Rio to Santiago via Patagonia
Nov 19th, 2012, 12:20 PM
#83
Original Poster
crellston - re: glaciers - for once, the word awesome applies.
yestravel - the blog is still in Argentina, but the same mountains. I walked on a glacier in Pakistan and found it hard going. I think Perito Moreno would have been smoother but still difficult. One person reported that you needed to be able to handle a scree slope, and I have trouble with them. (I have auto spellcheck turned off, it would drive me nuts.)
tripplanner - thanks!
yestravel - the blog is still in Argentina, but the same mountains. I walked on a glacier in Pakistan and found it hard going. I think Perito Moreno would have been smoother but still difficult. One person reported that you needed to be able to handle a scree slope, and I have trouble with them. (I have auto spellcheck turned off, it would drive me nuts.)
tripplanner - thanks!
Nov 20th, 2012, 10:40 AM
#84
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KW...the blog pics are superb...made me sad that i didn't go far enough south in Patagonia. Await your smugmug pics when you get home...have a continuing great journey, as it has been thus far!
Stu
Stu
Nov 20th, 2012, 12:58 PM
#85
Original Poster
<b>Nov 10-12, 2012: Towers of Blue</b>
I took the bus back to El Calafate, to another hostel. The Hosteria Hainen had had a room available, but since I would arrive and leave by bus I decided to keep my reservation at the Lago Argentino hostel, as it was only a block from the bus station. Sadly, that was its only recommendation: it was nothing like the Albergue Patagonia, and not only bare but barely acceptable.
I spent the afternoon at the Glaciarium, a recently built "Museum of Patagonian Ice", oddly located well out of town, and found it disappointing. The high point was supposed to be an audio-visual experience on global warming, but it was wasted on me - I don't need convincing that we are radically changing our planet. I could have had a drink in their ice bar, but I don't think wine goes well with ice, and didn't want a cocktail in the middle of the afternoon. Instead, I had another dinner at the Casimiro Bigua, although this time I settled for the langoustines and lamb.
It was as well that I had bought my ticket to Puerto Natales, a small port on Last Hope Sound in Chile, the day I had arrived in El Calafate, as the bus left full. I heard later that in high season it could take three hours to cross the border, but we had no difficulties. The scenery wasn't as good as I expected, as we made a big loop away from the high mountains, across the steppe. Puerto Natales turned out to have more of the feel of El Chalten than of El Calafate, although it was bigger. The influences of Germanic settlers were still clear around the main square. Another outpost, all its supplies came in on the weekly boat from Puerto Montt to the north, the boat I hoped to take in two days time.
The Hallef Hotel, six blocks out of the center (quite a distance in Puerto Natales), was new and a welcome upgrade from the Lago Argentino hostel. Only one of the staff spoke English, and I needed the Translate apps on my iPad and smart phone a few times, but they booked me on the full day tour of Torres del Paine National Park with no difficulty. The fit and energetic hike the park, taking a week for the full circuit, I had never had thoughts of joining them.
So I cheated. The only hiking I did was an hour round trip for a distant view of Glacier Grey. Otherwise I sat on the bus, and got off with thirty others at the designated view points. But the views were stellar. Once again, I had been remarkably lucky. The guide said that you could see the park's signature towers only 60 days in the year, and I was visiting on one of them, a clear, sunny day, sandwiched between two cool and cloudy ones. Also, since I was the first to board, I had the front seat on the bus, with great views all day. It made up for the hour driving round town to pick up the rest of the tourists. At least that allowed me to discover a crepes restaurant I might otherwise have missed.
The guide told us that "paine" meant "blue" in the language of the original inhabitants, who had been essentially wiped out by the European settlers, even though the first estancia (ranch) in the area had not been established until the early 20th century. So, I was visiting the blue towers. The most photographed side is the north, where the towers glowed in the sunshine, in shades of grey more than blue, but with streaks of many other colors, including red. From the south, the mountains appeared quite different, with black basalt caps on top of dull grey base rock.
