Gone fishing

Lago Ranco

2012-02-18T20:06:00.000-08:00

I wanted to find a quiet town in the Lake District in southern Chile where Icould take it easy and prepare for the long trip home soon. It is now theheight of the summer season in this picturesque and charming southern Chilelakeside town. I discover that it also attracts vacationers from the area andfrom further north. These tourists thrive on party music, loud, in publicplaces until 11:30pm. My fortune was to have a room only two blocks from theelectronic amplification. So I could not sleep before about 1am.

After two sleep-deprived nights in the bed & breakfast,I gathered my wits and hired a taxi to deliver me to the one major touristattraction in the area, Piedra Mesa, a hill with a 2.5-mile gravel road to thetop. Here is a panoramic view from the top.

The hazy clouds in these pictures are due primarily to theeruption of the nearby Caulle Volcano.

"Parque Alfonso Brandt, adquirido en arriendo por 90 años en1972 como motivo de ser destinado a un parque de recreo con fines turísticos yeducación. Considerado sagrado y utilizado por la comunidad de Tringlo comoTren Tren, lugar para pedir permiso para el Nguillatun."

"Alfonso Brandt Park, in a rental agreement for 90 years from 1970. A tourist and educational park. Considered sacred and used by the community of Tringlo as the Tren Tren, place to ask permission for the Nguillatun."

Isla Huapi is one of many small islands in Lago Ranco, but one of the few inhabited by indigenous Mapuche.

As I continue the forest trail around this sacred mountain,I face directly into the eruption of Caulle, though several kilometers to thewest. My sinuses were reacting as if I were in an enclosed room with tobacco smokers.

Continuing on the well maintained mountain-top forest trail

Farms down below

I will make the return trip by walking the entire descent on a gravel road. Yuck. Once I reached lake level, there was a breeze that was clearing the air of volcanic ash.

Valdivian Coastal Reserve

2012-02-11T03:40:00.000-08:00

Southern Chile has a diverse ecosystem along its narrowstrip of land crowded between the Andes Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. Thisarea contains the world’s second largest temperate rainforest and the only onein South America. The World Wildlife Foundation has designated the areaValdivian Ecoregion. The Lakes District lies to the east, the Pacific Ocean to the west, and Patagonia to thesouth.

In 2003 the World Wildlife Foundation, The NatureConservancy, and other national and international organizations purchased150,000 acres of land in Chaihuín, creating the Valdivian Coastal Reserve. Thisis a private reserve open to the public, with 23 miles of oceanfront andbeautiful white sand beaches.

The forest within the reserve contains diverse species oftrees and wildlife but for many years was subjected to the destruction ofnative species and the planting of eucalyptus for commercial use in the early1990s. Fortunately, the large companies who invested in these plantations wentinto bankruptcy, and the organizations devoted to preservation were able topurchase the land.

About 4,500 acres of ancient and native coigüe were burnedto make room for eucalyptus plantations. This area represents about 3% of thecoastal reserve. The invasive trees are being cut and chipped, and huge truckscarry these chips to Corral where they are loaded for shipment to othercountries.

Marco González guides me through the Reserve. He relates information about trees, birds, animals, and medicinal properties of plants that his Mapuche grandfather taught him. The forest isstruggling to recuperate after being burned. Huge fires raged through the areato make way for the eucalyptus plantations.

Coicopihue is in bloom, surrounded by a diversity of speciesin the forest

The giant alerce is now a protected species, and is verysimilar to the sequoia in California. They were exploited for timber andshingles, just as were the redwood in California. Many fine old houses in thesouth of Chile are made of alerce.

I can't see them, but I can hear the sounds of large machines and trucks cutting and hauling eucalyptus from the forest across the river.

And they haul the trees to this location near Chaihuín for chipping. Trucks then take the chips to Corral for shipment.

This area will be planted with native species in hopes of recovering the forest.

Valdivia to Chaihuín

2012-02-08T17:38:00.000-08:00

Valdivia downtown waterfront (costanera)

After two weeks enjoying different areas of Chiloé Island, Itraveled north to Valdivia, a few miles inland from the Pacific Ocean and 521miles south of Santiago. It was founded by Pedro de Valdivia in 1554 and latersacked by the indigenous Mapuche people. Even Dutch pirates tried to occupy thearea. The town eventually recovered but remained insignificant until Germanfarming families began arriving in 1852. I lived here for two years in the mid1960s as a Peace Corps volunteer, teaching music at the newly founded AustralUniversity. The university now has a major presence in the south of Chile, andValdivia is a major center of agriculture, forestry and fishing industries.

But I long for the countryside and an escape from city noiseand activity, so I decided to rent a little cabin on the Pacific coast in thesleepy town of Chaihuín, about 25 miles from Valdivia. It took the good part ofa day to make the trip with public transportation. A taxi takes me to Niebla,11 miles to the coast. But I had to wait 45 minutes for three other people tomake up the four required for the taxi to leave town.

Niebla, a village in the Bay of Corral, known as asummer retreat from the city of Valdivia. Boats leave every 15 minutes to crossthe bay.

Mancera Island where I have fond memories of summerpicnics and soccer games.

Corral, a small village that was completely destroyedin May 1960 by a tsunami, result of a 9.5 earthquake. I had never visited thetown in the 1960s as it was still recovering. More photos on my previous blog. Click here to view.

Narrow winding streets in Corral.

Wood chips waiting to be loaded on to ships anddelivered to foreign ports. More on wood chips in a later post.

A one-hour bus ride (16 miles) on a gravel roaddelivers me to Chaihuín, a small village on the Chaihuín River that empties inthe Pacific Ocean.

Only a partial view of the beautiful Chaihuín Beach.

Home sweet home is a little cabaña facing the Chaihuín River.

Chaihuín River. The beach is a favorite destinationfor day trippers and campers alike. The river contains an area where musselsare extracted. The fishermen all belong to a cooperative that protects thesource from being over exploited.

Fishermen extracting mussels. They can work here onlyone day per month to preserve the stock.

No need to argue over right of way here. Everyonegets through eventually.

Cucao, Chiloé

2012-01-30T18:37:00.000-08:00

The next stop on my tour of Chiloé island is the smallvillage of Cucao, about 25 miles north of Quellón and on the west coast of theisland. This view is from my room at Hostal Palafito Cucao, situated on thebank the Cucao river and looking east at Cucao Lake.

There is excellent cazuela de vacuno (beef andvegetable soup) in the green house across the Cucao River.

The Cucao National Park is a favorite destination formany Chilean and foreign visitors. Many come for the day, and others come tocamp or stay in one of the many lodgings available. The above view is thenational park trail to the dunes and beach.

The lookout over dunes andbeach. This white sand beach is 15 miles long! Charles Darwin stopped by herein the Beagle in 1835. From his journal of January 24:

“Thedistrict of Cucao is the only inhabited part on the whole West coast of Chiloé.It contains about thirty or forty Indians, who are scattered along four or fivemiles of the shore, and without a single Spanish resident. — They are very muchsecluded from the rest of Chiloé & have scarcely any sort of commerce,excepting sometimes a little oil which they get from seal blubber. They arepretty well dressed in clothes of their own manufacture, & they have plentyto eat.”

Dunes and beach looking northto Huentemó

Parrots feeding in a tree inthe national park.

A short walk inland takes visitors to the tepual, aswampy area covered mostly in tepu trees (tepualia stipularia). A sturdyboardwalk winds through the tepual and many signs help to explain this uniqueecosystem.

The tepual

View of Cucao Lake from alookout in the tepual.

On another day, Patricio(Pato) is my guide to the dunes. I always prefer four sturdy legs under me, ratherthen my questionable two.

Pato takes me into the hillsabove the beach and park. This is looking south toward Pirulil.

View of Lake Huelde

Our return to Cucao afterabout three hours on the trail. In another hour I will take a bus north to thetown of Castro, capital of Chiloé.

Tantauco Park

2012-01-23T08:45:00.000-08:00

Created in 2005, Tantauco Park comprises almost 300,000 acres (456 square miles) on the southern tip of ChiloéIsland. The island itself is 118miles long from north to south and averages 34-40miles in width. So the park is a large presence here. It is a popularecotourism destination, containing two campgrounds and 93 miles of hikingtrails. Rainfall averages 98 inches per year.

