The floating villages of Peru

Lake Titicaca is home to an archipelago made entirely out of dried reeds

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Andean actors.
An Andean man and a woman, depicting Inca's legendary characters Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo, pose for a portrait on a Uros island at Lake Titicaca on Nov. 5, 2014.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil)Using the thick totora reed that grows so plentifully at the edge of Lake Titicaca, the Uros people built this archipelago in the Andean highlands centuries a)

An Andean man prepares a totora raft at the shores of a Uros island at Lake Titicaca on Nov. 5, 2014.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil))

A hut made of reeds.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil))

An Andean man and a child stand at the top of a watchtower.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil))

An Andean woman decorates a totora raft at the shores of a Uros island at Lake Titicaca.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil))

Andeans row their totora boats in Lake Titicaca.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil))

Andean actors perform during a reenactment of the legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil))

An Andean actor holds a golden staff during a reenactment of the legend of Manco Capac and Mama Ocllo.
(Image credit: (REUTERS/Enrique Castro-Mendivil))

Lauren Hansen
Lauren Hansen

Lauren Hansen produces The Week’s podcasts and videos and edits the photo blog, Captured. She also manages the production of the magazine's iPad app. A graduate of Kenyon College and Northwestern University, she previously worked at the BBC and Frontline. She knows a thing or two about pretty pictures and cute puppies, both of which she tweets about @mylaurenhansen.