My second day was, in contrast, exceedingly boring. There is really nothing to do in Puerto Natales itself, once you have been taken aback by the unexpectedly scenic waterfront, and visited the tiny museum. I was in town mostly to catch the boat to Puerto Montt, and after I checked in at 10:30, I spent the rest of the day drinking coffee or tea in places that had wifi.
When I checked in, I ran into the woman I had met on the Brazilian-Argentinian border, back at the beginning of my trip. She had been supposed to take the ferry out the preceding week, but it had been canceled. She had been in town for a week, driving herself out to the park a couple of times, and taking a day trip on a boat. I was very relieved when the Evangelistas actually showed up. However, if it had been canceled I would probably have gone south for a week, or asked for a refund and flown out. Since my guide books had been written, Puerto Montt had acquired a small airport.
I took the bus back to El Calafate, to another hostel. The Hosteria Hainen had had a room available, but since I would arrive and leave by bus I decided to keep my reservation at the Lago Argentino hostel, as it was only a block from the bus station. Sadly, that was its only recommendation: it was nothing like the Albergue Patagonia, and not only bare but barely acceptable.
I spent the afternoon at the Glaciarium, a recently built "Museum of Patagonian Ice", oddly located well out of town, and found it disappointing. The high point was supposed to be an audio-visual experience on global warming, but it was wasted on me - I don't need convincing that we are radically changing our planet. I could have had a drink in their ice bar, but I don't think wine goes well with ice, and didn't want a cocktail in the middle of the afternoon. Instead, I had another dinner at the Casimiro Bigua, although this time I settled for the langoustines and lamb.
It was as well that I had bought my ticket to Puerto Natales, a small port on Last Hope Sound in Chile, the day I had arrived in El Calafate, as the bus left full. I heard later that in high season it could take three hours to cross the border, but we had no difficulties. The scenery wasn't as good as I expected, as we made a big loop away from the high mountains, across the steppe. Puerto Natales turned out to have more of the feel of El Chalten than of El Calafate, although it was bigger. The influences of Germanic settlers were still clear around the main square. Another outpost, all its supplies came in on the weekly boat from Puerto Montt to the north, the boat I hoped to take in two days time.
The Hallef Hotel, six blocks out of the center (quite a distance in Puerto Natales), was new and a welcome upgrade from the Lago Argentino hostel. Only one of the staff spoke English, and I needed the Translate apps on my iPad and smart phone a few times, but they booked me on the full day tour of Torres del Paine National Park with no difficulty. The fit and energetic hike the park, taking a week for the full circuit, I had never had thoughts of joining them.
So I cheated. The only hiking I did was an hour round trip for a distant view of Glacier Grey. Otherwise I sat on the bus, and got off with thirty others at the designated view points. But the views were stellar. Once again, I had been remarkably lucky. The guide said that you could see the park's signature towers only 60 days in the year, and I was visiting on one of them, a clear, sunny day, sandwiched between two cool and cloudy ones. Also, since I was the first to board, I had the front seat on the bus, with great views all day. It made up for the hour driving round town to pick up the rest of the tourists. At least that allowed me to discover a crepes restaurant I might otherwise have missed.
The guide told us that "paine" meant "blue" in the language of the original inhabitants, who had been essentially wiped out by the European settlers, even though the first estancia (ranch) in the area had not been established until the early 20th century. So, I was visiting the blue towers. The most photographed side is the north, where the towers glowed in the sunshine, in shades of grey more than blue, but with streaks of many other colors, including red. From the south, the mountains appeared quite different, with black basalt caps on top of dull grey base rock.
My second day was, in contrast, exceedingly boring. There is really nothing to do in Puerto Natales itself, once you have been taken aback by the unexpectedly scenic waterfront, and visited the tiny museum. I was in town mostly to catch the boat to Puerto Montt, and after I checked in at 10:30, I spent the rest of the day drinking coffee or tea in places that had wifi.
When I checked in, I ran into the woman I had met on the Brazilian-Argentinian border, back at the beginning of my trip. She had been supposed to take the ferry out the preceding week, but it had been canceled. She had been in town for a week, driving herself out to the park a couple of times, and taking a day trip on a boat. I was very relieved when the Evangelistas actually showed up. However, if it had been canceled I would probably have gone south for a week, or asked for a refund and flown out. Since my guide books had been written, Puerto Montt had acquired a small airport.