The land was purchased by Sebastián Piñera, currentpresident of Chile, as a private nature preserve open to the public. There issome controversy regarding the park, which is considered to be on ancestral lands of theindigenous Huilliche (southern Mapuche) people.

The northern sector of the park is accessible by road fromQuellón at the southern terminus of the Panamerican Highway, where trekkersenter to hike the 5-day trail south to the park headquarters on the very tip ofthe island. This area is accessible only by sea via a challenging 3-hourcrossing by speedboat. The headquarters is located in the fishing village Inío (pop. 140), witha considerable infrastructure. The new park has an interesting rolein the community. It provides many needed services while the local peopleprovide labor for the park and its visitors. A veterinary service is provided for pets in the village. As a concern for native wildlife, all female dogs have been spayed and most males neutered.

Administration building

Medical clinic

School

There are no cars or roads here, just fishing boats andoxen. The happy expression on these faces is typical of this unique place.Everyone here seems happy, due to the availability of work and naturalresources.

The park has built wooden sidewalks around the headquarters to protect thefragile ecosystem.

The park guesthouse. My room is on the second floor. Akitchen and sitting area are on the first floor.

The only tourists this week were Veronica, Phil and me. Señora Enofra (front, right) served us breakfast and maintains the guesthouse, a lovely facility with comfy beds.

This greenhouse provides delicious organic vegetables to visitors and park staff.

Surrounding the greenhouse are more vegetables, herbs and flowers. I stop by each day after dinner to choose the herbs I will have in my tea.

Seedlings are cultivated for a large reforestation project. There are areas nearby where trees were inundated and drowned by the 1960 earthquake. That quake is the largest ever recorded and struck near Valdivia, further north. It registered 9.5 on the Richter scale.

These trees will grow to hundreds of feet tall.

Henry is our guide for a 4-hour hike in the mountains above Inío.

This lizard takes on the colors of the ferns.

Sturdy stairs and bridges mark the forest trail.

This cluster of caterpillars on a tree trunk are interesting to watch but not safe to touch.

The forest around Inío has many species of trees and shrubs.

Alas, it's time to leave this enchanting place.

Caleta Inío

2012-01-22T12:59:00.000-08:00

The fishing village Inío (pop. 140) sits in a protected coveat the very southern tip of Chiloé Island. People began living here around1980, drawn by the abundant stocks of shellfish and pelillo, a seaweed usefulfor industrial purposes. It is a common ingredient in shampoo and ice cream.

Pelillo drying on the beach

Lunch. Sea urchins, clams, cholgas (large mussels) and locos (similar to abalone). These were taken from the sea within the hour

There is no road to the village, and the only access is bysea from the town of Quellón. The regular fishing boats take about six hourseach way. There is now a faster boat that makes the trip in under three hours,but can carry a few passengers and some supplies. My face was not so happy when we got out to the open sea, with large swells coming in from the Pacific Ocean.

La Puntilla. This sand spit protects the village across the bay, but isin a direct line for tidal waves. The 2011 tsunami from Japan damaged much ofthe area. In February 2012 there is a plan to move all the houses across thebay. This will be done in traditional chilote style. The houses will beprepared for transport, and then yokes of oxen will drag them to the waterwhere they will be floated on logs across the bay. There, oxen (or possiblyheavy machinery now in use to make a landing strip) will pull the houses to dryland for placement on newly cleared lots. The traditional event found throughoutChiloé is called a minga, and will be anoccasion for abundant feasts and partying. (There are some mingas available toview on YouTube.)

The entire west coast of Chiloé has sand beaches.The east coast, however, has no beaches, and the forest often comes right tothe water’s edge.

Several caves have been formed along the coast, and manywere used by the indigenous Chono people as a refuge from the weather, wherethey could stay relatively dry and make fire. Here our guide Fernando poses atthe entrance to the largest cave in the area. Red lichen grows on the face of the rock, beginning theprocess of creating new earth.

Inío, looking southwest toward the Pacific Ocean. Small islands lay offshore.

Quellón

2012-01-17T12:35:00.000-08:00

The town of Quellón is in the distance, population about 14,000. I came to this swimming area for lunch today, at Punta Lapa, a point of land connected to the town. Great salmon!

My hotel overlooks the waterfront. Punta Lapa is in the background.

The low tide gives these boat owners a chance to make repairs. Some people are building boats nearby. The fishing industry is huge here, and unemployment is almost unknown. Salmon farms and shellfish extraction provide abundant work.

Sacks of clams are a daily catch to be loaded on to refrigerated trucks for shipment north.

These workers are loading seaweed to be exported for industrial use.

Chaitén

2012-01-17T12:00:00.000-08:00

This shows about one third of the recovering town of Chaitén, destroyed by a nearby volcano. Iarrived at the lookout about 15 minutes too late, as clouds are forming aroundthe distant Corcovado Volcano. What looks like low tide to the right of thispicture is ash deposit from the 2008 eruption of the Chaitén Volcano. You cansee a little of the edge of the sea, about a quarter mile off the oldwaterfront. Ash spewed 20 kilometers up in the air and arrived at the AtlanticOcean, several hundred miles to the east.

View of the volcano, about four miles east of town,still spewing steam on some days.

The town still has a long way to full recovery.Many condemned houses are still standing. The volcano is in the background.

¡¡Llegó el Gas!! Gas has arrived. This store sells thepropane that people need for heating water and for cooking.

Arrival of the Don Baldo from Puerto Montt. Before the eruption, the sea arrived to about wherethe picture is taken. The ash permanently covers the waterfront.

Preparing to offload large trucks, heavy equipment,cars and passengers. Here is a goodview of Corcovado Volcano.

Monday morning at the landing, waiting for the Don Baldo. Colors are vivid at 9:00 am. I waited with others for four hours before it unloaded and uploaded.

We are underway, finally. The town of Chaitén is in the background, and further on, Corcovado Volcano. What looks like beach is accumulated ash from the 2008 eruption.

Chaitén is in a gorgeous setting, nestled under the mountains. After four hours sailing we arrived in Quellón, at the southern terminus of the Panamerican Highway, on the island of Chiloé.

Approaching Quellón on the Chaiguao Channel.

Yelcho Lake, River and Glacier

2012-01-16T17:43:00.000-08:00

Yelcho River

One of the most scenic places in southern Chile is the areaaround Lago Yelcho in central Patagonia. The gravel road was built after 1976and is just now being widened and paved, a job that will last a few more years.The area draws fly fishermen and other tourists during the season from Novemberto May. The single track gravel road has the grand name of Carretera Austral. Carretera means highway.

This substantial bridge over the Yelcho River was ajoint project of the Chilean and German governments.

Yelcho Lake. I joined a group of eight peoplefor a 3-hour hike up to the Yelcho Glacier. We were quite an internationalgroup of French, British, Chileans and me. It was a beautiful and warm day. But it was a forest walk along the river and the sun was not in the right place for good photos.

Comau fjord

2012-01-13T07:02:00.000-08:00

A new route has opened just this season in northern Patagonia and I couldn't resist trying it. I bought a bus ticket and left Puerto Montt for the 10-hour trip by gravel road and by water south to Chaitén. It would be much easier to take the 8-hour boat directly, but this route appealed to me. The bus departed Puerto Montt at 10am. After the first 90 minutes by road along the Gulf of Reloncaví, we arrive at La Arena where our bus joins transport trucks, cars and motorcycles for the 30-minute crossing of the entrance to Reloncaví fjord.

Our boat arrives at the ramp.

Passing Reloncaví fjord, Yates volcano in background. I was on the other (eastern) side of this volcano one week ago in Cochamó.

We arrive at the town of Hornopirén at the northern tip of Comau fjord. There is no land road connecting with central Patagonia, but there are three choices of sea travel south. I chose the new route that passes through this fjord. We leave at 2pm.

Fishing village of Cholgo. Notice the water color indicating a glacial source.

