was just me projecting. The folks there are shy, protect their community by giving everyone an equal go at hosting, and therefore earning a buck, they`re happy to have you around even if perhaps a bit confused about what the fuck we were about. So that was Titicaca.

And where have i just come from? Was taking a walk to the main square and saw from a distance crowds and lots of white hankerchiefs being waved in the air. There were tryhard firecracker going off, the kind that are load but at best emit a quick flash of light, sounding like the ones that were being thrown at our feet at new year´s at Cuzco.. anyway. I get closer and i see it`s a military march. Boys are dressed in their best suit and tie, preferably dark otherwise whatever you got your hands on. Girls in suits with knee length skirt and heels, similar looking but not identical by any stretch (shoes that is), and all with the same short hair - short at the back but a little longer on top. So what kind of marching makes for shimmering sweaty faces? a march where you`re jumping around and kicking the tip of your shoe to nose height. They were roughly in line and there was some one at the front of each bunch whistling with his mouth to order his group around. I saw a soldier run off to a street vendor and get himself a drink. They also had the white hankerchiefs in each hand waving them about in sinc. But, as all military parades get, it started to get boring and as i was thinking of going, the crazy parade stopped and so did the drums. It was time for anyone who didn´t get to centre square in time to huddle alone quickly. Then i saw them again, a selected few in the centre going around in ways i can`t explain, in sinc kind of but not quite together. And the singing! One thousand voices singing, something nationalistic no doupt, but somehow in delirium while they jumped from one foot to the next.

Well, now i`m going to find my mate Max from last night who`s from here and has a plan to travel to Brazil by bicycle!
Tomorrow i take the bus to Lima, 18 odd hours i can`t wait! At least i get to see my mate Luciana.