Nov 20th, 2012, 01:17 PM
#86
Your writing brings back such wonderful memories. Terrific description of the towers -- a sight I will always remember. We did several hikes in TdP, each hike a half day or less. Scenery was gorgeous. And yes, trekking, hiking whatever on Perito Moreno was not easy.
We had some wondrous pisco sours flavored with calafate berries in Puerto Natales at Hotel Indigo.
Continuing to enjoy your TR.
We had some wondrous pisco sours flavored with calafate berries in Puerto Natales at Hotel Indigo.
Continuing to enjoy your TR.
Nov 21st, 2012, 10:02 AM
#88
Original Poster
<b>Nov 12-16, 2012: I Get Bored on Boats....</b>
Boats always sound like such a good idea that I keep forgetting that I get bored on them. Either there's nothing to look at but sea, or the coast is too far away to see clearly, or the coast just looks the same for hour after hour. But still, I am a big fan of overland travel, and a boat is therefore preferable to a plane, and travel up the Chilean side of the Andes in the far south looked to be very difficult by road. So I booked passage on the Evangelistas, which is really the supply ship for Puerto Natales rather than a passenger boat, and hoped both that it would arrive in Puerto Montt more or less on time (apparently not always the case) and that the Chilean fjords would be both visible and attractive.
The good luck which had let me see the El Calafate glaciers, Mt. Fitz Roy, and Torres del Paine in bright sunshine, held. Although the previous week's sailing had been canceled, we boarded on time, at 21:00 on Monday night. The boat is frequently delayed by rough seas and high winds for Wednesday's leg across the Golfo del Penas and a stretch of the Pacific, but although it was cold and wet, we had one of the calmest crossings in the recent memory - just enough swell to be interesting. Tuesday was clear enough, and Thursday so fine that half the passengers were sunbathing on the top deck.
The Torres del Paine guide had told me that only 5% of the visitors to Puerto Natales took the boat, and certainly we sailed less than full. This led to a certain amount of discrete upgrading. The woman who had waited a week to board had booked BBB class - a two person cabin with private but not en-suite bathroom - for single use at 1600-odd USD. She was upgraded to first class - I saw her cabin, two berths, a couch under the window, a desk, and en-suite bathroom. First-class passengers had a separate dining room with waiters, and wine with lunch and dinner.
Then I heard of some couples who had booked two berths in a four berth cabin, and didn't have to share. I was particularly fortunate. I had booked C class - open berths in the "dormitory", as friends who had taken the boat said that the four person cabins had no more room, just a door, and were claustrophobic. I was taken aback by how little space there was between the berths, especially with four people's luggage on the floor (and my temporary companions' backpacks looked too big for the lockers), and started out by moving round the corner to a berth next to one of the shared bathrooms, where I would have more space if also more noise. Shortly afterwards a crew member collected me and took me off to a BBB cabin - possibly the one from with my friend had been upgraded - and then down the passageway to show me the separate bathroom. With the senior discount I had paid 323 USD for my ticket... (Note that the fares included all meals.) I seemed to be the only "older" person in the dormitory, I don't think anyone else there got upgraded. There were other older travelers on board, but they had all booked cabins.
My cabin was very cold, until I found the switches for the radiator, and right at the back, where I couldn't hear the announcements (I imagine I could have heard the emergency siren, lol), and my bathroom two sections distant with an uncooperative key, but I certainly had no complaints. I was thrilled by the extra space and the privacy, although I spent most of my waking hours in the public areas. Although the Evangelistas was in no way a cruise ship (although some thought it was charging cruise ship prices), it had a bar as well as the cafeteria, and attempts were made to amuse the passengers: daily lectures in both Spanish and English on the fauna and flora of Patagonia, nightly National Geographic movies, and a bingo cum party on the last night. I made it through the bingo, but when they cranked up the music for the party I retired. (Can someone explain why loud music is supposed to be a fun thing? I can hardly hear anyone talk, I have to shout to be heard, and I worry about damage to my hearing...)