Our boat traveling south on Comau fjord. I was one of23 passengers on the bus for the 10-hour trip from Puerto Montt to Chaitén.About half of the passengers were young men working on a construction project, building a newfishing lodge on Yelcho Lake in central Patagonia. The boat holds about 15 vehicles. It's a great day for a suntan(burn).

Entrance to Quintupeo fjord. In 1915 a German warship was evading the English navy and entered this small fjord to make some repairs. It is about 3 miles long and only one half mile wide. The narrow entrance to the fjord allows for a sneaky hideout. When the English were about to discover them, the Germans left a decoy of a large raft with lights and fled the area in their ship. Click here for photos from my 2011 visit to the fjord.

At 4pm we pass by Cahuelmo fjord. We continue traveling south along the Comau. The weather is warm and clear, which does occur in this rainy part of the world.

Passing the northbound boat. We soon arrive at the ramp at Leptepu for the 6-mile land crossing to the next fjord.

Our third and final boat for the day.

Just before docking at Caleta Gonzalo we get a greatview of Michimahuida volcano. We are entering the huge southern portion of Pumalín Park that was established by the north American Doug Tomkins. His plan was to purchase huge tracts of land as a nature reserve and then donate it back to the Chilean government. Many Chileans believe he has ulterior motives. Much of the distrust is because his land reaches from the Argentine border to the Pacific Ocean. From here our bus travels thefinal 58 kilometers to leave us in the town of Chaitén. Click here for more photos of this town destroyed by a volcano in 2008.

Chaitén

Angelmó

2012-01-11T17:40:00.000-08:00

Angelmó is a small community at the west end of Puerto Montt where there is a lot of activity relating to boats and ships and where fish and shellfish are delivered from surrounding areas. It has always been a colorful place that draws many tourists. I often enjoy taking a walk around the market and waterfront. Here are people coming and going across the narrow channel to Tenglo Island. Calbuco volcano is in the background, less than 20 miles to the east. In 1893 there were several prolonged eruptions that caused the volcano to collapse, changing the course of rivers. The most recent eruption was in 1996.

The Navimag ship arrived from the south today. It travels through the spectacular Patagonia channels to Puerto Natales, near the Straits of Magellan, carrying trucks, cars, and people.

Several Monicas are lashed together, having completed their day of tourist excursions to nearby islands. To the left is the two-tiered "cocinerías," tiny dining rooms that serve fresh fish and shellfish. The market is nearby. Navimag is in the background

At about 6pm there was a flurry of activity as people await the daily delivery of products from the area. These boats have sacks of mussels and clams. The people on shore are haggling for their share to sell in the market. There is a lot of joking, laughter, and arguments. Most have cash in hand, vying for the next sack of clams off the boat.

The delivery draws quite a crowd of onlookers. The products are delivered to the market below and one can order them at the tables in the dining rooms above, each one with a different owner. I couldn't resist, so took a seat at the window on the far right for a big plate of clams with onion, parsley and lemon juice. A glass of house wine helps with digestion.

There is only one way to offload the sacks, on people's backs.

Cochamó, Chile

2012-01-10T04:58:00.000-08:00

Northern Patagonia

Summer, early January 2012
(Click on photos to enlarge)

The town of Cochamó is on the Reloncaví fjord, less thanthree hours by bus from Puerto Montt. Before the gravel road was built in the late 1970s, the only access was by an 8-hour trip by boat. For the past 120 years local people brought their cattle to town to await boats that took them to market in Puerto Montt. Some would drive their animals down the mountains from nearby Argentina.

The road has made itpossible to create salmon farms and a shellfish industry, providing many jobsand a population explosion. There are about 5,000 people here now. The ancientwooden church is built in the Chilote style and commands a great view of thefjord and the impressive Yates volcano. I had been in the area a few times in the past several years, but never stayed in the town. Simpleaccommodations and meals are available for the traveler. This is also where oneorganizes horse pack trips to the mountains. There are a few outfitters and guides available.

The rural bus from Puerto Montt was full of locals and tourists alike, and let me off at the bed and breakfast run by Señora Gladys, anenterprising woman who offers rooms and meals. Within five minutes of myarrival she asked if I was interested in a horse trip. When I replied yes, shecalled “Ivan” and her brother appeared and we began planning a trip in the next twodays.

The views from the town are spectacular in every direction. My first two days here were warm and clear, with temps in the mid to upper 70s. This is a view from one family's front yard. On the upper rightis a clothesline. The other dots represent the local shellfish farm, primarilymussels, in the fjord. Crab and sea urchins are available in season also, but not in summertime.

Reloncaví fjord at Cochamó. Yates volcano in the background was named for the Englishman John Yates who was a local ship pilot in the early 19th century.

The mountains and fjord surround the town.

Cochamó Valley is a few kilometers up in the mountains, and is fast becoming a tourist attraction for hikers and rock climbers. I was last here in 2002 when tourism was only beginning in the valley. It's not easy to get there. A treacherous horse trail goes through the dark forest. One can hire a horse and guide, or make the slog by foot. By horse it is about four hours, following a track that has worn down over the decades. The heavy rainfall causes the trail to erode, and horses and people must clamber over rocks and mud. Those conditions precluded my taking any photos along the trail. I was too busy keeping my balance and helping the horse choose the best part of the trail to follow. Ivan was my guide. In the last 10 years a new refugio hut has been built with a large bunk room. An American/Argentine family provides delicious vegetarian meals and a delightful place to pass the time between hikes. It's called Refugio Cochamó. The hazy and cloudy conditions meant I couldn't get good photos here either, so here are some from my last visit, when I stayed at the nearby refugio of Campo Aventura, a local outfitter.

The valley is touted as the Chilean Yosemite. One feels surrounded by multiple El Capitán mountains. In 2002 there were about six people in the valley. In 2012 there were dozens, mostly campers who come to have new climbing experiences. I think I was the only person over age 40.

After two nights in the refugio, Ivan returned with the horses to guide me back to town. That is when the rain began to drizzle, and it didn't let up for the next four hours. I arrived at the BandB in time for a hot shellfish stew. The next day the rains became torrential, and there were people who were on the trail on horse or on foot, some with heavy backpacks. Such is the life in much of Chilean Patagonia.

The church at Cochamó.

Puerto Montt - favorite places

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Hostal Vista Hermosa, a friendly and clean B&B with very reasonable rates. It is close to the bus station and next door to the police station, so it is quite safe here. Owner Señora Patricia is a very warm and welcoming host.

The view from Hostal Vista Hermosa lives up to its name: "Beautiful View."

Most tourists visit the fish market and restaurants at Angelmó

I didn't even get to the small restaurants that abound. I just chose a tray of freshly-steamed centolla (king crab) and a tray of raw machas (razor clams), bought a lemon, a roll and a glass of wine. Perfect.

I recommend having a coffee after a fish lunch at Angelmó. Nearby is the tiny coffee shop/gallery Café Angelmó. Javier Mansilla is often working on a new painting while his wife Cecilia serves coffee and homemade kuchen, among other delights. Javier's paintings fill the walls of the café. I treasure one of his paintings in my home in California.

Another favorite lodging is Hostal Trén del Sur, owned and operated by Mario Orellana. The building is constructed from recycled wood and contains antiques with train themes and historic photos of Puerto Montt.

Joanna is a capable and helpful person at the front desk.

The Hostal recently opened a new restaurant that features a unique menu of "slow food." Chef Paula has created dishes that will put this restaurant on the map as the most innovative in Patagonia. Prices are very reasonable. Here is Carlos preparing the tables while I work on this blog.

But my favorite place of all is on a friendly horse far from town. Calbuco Volcano is in the background. Juan was my guide for a 20-kilometer ride near Puerto Montt.

Pumalin Park

2011-02-09T12:35:00.000-08:00

Pumalín Park is a unique project of Douglas Tomkins from the United States. In an agreement with the Chilean government, he has purchased a large part of northern Patagonia with the purpose of creating a protected nature reserve. His intention is to eventually return it to the Chileans as a national park. At the time of purchase, several international companies were bidding for the land in order to extract valuable virgin forest resources. It is now a private reserve open to the public. In the northern sector there are a few cabins and a restaurant available to tourists. Throughout the park there are campgrounds that provide running water and covered spaces for tents. Rainfall in Pumalín reaches 12-18 feet in some years. The lush forest contains a huge variety of small and large species of plant growth. I joined a group of tourists for a visit to the park on a rainy day. It lies just a few miles north of Chaitén where I was staying for a few days.

