Day 6 - Puerto Varas, Chile (2/15/13)

Adios Argentina!  Embarking on a six-hour bus ride across the Andes into Chile.  This will be the lowest elevation of the mountain range.  Marta, our city guide for the last two days will accompany us into Chile and then leave us to another guide (Mauricio).  She shared many stories of her life as a young girl growing up in Argentina.  She is of Hungarian/Slovak descent, but was born in Bariloche.  We learned about the German Nazi's who came to Argentina for exile and the affect on the people here (including her).  It was a whole history lesson in a few hours.  Crossing the border was interesting.  First went through Argentina's immigration and it was pretty non-eventful.  You are in a no-man's land for a few miles before getting to Chile's immigration check-in.  On this part of the ride, you are eating any nuts, seeds, or fruit before getting to the check-in.  Everyone had to take all carry-ons into the immigration building and leave it all on the floor.  You checked in with the immigration officer while a dog sniffed all the carry-ons.  Our bus driver had to unload all of our luggage while the dogs sniffted that and one woman had to open her luggage to be inspected.

There was a volcano eruption in the Andes in October 2011 and it affected both Chile and Argentina.  We were told that the Argentina airport had over a foot of ash on the runways.  The town of Bariloche was covered in ash and they were afraid to drink the water.  Animals died from the ash, people had lung problems from it and there is still lots of ash visible.  This is the sign entering Chile and all of the light brown soil is actually volcanic ash that is really like cinder-type rocks.  I'm bringing some home -- if it survives.

Had a lunch of salad, chicken and potatoes as we entered Chile. Next to the restaurant was an automobile museum.  It is privately owned and the owner has 49 antique cars/trucks that he has restored.  Most of them are Studebakers.  Jim asked our guide, why Studebakers here in Chile. He told us that Chile does not manufacture any cars.  Studebakers were affordable cars and could be brought into the country with low import taxes, and so became the common car in Chile.

Then on to the town of Puerto Varas.  We are in a lovely little hotel on the water.  Here is the view from our room.

It is raining now and is predicted rain for the rest of the time we are spending here.  Oh well.  Dropped the suitcases in the room, took this quick photo and headed out for a walk around town with Santi.  The architecture here also has a German influence.  Santiago took us to get some Chilean pesos.  The exchange rate here is $500 pesos to $1.  Went to the ATM and got so confused with all the 0's that I ended up with more money than I needed.  I'll sort that out tomorrow.

Met at the bar to experience the Chilean drink called a Pisco Sour.  I think this will be added to the "drink of the day" list. 

Santiago (our guide) is in the blue shirt.

Then off to a local seafood restaurant where we had a wonderful fish which was a type of Chilean sea bass called Congrio, fresh grilled veggies and a German beer.  This money situation is hysterical.  Found a yarn shop and a skein of yarn is $1800 pesos, which is about $3.50.  Jim almost passed out when our dinner bill was $20,200 pesos.

Good night all.