The first morning we were woken early to see how narrow a passage the ship was navigating. (I was woken by my alarm clock, I couldn't hear the announcement.) It didn't look that narrow to me, but I'm no sailor. Then we got an up close look at a glacier. The rest of that day the shore was quite interesting, while the second day there would have been nothing to look at, as we crossed open water, even if the weather had been good. The last day we had a distant view of some minke whales, and a closer look at some dolphins, but the coast was further off.
Besides the woman I had met at the beginning of my trip, I spent time with an Australian couple, retired on a "hobby" farm in Tasmania with cattle (for meat) and alpacas (for fiber), a Swedish couple, and a mixed German/American group: there were passengers from all over. I also finished one of the audio books on my smart phone.
While I enjoyed the trip, I feel no need to repeat it. I am getting back on a boat tomorrow, but only for a couple of hours.
Boats always sound like such a good idea that I keep forgetting that I get bored on them. Either there's nothing to look at but sea, or the coast is too far away to see clearly, or the coast just looks the same for hour after hour. But still, I am a big fan of overland travel, and a boat is therefore preferable to a plane, and travel up the Chilean side of the Andes in the far south looked to be very difficult by road. So I booked passage on the Evangelistas, which is really the supply ship for Puerto Natales rather than a passenger boat, and hoped both that it would arrive in Puerto Montt more or less on time (apparently not always the case) and that the Chilean fjords would be both visible and attractive.
The good luck which had let me see the El Calafate glaciers, Mt. Fitz Roy, and Torres del Paine in bright sunshine, held. Although the previous week's sailing had been canceled, we boarded on time, at 21:00 on Monday night. The boat is frequently delayed by rough seas and high winds for Wednesday's leg across the Golfo del Penas and a stretch of the Pacific, but although it was cold and wet, we had one of the calmest crossings in the recent memory - just enough swell to be interesting. Tuesday was clear enough, and Thursday so fine that half the passengers were sunbathing on the top deck.
The Torres del Paine guide had told me that only 5% of the visitors to Puerto Natales took the boat, and certainly we sailed less than full. This led to a certain amount of discrete upgrading. The woman who had waited a week to board had booked BBB class - a two person cabin with private but not en-suite bathroom - for single use at 1600-odd USD. She was upgraded to first class - I saw her cabin, two berths, a couch under the window, a desk, and en-suite bathroom. First-class passengers had a separate dining room with waiters, and wine with lunch and dinner.
Then I heard of some couples who had booked two berths in a four berth cabin, and didn't have to share. I was particularly fortunate. I had booked C class - open berths in the "dormitory", as friends who had taken the boat said that the four person cabins had no more room, just a door, and were claustrophobic. I was taken aback by how little space there was between the berths, especially with four people's luggage on the floor (and my temporary companions' backpacks looked too big for the lockers), and started out by moving round the corner to a berth next to one of the shared bathrooms, where I would have more space if also more noise. Shortly afterwards a crew member collected me and took me off to a BBB cabin - possibly the one from with my friend had been upgraded - and then down the passageway to show me the separate bathroom. With the senior discount I had paid 323 USD for my ticket... (Note that the fares included all meals.) I seemed to be the only "older" person in the dormitory, I don't think anyone else there got upgraded. There were other older travelers on board, but they had all booked cabins.
My cabin was very cold, until I found the switches for the radiator, and right at the back, where I couldn't hear the announcements (I imagine I could have heard the emergency siren, lol), and my bathroom two sections distant with an uncooperative key, but I certainly had no complaints. I was thrilled by the extra space and the privacy, although I spent most of my waking hours in the public areas. Although the Evangelistas was in no way a cruise ship (although some thought it was charging cruise ship prices), it had a bar as well as the cafeteria, and attempts were made to amuse the passengers: daily lectures in both Spanish and English on the fauna and flora of Patagonia, nightly National Geographic movies, and a bingo cum party on the last night. I made it through the bingo, but when they cranked up the music for the party I retired. (Can someone explain why loud music is supposed to be a fun thing? I can hardly hear anyone talk, I have to shout to be heard, and I worry about damage to my hearing...)