Pumalín Park contains many hiking trails that have been carefully maintained. In a land where rain is almost a daily event, these wooden walkways through swampy land are sturdy and (usually) above water.

There are enough species per square meter to keep a biologist happy for a month.

Young Canelo, sacred tree of the Mapuche people.

Happy hiker

Ancient Alerce tree (fitzroya cupressoides) that resembles the California Redwood, especially the similar bark and their ability to live 3-4,000 years.

At the foot of Chaitén Volcano. Steam is escaping from vents and the caldera. Note the return of life in the trees and the abundant ferns on the ground. The volcano erupted May 2, 2008, after 9,000 years of dormancy.

One of hundreds of waterfalls in the park.

Tiny ferns grow at the base of this cliff, then larger species are found at higher levels. At the top of the cliff are small and large trees.

Click here to view a slide show with more photos and music

Chaitén lives!

2011-02-07T17:40:00.000-08:00

Chaitén is a town in northern Patagonia that was created in the 1940s as a port to ship lumber and livestock north to Puerto Montt, 213 miles north. The rough geography of the area has always prevented a land route to be built. In 2008 it had a population of about 5,000. On May 2 of that year the nearby Chaitén Volcano erupted. It was a small mountain, and geologists figure its last eruption was about 9,000 years ago. On that day in May, it spewed a cloud of ash that over the next weeks and months grew as high as 30 kilometers, almost 20 miles. The cloud followed the natural winds east of the Andes and reached the Atlantic Ocean, and possibly as far as South Africa. Few Chilean towns were affected. Here is a photo found on the Internet shortly after:

The town was evacuated immediately as people left their houses and all their belongings, expecting to return soon. Ships took them north to Puerto Montt and east to the island of Chiloé. The ash fell in the immediate area and filled the nearby river. As torrential rains followed the eruption, the Blanco River filled with ash and could not contain its banks. It overflowed and changed its course, raging through the southern sector of Chaitén, carrying houses and vehicles to the sea. Here is another photo from the Internet which shows the destruction caused by the river:

At first the Chilean government decided to abandon the town and began to build a new one further north. Residents resisted these efforts and were able to convince authorities that it would be safe to return. I visited Chaitén recently, 31 months after the eruption. About 500-600 people have returned and are desperately trying to rebuild their lives. Water is brought in by truck and electricity is provided by individual generators, all which is expensive for people who have been without work for over two years and who have limited funds to rebuild. The following photos show Chaitén in February 2011.

The riverbanks are being reinforced though not all the houses have been removed yet. This was once a street.

And some houses survived the flood. The hotel just reopened two months ago, about 30 months after the eruption. It was relatively undamaged, but the cleanup required a big effort. Some of the back area had to be rebuilt, and Señora Silvia claims that a coat of paint does wonders! Room price is reasonable and each room has a private bathroom. My room had a clear view of the volcano and the steam clouds. Telephone (mobile) 6826 0680.

The volcano today is spewing clouds of steam but seldom ash. Lava flow was never a problem, as the lava has been determined to be the densest found in a volcano. In fact it moved upwards and caused the mountain to grow a little in altitude.

The town square is a green park that invites roaming horses to graze. Since ash had covered the entire town in the flood, any areas free of ash have been cleared, by machine and by hand.

Along the waterfront, looking west toward Corcovado Volcano. I had seen this mountain a couple of weeks ago from the opposite side when I left Chiloé island.

On my last day in Chaitén, I joined Nicolas who runs Chaitur, the local tourist agency, for a drive south to Villa Santa Lucía. It was one of those rare days in Patagonia when the sky is clear and the temperature unusually warm. I had traveled this 46-mile segment of the Carretera Austral more than once, but never on a clear day. This was my first glimpse of the mountains.

Michimahuida Volcano

Yelcho Glaciar, River and Lake

Click here to view a video slide show with more photos

La Junta

2011-02-02T13:45:00.002-08:00

The Carretera Austral is a 770-mile longitudinal road that was created beginning in 1976 by the Chilean military. The area from the Argentine border to the sea is seldom more than 100 miles and has been populated by a few hardy settlers who relied on reaching the outside world by horse or by boat until the Carretera was built. At times an environmental disaster that blasted through mountains and forests, it has since provided the means for more people to settle and create new towns. These people depend on raising livestock in the interior and on fishing and extraction of shellfish and seaweed along the uneven and extensive coastline. But the greatest economic boon has been tourism. Despite the fact that most of the road is a one-track gravel road, many people brave the challenges of travel by vehicle and bicycle. I previously posted photos in 2002 (Click here) and 2007 (Click here).

This year, after spending three weeks on the island of Chiloé, I traveled south by ship to the coastal village of Raúl Marín Balmaceda (previous post). After several lovely peaceful days I came inland to the Carretera Austral, stopping in the town of La Junta.

The 47 miles of gravel road follows the Palena River and takes about two hours by van with a bad rear axle.

The sky varied from torrential rains to glorious sunshine as we passed by impressive waterfalls large and small.

Having eaten only fish and shellfish for five days, it was obvious that there would now be red meat on the table as we passed by fields of livestock and humble farmhouses.

La Junta (pop. 3,600) means “The Meeting” or “Joining” and is where the Rosselot River joins the Palena in northern Patagonia. The town is a supply center for the surrounding countryside and has the only gas station for many miles north and south. There is phone and Internet service though the nearest ATM machine is about 200 miles away.

I found an upscale lodge (Hotel Espacio y Tiempo) with a well stocked bar and restaurant, one of very few places in Patagonia that accepts credit cards.

Unfortunately, I am reminded that a solo traveler without a vehicle is at the mercy of the occasional van that carries passengers. I had wanted to explore the northern part of the highway, but there is only one opportunity to reach Chaitén where I have a reservation on the Don Baldo north to Puerto Montt. The highway ends there and ship is the only way to continue. The public van leaves Friday morning at 6am.

Without a car there is little to do in La Junta. I’m always happy just walking the road north or south, or along the roads east and west to Lago Verde and Raúl Marín. Fortunately there is a great trail maintained by the national forestry service.

And when the rain becomes heavy, there is the refuge of my lodging where there is always a fire in the wood stove and a good Internet signal.

Raúl Marín Balmaceda

2011-01-31T07:01:00.000-08:00

The above photo was taken in 2007 as the ship I was on stopped at this small fishing village. I was so impressed by the beautiful setting, with snow-capped Melimoyu Volcano in the background and a white sand beach that I vowed to return. With the completion of a road to the main highway just last year, I saw my chance to visit for some days and then continue my journey inland.

Naviera Austral recently added the Don Baldo, a new ship that stops by Raúl Marín, so I boarded in Quellón, on the southern tip of Chiloé Island.

We could easily see the Cordillera and many volcanos from Quellón. On the left is Corcovado (7,020 feet) and on the far right is Melimoyu (7,900 feet), near my destination, nine hours away by ship.

It was a rare day of warm sun, and during the first couple of hours we had gorgeous views of the Cordillera, the spine of Andes Mountains that defines the border between Chile and Argentina, a scant 100 miles or less from the coast.

As darkness fell and the ship sailed south toward the first landing in Melinka, we were exposed to the open ocean that became extremely uncomfortable for this landlubber. We then headed east toward the Patagonia mainland in calmer seas, arriving around 3am. I had made arrangements to stay at a local B&B and was met at the wharf for the short ride to the house and quickly to bed.

Señora Teresa and Don Orlando were my hosts for the next six days at Hospedaje Melimoyu (phone: 6222 4944). Their beautiful addition of upstairs rooms was completed just last year, using local woods and showing much attention to detail. Fresh local fish and shellfish was served, along with homemade bread and jams, and lettuce from the greenhouse.

