Female Speaker:

It's one of those things almost everyone remembers from school, Lake Titicaca, a name to conjure with. South America, in the Andes, very high, very big, very beautiful.

The reason for my journey on the Peruvian Alto Plano close to the Bolivian border was to visit the lakeside town of Puno and trace the remarkable voyage of the Yavari.

Carlos Cevedra:

Welcome onboard ma'am.

Female Speaker:

Thank you very much. It's lovely to be here. [crosstalk]

It was built in 1861, a good old fashioned steam ship from Birmingham, England. Dickens had just published Great Expectations, the American Civil War was in full flight and local heroes Butch Cassidy and Sundance were still kids, when the Peruvian government decided it needed a fighting ship on top of the Andes.

Carlos Cevedra:

Actually was a ... No, a guard boat. They were guard boats at the beginning. I mean, ...

Female Speaker:

It was built in kit form, 2,766 different pieces, with no piece too big to fit on a mule.

Carlos Cevedra:

And many, many ...

Female Speaker:

And that's just how it got here, by ship to the Peruvian coast. Then by land on one of south America's earliest trains, finally ascending the mountains by mule.

During it's working life, the Yavari never did go to war. True, the lake forms national boundaries but at this altitude, nobody in their right mind could feel like fighting. Early last century, it was left abandoned until in the 80s it was spotted by a determined English woman. Preserved by the altitude and the fresh water, the ship was in remarkable condition.

Captain Carlos Cevedra had left the Peruvian Navy and was in Africa when he heard about it.

Carlos Cevedra:

I didn't have a job, and then suddenly I receive a letter from a friend of mine in Peru saying that there was crazy English lady who bought this ship.

Female Speaker:

Carlos travelled to England in search of his destiny.

Carlos Cevedra:

But I mean, when [inaudible] saw the CV she was surprised. I mean, because something was missing. Something was missing and I said, "That's impossible. I mean, anything can be missing. I'm the right man" I am have to be your captain, I said. But [inaudible] keep saying I mean, no no, that looks something is missing. But what is missing? Anything that is written here that I mean you are a [inaudible]. So she asked me that you know. Carlos are you a [inaudible], and I said yes. Okay, now join me. So that was the starting point of this project, I mean [inaudible].

I'm going to show you something because it is important. Look at that, that is the original compass. Well, the glass is broken as you can see but I mean, we prefer to keep it like that because it's original. [crosstalk].

Female Speaker:

The last captain of the Yavari did something unusual. Knowing it's importance, he insisted that the original features were kept when the ship was decommissioned.

So things like the clock, the bell...

Carlos Cevedra:

Yeah the chronometer, nautical terms. Chronometer, telescope, even where it was built is still written here.

Female Speaker:

And this is the original steering wheel.

Carlos Cevedra:

That is the original steering wheel and something that is important I need to point out you see, look at that at the steering wheel, that is the right position actually. Because I mean, usually, don't think that we Peruvian sailors [inaudible].

Female Speaker:

But that's the front.

Carlos Cevedra:

We're going to say like that, no no. It's not like that, I mean actually you need two sailor, two helmsman. One here, and the other one here, and that is the captains place.

Look at that.

Female Speaker:

According to Carlos it's the oldest working diesel engine in the world. The original steam engine proved impractical. The only fuel was llama dung.

Carlos Cevedra:

They used to be run with llama dung Because that was the only compostable available that we used to have here.

Female Speaker:

It was not just the ship that appealed to Carlos. Lake Titicaca, the highest navigable lake in the world was something of a challenge and an inspiration.

The Uru are the local indigenous people, famous for their use of the reeds that grow so profusely in the lake. They build with it, they make boats with it, they eat it.

Carlos Cevedra:

That is the piece that we actually eat.

Female Speaker:

What's it taste like?

Carlos Cevedra:

Nothing. But it's very good

Female Speaker:

Very good nothing.

Carlos Cevedra:

But it's very rich in iron. And that's why these people, I mean this keeper of our boat, he's [inaudible]. And they don't have any problem with their teeth.

Female Speaker:

The Uru and [inaudible] of Lake Titicaca are also famous for their warlike spirit. They defeated the Incas, and are now doing a pretty good job of dealing with the new invaders; the tourists.

Tourists from all around the world come here to marvel at the famous floating reed islands, and generally get a wedding thrown in. In fact the weddings are so frequent, you can't help but wonder if the divorce rate is equally high or at least question whether some people are double dipping.

Is it my imagination or do people around Puno have more than the normal number of parties?

Carlos Cevedra:

No, no, you are right. I mean actually, but I think they deserve it. You know, because I mean to live here at this altitude, in order to have your life more kindly, let's call it like that, I mean, you have to dance.

[inaudible].

Female Speaker:

The guidebooks tell you about the exotic floating reed islands on Lake Titicaca. What they don't tell you is that they're not traditional at all.

Honestly, is this traditional, or is this something that they've dreamed up for the tourists?

Carlos Cevedra:

Wow, that's a good question there.

Female Speaker:

Carlos felt we hadn't really experienced the true indigenous culture. On the other side of the lake he said, things were different.

So we cross the lake. Almost to the Bolivian border. I don't know what I expected, maybe an ancient people harmonising with nature on the roof of the world. Certainly what we got, yes you guessed it, another wedding.