The first morning we were woken early to see how narrow a passage the ship was navigating. (I was woken by my alarm clock, I couldn't hear the announcement.) It didn't look that narrow to me, but I'm no sailor. Then we got an up close look at a glacier. The rest of that day the shore was quite interesting, while the second day there would have been nothing to look at, as we crossed open water, even if the weather had been good. The last day we had a distant view of some minke whales, and a closer look at some dolphins, but the coast was further off.
Besides the woman I had met at the beginning of my trip, I spent time with an Australian couple, retired on a "hobby" farm in Tasmania with cattle (for meat) and alpacas (for fiber), a Swedish couple, and a mixed German/American group: there were passengers from all over. I also finished one of the audio books on my smart phone.
While I enjoyed the trip, I feel no need to repeat it. I am getting back on a boat tomorrow, but only for a couple of hours.
Nov 21st, 2012, 03:55 PM
#89
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Loving this. Like you I'm a fan of overland travel and unlike you I really like boats; my favourite method of transport.
I'm following you on the map and can't wait to do it all myself. The pics on your blog are fantastic.
Keep it coming. I set off for Ecuador next week!
I'm following you on the map and can't wait to do it all myself. The pics on your blog are fantastic.
Keep it coming. I set off for Ecuador next week!
Nov 25th, 2012, 03:57 AM
#92
Original Poster
Hi Kathie, good to see you. I'm looking forward to reading about your trip when I get home!
I just spent two days crossing the Andes by bus and boat and am back in Argentina in very crowded Bariloche. Turns out I hit a new holiday weekend. Definitely cold but sunny and gorgeous views.
I just spent two days crossing the Andes by bus and boat and am back in Argentina in very crowded Bariloche. Turns out I hit a new holiday weekend. Definitely cold but sunny and gorgeous views.
Nov 25th, 2012, 11:06 AM
#93
Thursdaysd, thank you so much for keeping this thread going, and for your blog with those excellent photos ! I have been enjoying following you on this trip (now I plan to find your earlier TRs on Fodors, too). Your adventure is so varied and textured - your descriptions are interesting, fun and valuable for future planning. Again, thank you.
Nov 26th, 2012, 03:44 AM
#94
Original Poster
Marnie - why, thank you! Lots of my TRs around, including pre-Fodors on my old web site, wilhelmswords.com
This trip is still in progress, traveling has been taking priority over writing.... I don't get home until mid-December, just before the Christmas travel rush.
This trip is still in progress, traveling has been taking priority over writing.... I don't get home until mid-December, just before the Christmas travel rush.
Nov 26th, 2012, 01:05 PM
#95
Original Poster
<b>Nov 16-17, 2012: Charles Darwin Didn't Like It</b>
Chiloe is a large island off the coast of Chile, where the water-laden westerlies from the Pacific make their first landfall. As a result it's a very wet island, getting over 100 inches of rain a year on the western mountains, and most of the population sensibly lives in the drier east. Much of the west coast is a now a national park, with limited road access.
I discounted Ancud, the closest city to the mainland, which sounded uninteresting, and opted instead to stay in Castro, settled in 1567 but since battered by earthquakes, tsunamis, fires and privateers, despite Darwin's 1834 description of the town as "a most forlorn and deserted place". It does look rather better than that now, despite a 1960 earthquake that destroyed many of the island's signature palafitos, houses built over the water on stilts.
I had been in two minds about whether to visit Chiloe at all, and put it right after the boat ride so I could delete it without much regret if the boat ran late. With the Evangelistas actually arriving early - at 1:30 am, although we didn't have to disembark until after breakfast - I went ahead and took the 9:15 bus from Puerto Montt. Unfortunately, the bus performed like a local, stopping anywhere and everywhere and we didn't arrive in Castro until after 1:00 pm.
The scenery, open, rolling countryside, with stands of trees, brightened by showers of golden broom and occasional flame red nostros, reminded me somewhat of England. I can't say, however, that it looked either well populated or particularly prosperous. Castro appeared a little ramshackle, too, although hardly deserted.