My first impulse was to find that beautiful white sand beach that caught my attention four years ago. After a late morning coffee, I found it, only a few yards away through some trees. This provided a satisfying walk for the next two hours, as I stopped often to taste the wild strawberries that share the dunes with pampas grass, nalca, dandelions, and Scotch Broom.

By chance I discovered a well-maintained trail in the forest that fortunately led back toward the village. This area of northern Patagonia receives more than six feet of rain annually, so the forest is dense and rich, with thousands of feathery ferns growing out of the bark of trees.

Tiny frogs less than two inches in length leap out of my way, and the call of the chucao bird is heard throughout the damp and drippy trail.

Raúl Marín Balmaceda is located on a delta island at the mouth of the Palena River. The village counts about 40 families representing 311 people living in houses scattered about the dunes and forest. The main activity is fishing and shellfish extraction. The foreign companies found in other areas of southern Chile seem to be missing here. Tourism is just beginning now that vehicles can arrive.

Summer weather varies throughout the day from clear skies and warm sun to driving rain and wind. Walking through the forest to the mouth of the river became my favorite activity. But not once in these five days did I see the Melimoyu Volcano that appeared in my 2007 visit of one hour by ship.

Click here to view the surf at the punta

Click here to view a video slide show with more photos

Isla Quehui, return visit

2011-01-24T05:31:00.001-08:00

A two-hour boat ride from Castro brings me again to Quehui Island, one of many in the Chiloé archipelago. About 1,000 people live here, descendents of indigenous Chono and Huilliche people who have been here for centuries, Spanish settlers, and sundry English and Dutch pirates. Patricio is my host at his B&B, Turismo Quehui.

Los Angeles church, Quehui. This architecture is typical of dozens of churches throughout the archipelago. Jesuit and Franciscan missionaries began their proselytizing in Chiloé in the early 17th century.

Low tide in Estero Pindo. In summer, December-March, there is electricity only from 9pm to midnight from the town generator. Transportation to the island is only by boat, though there is a small airstrip nearby. Everything, from people to toilet paper and cars, arrive by boat, large and small. The public boat service is once a day, every day but Sunday.

A favorite activity is strolling a few kilometers in any direction

View of the town from across the estero.

Farmhouse on the estero.

Don Pedro at the palo. Sunday is a day for family to gather in the quincho (outdoor barbeque area) and roast fresh lamb on the spit, called asado al palo, and enjoyed throughout Chile. Patricio’s parents and brother live nearby and we enjoy the roast meat, potatoes dug from the garden just hours ago, fresh lettuce and tomatoes. Red wine is the favored beverage, though the attendants at the spit consumed plenty of beer as the meat roasted.

Patricio peeling potatoes in the quincho.

Roger, maestro del asado.

“Salud” in the quincho.

My friend Max(imilian).

Casona (photo Lorena Cretier)

Click here to view the video slide show from my visit last year during the annual island celebration.

Tenaún, Chiloé

2011-01-19T07:06:00.000-08:00

This picturesque village of about 600 people is tucked snugly between the sea and the three steep hills that give it its name in the indigenous tongue. The primary resource here, as in most of Chiloé, is the produce of the sea, and the constant movement of large and small boats that carry goods among this archipelago of scattered islands near the big island. The town is famous for its brightly painted church, built in 1837, and now a UNESCO heritage site. Its three towers reflect the three hills behind the town, and the
blue color reflects that of the sea just a few feet away. It is currently being restored, though the front is complete. The block-long rectangular plaza is under construction at the main entrance to town, just in front of the church.

My cozy B&B is Hospedaje Mirella, and Señora Mirella is very welcoming and a wonderful cook. It looks like I will stay here for several days. Soon after arriving, she and her husband drive me a little out of town and drop me off at a scenic road that ambles through the countryside with wonderful views for photos.

The road leading into Tenaún

Farmhouses near Tenaún

Oxcart with seaweed as fertilizer

View of Isla Mechuque in the distance

This hawk is having a snack of songbird on a tombstone in the cemetery, and totally ignores my presence.

I make friends easily

Black-neck swans with babies

Viennese friends

Click here to view a video slide show with music

Chepu, Chiloé #2

2011-01-13T05:51:00.000-08:00

The next day I joined the two Austrian guests for a 6-hour hike along the coast just south of the river. Don Fernando delivered us by boat to the trailhead. (Click on images to enlarge)

Chepu River

These trees drowned after the land sank as a result of the 1960 earthquake in southern Chile that measured 9 on the Richter scale, the largest earthquake ever recorded.

After one hour of walking I turned around and saw this magnificent view. The day was clear and warm. We have had remarkably wonderful weather these days.

The trail

Our destination was this beach, Playa Huevil. At low tide one can cross to the island in the background. Penguins burrow on the side facing the ocean. The tábanos (horse flies) were so aggressive that I didn’t linger as my companions did. I soon found a spot on high ground where there were few insects to interrupt my lunch. I never did see the penguins. We returned to our point of departure on the Chepu River where don Fernando met us with the outborard boat for the return home.

Click hereto view the video slide show with music

Chepu, Chiloé

2011-01-12T16:14:00.000-08:00

Los Senderos de Chepu, my B&B in rural Chiloé.

After several days in Santiago (population 5 million), Puerto Montt (pop. 175,000) and Ancud (pop. 50,000), it’s about time to chill out in the country in southern Chile. I found a lovely B&B called Los Senderos de Chepu, 24 miles southwest of Ancud, in the northwest corner of the big island of Chiloé. Los Senderos is run by Señora Enriqueta (Tita) and Don Fernando in Chepu, not a village, but an area where about 50 families live on small farms spread over a large area. The Chepu River snakes its way through the area surrounded by small mountains, and makes its way to the Pacific Ocean about 4 kilometers from the B&B. This is my favorite style of travel in southern Chile.

The ubiquitous potato patch, with the Pacific Ocean in the background.

After breakfast, don Fernando saddles the horses for a 4-hour ride to the ocean beach at the mouth of the Chepu River. The land and seascapes are similar to those in northern California, but on closer inspection there is a unique Chilean look.

Elephant rock on Aulen beach.

My buckskin horse is called Mariachi.

Mouth of Chepu River. It's time to turn back to the farm and have lunch.

More later.

Catalunya

2010-11-13T08:51:00.000-08:00

Here is a fun film of Catalan people taking to the streets. Somehow the full width of the clip does not appear on this page, so CLICK HERE to view the full clip.

Lip dub for the independence of Catalonia and the rest of the Catalan Countries, recorded October the 24th 2010 in the city of Vic. Achieving a total amount of 5.771 participants, the World Records Academy awarded the World Record for being the lip dub with highest participation ever. The initiative was born by a group of Catalans, whose aim is to let the whole world know that Catalonia is a nation, and without its independence it cannot be assured its survival and future. The chosen song was composed by the group "Obrint Pas" and its title is "La Flama".

Jungle images

2010-09-17T09:15:00.001-07:00

Getting good photos in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve was a challenge. By definition a jungle is dense and the light is not always favorable for a basic point-and-shoot camera. Here is our portal into the jungle from our boat. This is where our 6-kilometer transect begins.

This shows the density of vegetation in the jungle. We were cautioned to not touch logs and trees, as they can harbor biting insects and sharp spines. It was suggested that while walking we focus on the trail where it is easy to trip on a vine or step on a snake. The rule was to not walk when looking up in the canopy.

This is what I call the "upside down umbrella tree." The roots fan out from the trunk. At the base of each root another cluster of upside down umbrellas begins.

A "flying buttress tree" spreads wing-like roots at its base.

These busy leaf-cutter ants were very obvious to the eye, but are difficult to see in a photo. Look for the small, green, irregular shaped pieces of leaf. They are traveling from left to right near the center of the photo. Don't feel bad. We didn't see most of the monkeys our guides spotted along the way. (Click any photo to enlarge.)

Piraña was a common fish in the Samiria River. It is handled with great caution (and leather gloves).

Returning down the Marañon River one day we passed by and disturbed a couple thousand cormorants. (Click HERE to see movie)

Nauta, Peru

2010-09-16T18:15:00.000-07:00

Nauta, a town of about 10,000 people on the Marañon River, is about 65 miles north of Iquitos. It is just upriver from the confluence of the Marañon and Ucayali Rivers, where the Amazon River begins its snaking 2,000-mile flow to the Atlantic.

