The adventure just keeps getting better! Woke up to the most beautiful scene of Lake Llanquihue outside our bedroom window. Santi met nine of us to take the local bus (he promised no chickens aboard) to Puerto Montt, another port town about 15 miles away. Bus fare was $800 pesos (about $1.50 US). Along the way, a man got on with his guitar. He played some songs for us; got up and explained that he lost his job and this is how he is able to support his family; so he makes a few dollars from the passengers and we are entertained. It takes us about a half-hour to get to the port. Puerto Varas, where we are staying, is mostly a tourist town in what is known as the lake district; Puerto Montt is a working port. We walked through a handicraft market to the fish and fruit/vegetable market. OH MY. There were ducks, geese, chickens, fish, sea urchins, and things we could not identify. Santi said he had never eaten sea urchin but would try one if Jim would eat it with him. They did; we got the photos and they even talked a few brave others into trying it. Santi also stopped by some man selling cheese out of the back of his car – he bought some and cut it up for all of us to try – it was great. This is the kind of experience we were hoping for in mixing with the authentic Chilean people.
Took the local bus home again – alone – Santi had an errand to run and put us on the bus with instructions to the driver to get us back to town. We knew the bus stop was at the corner a block away from the hotel – this driver didn’t stop there – he took us right to the front of our hotel. Can you imagine getting that kind of service from Port Authority?
I had spied a yarn shop on the way to dinner last night and decided to see if I could get some local yarn. The shop was closed, but I walked to where I had heard there was a market. Found some hand-dyed Chilean wool . Don’t know what I’ll make, but it will have to be something special.
Got back to the hotel in time to meet the rest of the group and get on our tour bus to head to another national park. Our local guide had a family emergency, so Santi had to double as the local guide. This is just a perfect example of how talented and flexible these guides are, to say nothing about their knowledge. He took over giving us information and made impromptu stops along our way like he has done this forever. Although he did say that when he was telling us something he was sure about he would do it without his sunglasses– when he was unsure and was probably fibbing, he would put his sunglasses on, so we could not see his eyes. What a sense of humor.
We are traveling down the road and he suddenly tells our driver to pull off the road. We head up a hill and he explains that this is a llama farm (llamas are not native to Chile); he wants us to see the llamas. So, we meet the man who owns this farm, see the llamas and prepare to go on. Well, the owner of this place has a little white dog named Blanchito. Seems that Blanchito likes to sightsee – as the last few people were boarding the bus, Blanchito boarded too and did not want to get off. Our driver had to pick him up and take him back to the owner. Seems Blanchito has a history of this behavior. Some people came to visit in an open Jeep. They left, got a few miles away and realized that Blanchito had stowed away in the back of the Jeep!
On to our next destination, Vicente Perez Rosales Nacional Parc. We walked through a rainforest to the Petrohue waterfall that was created by the nearby Osorno Volcano. The park was crowded with local Chilean people on their summer holiday. We left at 5:00 p.m. and the line to get into the park was very long. Things get started here in Chile very late in the day. Our parks are closing at this time!
On to our next home-hosted dinner. We traveled down a very bumpy dirt road directly from the rainforest. This road had recently been washed out by rains and repaired (kind of). We traveled about 4-5 miles on this road, which seemed to be going nowhere and find ourselves ending at the most beautiful view of the Osorno Volcano and the most gorgeous bay. We met Alex, our host, who took us in his boat to his home. We were met by his dog and walked up to his house on the hill. We met his wife, Rosita who had prepared a wonderful meal for us. Grilled salmon trout with a kelp salsa, rice, potato, spinach casserole and salad, and of course, many pitchers of wine. After our dinner, Santi introduced Alex and Rosita to tell their story – it was all done through interpretation as they spoke no English. Alex was from a family of fishermen who came to own this property in 1909. The property was on part of what was to become the national park. Because they owned it prior to the park’s existence, they were permitted to keep the land. Alex makes his living fishing and now hosts these dinners every three days for the travel agency. He told a sweet story about how he met this beautiful girl, Rosita, who worked at the market over on the mainland. He kept making trips to that market with the excuse that he needed to buy “things.” He said he really liked Rosita, but had nothing to offer her but a dog, a rooster and a mountain view. Rosita said she would take the view! And what a view she has. They may be poor, but they live in paradise. They have been married for over twenty years and have happily raised their family here.
Alex took us by boat back to the mainland and off we went back to Puerto Varas. Once again, Santi, the Good Samaritan, has come to the aid of someone in need. One of the cooks at Alex and Rosita’s was in need of a ride home, so she came on our bus and we dropped her off close to her home. Her brother was taken to the hospital and she was very upset. Giving her a ride on our bus would allow her to get home earlier than usual and she would be able to get to the hospital to see him.
Along the way we saw a beautiful double rainbow. The most intense colors I have ever seen. The bus driver, Fernando, thinks absolutely nothing of pulling off the road to let the crazy Americans get out to look and photograph this gorgeous sight. I think there is hope for us all when we can still find such joy in a rainbow.
We arrive at the hotel by 8:30 p.m. Jim and I run out to see if we can pick up some of the local honey that Santi told us about because this is the only area where it can be purchased. Came back to the hotel and some of our group was at the bar, so we joined them all for more stories and another chance to have a Pisco Sour.
What a great day!
No comments:
Post a Comment