I had thought to stay at the Palafito Hostel, which had a room, it was so far away from the center, on the other side of the estuary, that I would have had to take a taxi every time I wanted to go anywhere. Instead, I wound up at Don Miguel, where my friends had stayed a couple of years earlier but which I had been unable to contact. My room was fine, but the price of its good views was exposure to the afternoon sun, which turned it into a furnace.
The Swedish couple from the boat also stayed at Don Miguel, and my one full day in town we took a very local bus to a very local festival in Achoa, on another, smaller island. The Fiera de Cordera, or Festival of Lamb turned to be all about eating. A series of permanent wooden structures were the basis for barbecues, with the cooking staggered so that there was always one place with meat ready. A stage to one side was used for the opening speeches, and singing and dancing. So nice to find a festival with singing and dancing that seemed to be by locals for locals.
Chiloe is known for its wooden churches, and the one in Achoa was particularly fine. Unfortunately, no photographs were allowed inside, where the woodwork was especially worth recording (I did buy a postcard). The ceiling was ribbed, and the ribs decorated with fretwork, along with rosettes supporting the chandeliers. We also took a look at some handicrafts but they in no way lived up to the interiors of the churches. I had been able to take photos in Castro's less elaborate church, and noticed that in both places the Virgin Mary seemed more important than Jesus.
That evening I was walking the long way back to Don Miguel to check out the relics of the island's railroad in the Plazuela El Tren, when I heard my name called. After looking around, I looked up, and found that the Australian couple from the Evangelista were also in town and staying in a waterfront hotel. We all got together for a farewell dinner that evening. I had decided two nights were enough and was leaving in the morning for Puerto Varas. The Australians were planning to check out Ancud on their way north, and the Swedes had rented bikes for a 40 km ride.
Chiloe is a large island off the coast of Chile, where the water-laden westerlies from the Pacific make their first landfall. As a result it's a very wet island, getting over 100 inches of rain a year on the western mountains, and most of the population sensibly lives in the drier east. Much of the west coast is a now a national park, with limited road access.
I discounted Ancud, the closest city to the mainland, which sounded uninteresting, and opted instead to stay in Castro, settled in 1567 but since battered by earthquakes, tsunamis, fires and privateers, despite Darwin's 1834 description of the town as "a most forlorn and deserted place". It does look rather better than that now, despite a 1960 earthquake that destroyed many of the island's signature palafitos, houses built over the water on stilts.
I had been in two minds about whether to visit Chiloe at all, and put it right after the boat ride so I could delete it without much regret if the boat ran late. With the Evangelistas actually arriving early - at 1:30 am, although we didn't have to disembark until after breakfast - I went ahead and took the 9:15 bus from Puerto Montt. Unfortunately, the bus performed like a local, stopping anywhere and everywhere and we didn't arrive in Castro until after 1:00 pm.
The scenery, open, rolling countryside, with stands of trees, brightened by showers of golden broom and occasional flame red nostros, reminded me somewhat of England. I can't say, however, that it looked either well populated or particularly prosperous. Castro appeared a little ramshackle, too, although hardly deserted.
I had thought to stay at the Palafito Hostel, which had a room, it was so far away from the center, on the other side of the estuary, that I would have had to take a taxi every time I wanted to go anywhere. Instead, I wound up at Don Miguel, where my friends had stayed a couple of years earlier but which I had been unable to contact. My room was fine, but the price of its good views was exposure to the afternoon sun, which turned it into a furnace.
The Swedish couple from the boat also stayed at Don Miguel, and my one full day in town we took a very local bus to a very local festival in Achoa, on another, smaller island. The Fiera de Cordera, or Festival of Lamb turned to be all about eating. A series of permanent wooden structures were the basis for barbecues, with the cooking staggered so that there was always one place with meat ready. A stage to one side was used for the opening speeches, and singing and dancing. So nice to find a festival with singing and dancing that seemed to be by locals for locals.
Chiloe is known for its wooden churches, and the one in Achoa was particularly fine. Unfortunately, no photographs were allowed inside, where the woodwork was especially worth recording (I did buy a postcard). The ceiling was ribbed, and the ribs decorated with fretwork, along with rosettes supporting the chandeliers. We also took a look at some handicrafts but they in no way lived up to the interiors of the churches. I had been able to take photos in Castro's less elaborate church, and noticed that in both places the Virgin Mary seemed more important than Jesus.