River transport is the traditional way to move people and goods. In 2005 a paved road was completed after 20 arduous years of construction. It is the only paved road in the Loreto region, an area covering almost one-third of Peru’s territory. Our group had the morning free to tour Nauta before continuing on to Iquitos by bus. The river level is too low at Iquitos for the Ayapua.

Rose and I were invited by Rocío to visit her home and family who live not far from where we are docked. Over the past 12 days Rocío single-handedly served three full meals daily to 19 Earthwatch volunteers and seven scientists in the dining room.

Nauta waterfront

Vegetables in market

Yuca (manioc), bananas, pineapple, camu camu

Rose and Rocío

This photo says it all for me, representing my experience over the past two weeks:

• Thank you to the people of Loreto,
• Thank you to the Ayapua and her crew for putting up with 19 picky volunteers,
• Hasta la vista to the awesome Marañon River,
• And to the people who live in and around the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve (background in photo): Thank you for your hospitality and congratulations on your conservation efforts.

Community-based wildlife conservation on the Samiria River

2010-09-14T19:38:00.000-07:00

Having just spent two weeks as an Earthwatch volunteer in the Peruvian Amazon, I have the sensation that I just completed an accelerated course in the natural history of the Amazon basin while contributing to the conservation efforts. We were 19 volunteers of diverse nationality, age and experience. For nine days we counted various wildlife species, noting their location and quantity. At the end of each day we entered this information into a database that contains reports of hundreds of counts like ours. Over time, this information shows major trends in wildlife population changes.

Arthur looks on while Euclides removes the fish net on the Samiria River. Euclides lives in nearby Bolívar and is an expert guide for fishing census. The information we gather reflects the changing practices of local communities. Local people know that a proper balance with nature is the only chance of survival for all.

Views of Bolívar village from the Samiria River. We had often passed by this village on the way to the day’s activities. It was a pleasure to be invited to visit there on our final day. We were able to report to the village that, thanks to their conservation efforts, some species - such as caiman - were increasing in numbers.

Village houses are successfully protected from rain with this weaving of palm branches. Our expert guides Alfredo and Euclides invited us into their homes and to meet their families. After 11 or 12 years they will have to build a new house for the family.

Family garden plots have a mixture of yuca, corn, beans, and bananas. Some fields are dedicated to yuca only.

Children in the garden, dressed-up. Many children entertained us in the school room with imitations of animal sounds in the forest. After we presented gifts of school materials, the children invited us all to dance to the tunes of the band, consisting of two drums and a quena style flute. The high point of my visit was dancing with Alfredo’s 7-year old daughter in the small school room.

Nurse Angélica and Roger with village children.

Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve

2010-09-12T12:36:00.000-07:00

On Monday, August 30, after navigating upriver on the Marañon River in eastern Peru, the 33-meter long Ayapua, with 19 Earthwatch volunteers, several Peruvian biologists, crew and assorted personnel, arrives at the mouth of the Samiria River. The Marañon is one of the major tributaries of the Amazon River. We are just above its confluence with the Ucayali River, where the Amazon proper begins, though it is sometime called the Salimões.

The water level in this Peruvian area of the upper Amazon basin is at a 40-year low, so we cannot enter the Samiria where we had hoped. We will still be able to conduct field research with small auxiliary boats. We traveled upriver for two days with a flotilla of seven small boats tied to the Ayapua. We will stay on the river for twelve days. Accommodations are very comfortable and the crew is friendly and very helpful. The food is wonderful. We eat lots of river fish and chicken with rice and fried bananas with delicious sauces. It's different every day.

A crewmember is securing our bow to a tree on the Marañon. From October to December the river level will rise and flood the lowland forest, known as várzea. These trees have high water marks at about 2-3 meters.

The shore of the Marañon shows signs of low water near our boat. We must navigate around submerged trees and snags every day to get to our study areas. The expert boatmen can do this even in the dark of night when we search for caiman.

Morning banana delivery at the Ayapua

Resident tarantula on the Ayapua

Our job is to help the resident biologists collect and record data about wildlife populations in the Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. Other volunteer groups have been doing the same throughout the year and more will follow us. Biologist Tula Fang accompanies us while volunteer Sandra records the 58 pink and grey river dolphins we counted this day.

Sandy poses at the base of a “flying buttress” tree. These bizarre roots can occupy a space of 30 feet wide, although the trunk might be only three feet in diameter. This was on the shorter, 4-kilometer transect.

Few flowers are in bloom in the forest right now, so this was a welcome sight. Of course, the best photo opportunities were lost as they were so fleeting: colorful yellow, orange, blue, or black butterflies that flutter closely by but are gone after 3 or 4 seconds; a flock of 20 brightly colored macaws that flush from a tree top; the graceful and playful movement of dolphins that surface momentarily and grunt only a few feet from the boat; a tamarin monkey gliding through the jungle canopy, almost indistinguishable from the leaves and tree limbs. These are continual sightings throughout the day, and bring great pleasure, if not good photos.

Our guide Alfredo poses with three happy campers, Kim, Tessa and Tom.

Alfredo and I emerge from the forest after a 6-kilometer trek where he spotted families of different species of monkeys. I later entered the data into the database that reflected 101 animals counted that day on our trek in the jungle. As he watched the treetops, Rose and I watched where we placed our feet so we would not trip on a vine and fall or step on a snake. There were two 3-foot long snakes on the trail.

Iquitos, Peru

2010-08-28T10:16:00.000-07:00

Located on the upper Amazon River, Iquitos was founded by Jesuits in the 1750s to serve the local indigenous people. By the 1870s there were about 1,500 people. Then rubber trees were discovered and the process to create products quickly developed. Within a decade the population increased 16-fold, creating a rubber boom fever that brought entrepeneurs from Europe and the U.S.

By World War 1 the rubber industry collapsed due to the discovery that seeds could be planted systematically on the Malay Peninsula. In Amazonas the trees were scattered throughout the forest. A plantation was much more profitable. Oil was discovered in the 1960s, creating another economic boom. Tourism is also an important industry here.

Many of the buildings in Iquitos date from the rubber era, such as the Casa Morey where I am staying for a couple of nights. By bedroom is huge, about 300-400 square feet, with ceilings about 20 feet high, to better ventilate in hot weather. It has been recently renovated and has excellent air conditioning. My balcony window looks over the waterfront area. The river is so low in this season that people are planting corn in the river bottom.

This building is similar to my hotel. Pablo is one of the Earthwatch scientists who took some of us on a walking tour of the Belén market this morning.

Catfish and cilantro at the Belén market

The mototaxi is the most common way to get around town. They say there are 30,000 in Iquitos.

Here is a view of the almost dry Amazon River a couple of blocks from my hotel.

This will be our home for the next two weeks in the jungle. The Ayapua was built in 1906 in Hamburg, Germany. It has been renovated and is air conditioned. The purpose of the trip is to join a group of 20 volunteers from different countries to assist scientists in collecting data for their research in the 5 million-acre Pacaya-Samiria National Reserve. About 95,000 indigenous people live in villages surrounding the reserve. The area teems with wildlife which we will be surveying.
This will be my last post until my return to Iquitos on September 11. We will have minimal contact with the world until then. Ah, sweet nature!

Temples of the Sun and the Moon

2010-08-24T18:55:00.001-07:00

(Click on images to enlarge)
The Temple of the Sun (Huaca del Sol) on the south bank of the Moche River near Trujillo, Peru, is a Moche structure about 1,500 years old. It is the largest single pre-Columbian structure in Peru. Although about a third of the original structure has washed away, it is estimated that it once contained about 140 million adobe bricks. It has not yet been excavated.

The nearby Temple of the Moon (Huaca de la Luna) is smaller, and was built in successive stages over 600 years. Each century represents another layer of construction. Excavation began in 1991 at the top level, and only three levels have been uncovered so far. It appears to have been used as a ceremonial and religious center, which includes human sacrifice.

The top layers have been degraded by looting, rain and wind. But the third layer seems relatively untouched. This shows the remarkable polychrome friezes in their original state. They have not been restored, only cleaned.

No open spaces were found. After completing the friezes, they were walled in with adobe, which accounts for the preservation of shapes and colors. This is a land of dry desert. But occasional weather, including El Niño years, have taken a toll on the surface layers.

Below is the view from the highest point on the huaca, looking toward the Huaca del Sol and the Moche Valley. On the desert below are excavations of living quarters of the Moche people. These are very recent, some only begun this year.

Beware the scam!!!

2010-08-23T14:59:00.000-07:00

Dear friends,
If you are in my address book, you might have received an invitation to sign up to view something as if it were an invitation from me. Several have received this phony baloney. And I thought we Mac users were immune to such ugliness. Do not fall for this, but delete that email right away. Only a few friends have received this, and I have no idea how it started.

Roger

Pomac Forest

2010-08-21T17:33:00.000-07:00

A favorite way to experience a new place is to find a horse and a guide. Fortunately I found Rancho Santana and Manuel near Pacora, 28 miles northeast of Chiclayo. This was my first opportunity to ride a Peruvian Paso horse. It was a new experience. The gait is very smooth and comfortable, even at a moderate run. Manuel agreed to take me on a half-day ride to visit the nearby Santuario Histórico Bosque de Pomac (Pomac Forest Historic Sanctuary).

We rode along a dusty road that passes by corn fields, sugar cane, and adobe huts. Mango trees and papaya were seen near the homes.

The forest is a protected area of 15,000 acres, covered in dry algarrobo (carob) trees and containing huacas (adobe structures) dating from the middle Sicán period (900-1100 ad). Some have been covered with later Chimú burials.

This next huaca is 50 meters (164 feet) high. It must have been much larger originally. As with all huacas, it is built entirely of adobe bricks.

The huacas have been studied but not excavated. Manuel and I speculated on how much gold might be under this pile of dried mud. As with most huacas, rain and wind have carried away much of the original material. Up close the shapes of adobe bricks become apparent.

On the ride back to the ranch we see a well and equipment for making the adobe bricks. Little has changed in construction materials in the past two thousand years.

Heading back to the ranch, we run into a traffic jam on the trail. Some people are working on the irrigation supply, and we must wait 20 minutes until they finish covering the large flexible pipe carrying water just under the road. Ahead of us is a donkey cart with firewood. No one is in a hurry. My chestnut horse was the only impatient one on the road.

Mercado Modelo, Chiclayo

2010-08-20T15:54:00.000-07:00

In my travels I find the most colorful things to photograph are in vegetable and fruit markets. This market in Chiclayo, Perú, occupies some blocks in the city. Offering fresh produce, meat and fish, there are also piles of clothes, shampoo and toothpaste. Fresh fruit juice smoothies are available for about half a U.S. dollar. I missed the Mercado de Brujos, offering everything necessary for shamans in the practice of their profession.

There is an astonishing variety of produce in the market. Many items I had never seen before.

These avocados are gorgeous, and easily 6 inches long. People tell me they grow even larger.

The lady selling the avos poses for the camera. I wish you could see her giggling friends looking on.

I had never seen purple corn before. Here it is used only for making chicha, a fermented drink that, when fresh, does not contain alcohol and can be very refreshing. It is also made from hops and peanuts.

The Lord of Sipán

2010-08-19T20:46:00.000-07:00

Today I had the opportunity to visit significant archeological sites and a wonderful museum in northern Peru, near Chiclayo, about 500 miles north of Lima. After reading books about this remarkable find I was able to see objects of metalwork, ceramics, shell beadwork and more of the Moche civilization. One of several ancient cultures, the Moche thrived around 100-850 a.d.

Little was known about this people until 1987, when archeologists uncovered ancient burials close to the village of Sipán. The site is called Huaca Rajada. A huaca is a ceremonial mound of mud bricks, and they are found in many parts of coastal Peru. At first glance, the huaca looks like a giant glob of melting ice cream.

But on closer examination, you can occasionally see the adobe bricks that were used in the construction hundreds of years ago.

Sipán is an agricultural region southeast of Chiclayo. Principal crops are sugar cane, rice and beans. Ample water flows from the nearby Andes mountains, creating favorable conditions for people to live in the valleys along the rivers. Several civilizations have thrived here for 5,000 years or more.

Though looters had invaded much of the area, this tomb was discovered intact in 1987. It has been excavated and studied by archeologists, who found that succeeding civilizations had used the same burial huaca for centuries. Each group buried their elite rulers on top of the previous group. Excavation took years to complete, and many objects of gold, silver and copper were cleaned and placed in a museum in Lambayeque, north of Chiclayo. Replicas of the contents of the tomb can be seen here.

This is the museum of the royal tombs, Museo de las Tumbas Reales, in the town of Lambayeque. It was completed in 2002. The displays are placed on levels corresponding to their location in the tomb, so one begins from the top to view the most recent burials. The oldest objects are at the street level. It is possible that more burials are still below the latest excavations in the huaca.

Earthquake 1960

2010-05-21T13:31:00.001-07:00

Fifty years ago, on May 22, 1960, a massive 9.5 earthquake struck off the coast of southern Chile, the largest magnitude ever recorded. The epicenter was close to the city of Temuco, but it was Valdivia that was greatly affected, 520 miles south of the capital Santiago. It was followed by a tsunami that reached Hawaii, Japan, the Phillippines, New Zealand, Australia, and the Aleutian Islands in Alaska. At Corral, the main port for Valdivia, the water level at first rose 13 feet before receding. Then a 26-foot wave struck the coast, almost obliterating the village. Ten minutes later another wave struck, measuring 33 feet.

The ship Canelos sank at the mouth of the Valdivia River after drifting one mile back and forth. Locals reported that people boarded the ship to look for food items as they were isolated around the Bay of Corral. The ship is still visible in the river. I took this photo in late 1964, almost 4.5 years after the quake.
(Click on photos to enlarge)

Schwenke and Nilo sing about the ship Canelos:

"It was a large cargo ship
like those that loved wheat,
carrying wild fruits
to the ports of Spain.
And now it’s full of spiders
like a rotting bird tossed aside,
the Canelos entombed"

Valdivia lies about 11 miles upriver from the Bay of Corral. When I arrived in late 1964 to teach music at the Austral University, damage from the quake was evident all around. The land had sunk one to two meters in the area surrounding Valdivia. Many buildings remained standing but the ground floor was not used. People moved up to the next level.

Much of the farmland near Valdivia became useless as it flooded. This photo is from early 1965 just outside of Valdivia. There are still swampy areas nearby.

The Valdivia River is considerably wider here as these dead trees indicate. With the land at a lower elevation by one or two meters, this area remains flooded permanently.

A greater disaster was yet to come. The dam at Reñihue Lake would burst, releasing water from the seven lakes near Panguipulli. People told me about pieces of structures and dead cows floating down river toward the ocean.

The day before the quake, on May 21, the great folklorist, poet and singer Violeta Parra was in the south for a musical tour. She had performed in Chillán with her children Isabel and Ángel and the group Cuncumén. There was an earthquake around 3am. At lunch the next day she suggested that they return to Santiago, as they seemed to be heading toward the epicenter. Half jokingly she said, “I tell you the next earthquake will leave puppets without heads.” The group decided to continue the tour south and traveled to Puerto Montt by bus.

Early on the day of May 22, Violeta wrote a telegram to her home in Santiago. It was addressed to “God in Heaven: Dear God, how many threats of tremors, why not send a good earthquake.”

On May 22, the city of Puerto Montt invited the group to a curanto on Tenglo Island. Violeta stayed behind in order to interview fishermen in Angelmó about their music. The 9.5 quake struck at 3pm. The tour group apparently was able to return home to Santiago safely. (Recollections of Ángel Parra in “Violeta se fue a los cielos,” 2006). Puerto Montt was greatly affected by the event, with much loss of life and buildings.

The event was strongly felt further south on the island of Chiloé. Here is a scene at the waterfront in Castro in early 1965.

Earthquake

2010-02-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

The 8.8 earthquake struck near Concepción, Chile on February 27, 2010, and is one of the largest ever recorded. I missed the event, having left Chile on Feb. 16. Thanks to the many family and friends who have expressed concern.