That evening I was walking the long way back to Don Miguel to check out the relics of the island's railroad in the Plazuela El Tren, when I heard my name called. After looking around, I looked up, and found that the Australian couple from the Evangelista were also in town and staying in a waterfront hotel. We all got together for a farewell dinner that evening. I had decided two nights were enough and was leaving in the morning for Puerto Varas. The Australians were planning to check out Ancud on their way north, and the Swedes had rented bikes for a 40 km ride.
Nov 28th, 2012, 09:48 AM
#99
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I am following and enjoying as well - I've gone to Santiago three times for work and next time I'm determined to figure out a way to stay longer and do some traveling...feeling really guilty that I haven't explored more. You don't have to answer yet, but at some point can you make a list of your top three destinations?
Nov 28th, 2012, 01:58 PM
#100
Original Poster
<b>Nov 19-21, 2012: Lazing by Lago Llanquihue</b>
My first sight of Puerto Varas was not auspicious. This was partly due to the weather, cool and cloudy, and partly to the fact that I had been dumped unceremoniously at the side of the road out of town. I had taken another Cruz del Sur bus, this one heading north to Concepcion, but also acting as a local. I had noticed the conductor telling people when their stop was coming up, and assumed, wrongly, that he would tell me when we neared Puerto Varas. I also expected to recognize the bus station.
I was not warned, and the bus "station" was an unlabeled shed with a covered parking area. It was only when I noticed a "Puerto Varas, center of tourism" sign (or words to that effect), for the second time, that I thought to ask my seat mate if we were in Puerto Varas. Actually, we were leaving.
Fortunately, this was merely annoying, not disastrous, illustrating rule of travel number something or other: "if in doubt, always, always, ask". Not to mention the subsidiary rule: "if you're sure, ask anyway, you could be wrong". Never mind being embarrassed, better to look a fool than be one, and after all, you're never going to see these people again, right?
So, since the bus "station" was itself out of the center, I had a longish trek into town to locate the T.I., after which I had a further, uphill, trek to the Hostal Carla Minte. Friends had recommended this place, and I had a comfortable stay. Once I got oriented, I realized I could cut out a lot of walking by heading down (or up) the path along the waterfront (I do mean down, the Hostal, along with the aggressive, new, Hotel Cumbres, was up on a cliff).
The hostal helped improve my outlook. So did lunch, my first experience with a pollo y palto sandwich - chicken and avocado, and I just love avocado. And then the clouds lifted. Believe me, you go to Puerto Varas for the view. Not one, but two, snow capped volcanoes emerged from the clouds, and one, Osorno, was a stand-in for Mt. Fuji. I didn't get to see Fuji-san when I was in Japan, but now I didn't mind so much. While Volcan Calbuco wasn't a perfect cone, it was quite impressive, too.
Puerto Varas is a resort town, quite a pleasant one, but aside from admiring the view, there really isn't a whole lot to do. I did walk round (and up and down) to look at all the historic buildings touted by my guidebook and by the TI, but unlike one Fodor's poster (yestravel) was not particularly impressed. Most seemed to be in serious need of TLC.
I was also less than enthusiastic about Puerto Montt's Angelmo market. Of course, it didn't help that there was a cruise ship in port the day I visited, nor that I saw places advertising prices in USD as well as in the local currency. (It's one thing in Argentina, where currency controls make dollars especially valuable, and another in places where the local currency is fine.) Aside from a couple of alpaca scarves, none of the handicrafts caught my interest, and I found some repellent. The fish market was OK, but nothing out of the ordinary.
My trip to Frutillar was much more successful. As with Nice, I would probably hate the place in season, but when I got off the bus at 10:00 on a weekday morning, it was whisper quiet. Even when a few small tour groups showed up, they didn't stay long. The town is almost too clean and tidy, and almost too cute. Basically, it's just two long streets, parallel to the waterfront, and lined with Germanic buildings set in beautifully maintained gardens. I also visited the open air museum, along with several school groups.
As in Puerto Varas, Volcan Osorno was hidden by clouds in the morning, but as the day warmed, the clouds started to disappear. I realized that the reason most tours don't leave for Frutillar until 15:00 is that the views are best in the late afternoon, but I had no complaints. I ate another pollo y palta sandwich looking straight at Osorno, and then went back to Puerto Varas, where I had found a couple of places that fixed decent coffee. I still hadn't recovered from my first morning in Chile, when I discovered that my breakfast "coffee" was hot water and Nescafe - powdered Nescafe at that, not even the granules I carry for emergencies.
My first sight of Puerto Varas was not auspicious. This was partly due to the weather, cool and cloudy, and partly to the fact that I had been dumped unceremoniously at the side of the road out of town. I had taken another Cruz del Sur bus, this one heading north to Concepcion, but also acting as a local. I had noticed the conductor telling people when their stop was coming up, and assumed, wrongly, that he would tell me when we neared Puerto Varas. I also expected to recognize the bus station.
I was not warned, and the bus "station" was an unlabeled shed with a covered parking area. It was only when I noticed a "Puerto Varas, center of tourism" sign (or words to that effect), for the second time, that I thought to ask my seat mate if we were in Puerto Varas. Actually, we were leaving.
Fortunately, this was merely annoying, not disastrous, illustrating rule of travel number something or other: "if in doubt, always, always, ask". Not to mention the subsidiary rule: "if you're sure, ask anyway, you could be wrong". Never mind being embarrassed, better to look a fool than be one, and after all, you're never going to see these people again, right?
So, since the bus "station" was itself out of the center, I had a longish trek into town to locate the T.I., after which I had a further, uphill, trek to the Hostal Carla Minte. Friends had recommended this place, and I had a comfortable stay. Once I got oriented, I realized I could cut out a lot of walking by heading down (or up) the path along the waterfront (I do mean down, the Hostal, along with the aggressive, new, Hotel Cumbres, was up on a cliff).
The hostal helped improve my outlook. So did lunch, my first experience with a pollo y palto sandwich - chicken and avocado, and I just love avocado. And then the clouds lifted. Believe me, you go to Puerto Varas for the view. Not one, but two, snow capped volcanoes emerged from the clouds, and one, Osorno, was a stand-in for Mt. Fuji. I didn't get to see Fuji-san when I was in Japan, but now I didn't mind so much. While Volcan Calbuco wasn't a perfect cone, it was quite impressive, too.
Puerto Varas is a resort town, quite a pleasant one, but aside from admiring the view, there really isn't a whole lot to do. I did walk round (and up and down) to look at all the historic buildings touted by my guidebook and by the TI, but unlike one Fodor's poster (yestravel) was not particularly impressed. Most seemed to be in serious need of TLC.
I was also less than enthusiastic about Puerto Montt's Angelmo market. Of course, it didn't help that there was a cruise ship in port the day I visited, nor that I saw places advertising prices in USD as well as in the local currency. (It's one thing in Argentina, where currency controls make dollars especially valuable, and another in places where the local currency is fine.) Aside from a couple of alpaca scarves, none of the handicrafts caught my interest, and I found some repellent. The fish market was OK, but nothing out of the ordinary.
My trip to Frutillar was much more successful. As with Nice, I would probably hate the place in season, but when I got off the bus at 10:00 on a weekday morning, it was whisper quiet. Even when a few small tour groups showed up, they didn't stay long. The town is almost too clean and tidy, and almost too cute. Basically, it's just two long streets, parallel to the waterfront, and lined with Germanic buildings set in beautifully maintained gardens. I also visited the open air museum, along with several school groups.
As in Puerto Varas, Volcan Osorno was hidden by clouds in the morning, but as the day warmed, the clouds started to disappear. I realized that the reason most tours don't leave for Frutillar until 15:00 is that the views are best in the late afternoon, but I had no complaints. I ate another pollo y palta sandwich looking straight at Osorno, and then went back to Puerto Varas, where I had found a couple of places that fixed decent coffee. I still hadn't recovered from my first morning in Chile, when I discovered that my breakfast "coffee" was hot water and Nescafe - powdered Nescafe at that, not even the granules I carry for emergencies.