Information is becoming available, though slowly. The best source I found is La Tercera, the online newspaper from Santiago. The Huffington Post has had some good links.

Google has developed a Chile earthquake person finder.

Click here to see how you can help.

The food collection 2010

2010-02-26T11:52:00.000-08:00

Food is culture. Here are some memorable food experiences during my visit to Chile, January and February 2010 (Click to enlarge any photo)

One of my favorites, an appetizer of fresh erizo (sea urchin), with cilantro, onion, and lemon juice. The wine is important also.

Granados
This was a welcome find after a long walk on a country road near Lake Caburgua one summer day. A vegetable treat of beans, green beans, carrots, squash and corn. The slice of roast pork on top was almost unnecessary, though much enjoyed. The fresh raspberry juice was a hit.

Another summer day, now in Angelmó, at the fish market in Puerto Montt, I spied these freshly cooked centolla (king crab).

I paid US$10 and this gentleman cracked and otherwise prepared this delicacy. I ate it there, without lemon, as is. Great flavor.

Next is the popular mariscal at the market in Castro, Chiloé Island. Freshly shucked clams is the main ingredient, with some piure (limpet) added for color and flavor, topped with cilantro, onion, and fresh chili pepper. Great quantities of fresh lemon juice is the marinade. US$2 buys a pint, to take home or devour on the spot.

For a sit down meal in a palafito restaurant in Castro, a curanto is served hot with broth on the side. Mussels, clams, fish, smoked pork, chicken, and potato bread are cooked together.

Another day I visit the town of Quemchi. I buy a kilo of clams and this young man kindly opens them and provides the splash of lemon.

Carbonada, a meat and vegetable stew, always a winner.

But sometimes the best meal is a cheese sandwich on the trail, in awe...

Puerto Octay

2010-02-12T10:18:00.000-08:00

(Click to enlarge any photo)

The small town of Puerto Octay is located on the northern shore of the third largest lake in South America, Lago Llanquihue (540 square miles), just north of Puerto Montt, gateway to the Lake District of southern Chile. Once an important point for the shipping of agricultural products during the years 1852-1952, Octay is now a sleepy town visited by tourists for some of the best photo opportunities in the region.

Osorno Volcano from Hotel Centinela

Cerro Puntiagudo and Puerto Octay

Invited by the Chilean government to settle the lands around Lake Llanquihue, German immigrants began arriving in the coastal town of Valdivia in 1852. Most were people of means who brought entire families, household items, and farm implements. The government provided each family with specific parcels of land, lumber, nails, a pregnant cow, and a yoke of oxen. They began to populate the area surrounding the large lake, forming small communities.

Puerto Octay became the place where farmers brought their products to be shipped across the lake to Puerto Varas, and then by land to Puerto Montt, where they could then be shipped to other points along the Pacific coast.

The first families to arrive in Puerto Octay were Wulf, Klagges, Schmidt and Ochs, among others. Some built their houses in the town.

Casa Yagoda, 1885. I had a nice lunch here today.

The Wulf House, now home of the Puerto Octay Health Dept.

I was fortunate to find a wonderful bed & breakfast about a mile and a half outside of town, Zapato Amarillo. It is owned (and built) by a young Chilean-Swiss family. It is a supremely quiet and lovely place in the gentle countryside, with Osorno Volcano constantly in the view.

I have a room in this house at Zapato Amarillo. Señora Nadia offers dinner in the evening for guests, with some of the best cooking I have encountered in this country. (There I go talking food again!)

Appreciative of their history, the town has provided a modern barn built in the old style which houses a large exhibit of farm machinery.

Butter churn

A not so historic house, but colorful.

Isla Quehui, part 2

2010-02-07T05:24:00.000-08:00

Getting to know the island is easy by foot and by horse.
(Click on any photo to enlarge)

The countryside is typical of so much of this part of Chile, both insular and continental. Low rolling hills of volcanic soil are bathed in quantities of rain, producing a lush vegetation that must be constantly cleared for agricultural use.

One of the main roads on Quehui.

Below you can see the two parts of the island with Estero Pindo almost dividing it into two islands. The community of Los Angeles is in the distance. Further on is Lemuy Island, another in this archipelago.

Another view of Los Angeles, this on a walk with Lorena in the San Miguel district.

Don Pedro offered to show me much of the island by horse. Problem was, there were no stirrups on the saddle, so my legs went numb after the first of five hours.

We passed by Peldehue district, an area where most people are a shade darker, closer to their Huilliche ancestors. Every district has a church.

This next photo is Imelev Island, owned by the Torres family, descendants of John Yates, an English sailor on the ship Beagle that carried Charles Darwin around the continent. The locals tell me he settled on Quehui Island in 1834 and married into the Torres family. He died in 1900.

Patricio thinks he is buried here next to his granddaughter Lavinia (1916-2008). There are some blue eyed citizens on the island. The family is a large landholder here.

The eroding cliff is a colorful sight. We rode along the beach for a few miles.

Now and then I had to dismount and stretch my legs for ten minutes at a time. First steps were difficult. The absence of stirrups reminded me how much they are needed for balance.

Chiloé Island, Castro and Quemchi

2010-02-06T17:29:00.000-08:00

This is how you get to the big island of Chiloé from the Chilean mainland. The crossing takes about 20 minutes and about 3 of these ships are in constant use. I take a bus from Puerto Montt, arriving in Castro about 3-4 hours later, depending on the weather conditions.

Downtown Castro, not much to look at, but it has great charm. It mostly serves as a jumping off point to visit interesting places on the big island.

Here is the cathedral in Castro, built 1910-12 of native alerce wood.

Good food too. Those that know me have heard much about my gastronomic experiences in Chile. Here is a serving of pulmay, or curanto a la olla. It is served in one of the palafito restaurants on the waterfront.

Corn and watermelon are offered on the street in Castro, though are grown further north.

About one hour north of Castro is the town of Quemchi, birthplace of Francisco Coloane (1910-2002), one of Chile's great writers. He often returned to his home town to organize writing workshops for school children.

The church in Quemchi. The churches of Chiloé all represent an architecture introduced by Jesuits in previous centuries. All are made of native wood.

A kilo (2.2 lbs.) of fresh clams here cost about one US dollar. A splash of fresh lemon juice is all that is needed.

Heaven is a bowl of fresh clams.

Running a close second is a steaming bowl of carbonada, meat and vegetable stew.

Quehui Island

2010-02-04T16:34:00.000-08:00

The big island of Chiloé lies south of Puerto Montt, opposite the Chilean mainland of northern Patagonia. I was here last in 2007, so it was time to return and see new sights. The island has always been populated by indigenous Chono and Huilliche people. Jesuit priests arrived in the early 17th century and tried their best to organize the people into communities. Their wooden churches have become famous as an architectural style, visited by people from around the world. Here is the simple church at San Miguel, one of the four communities on Quehui Island.

As Dutch pirates passed through the archipelago and Spanish settlers arrived, they mixed with the local people, creating a type of native Chilote, generally short in stature. Besides its famous churches, Chile is known as the last outpost of the Spanish empire in South America. They held on to Chiloé until 1826.

Today, the big island and the surrounding 100 or so smaller islands are all populated by farmers who work the land to produce the native potatoes and some livestock. Others collect the numerous shellfish and seaweed. The local staple is mussels, clams, and oysters. Many have left their homes to work on the salmon farms established by foreign companies, mostly from the USA and Norway. Click here to learn more (in Spanish) about the famous potato from Chiloé.

I found a simple bed and breakfast on Quehui, one of the smaller islands. Patricio Alarcón was my generous host at Turismo Quehui, about three hours by boat from the city of Castro on Chiloé. Friend Lorena took this one:

This boat was loaded to the gunwale with locals and tourists alike, traveling to Quehui for the annual Fiesta del Mar.

This is the view in front of Patricio's B&B as sunset approaches. (Click on any photo to enlarge.)

For the next two days local women prepared typical food for the curanto, while the men butchered hogs and sheep which they cook over flames. The fiesta takes place on Saturday and Sunday on the village green in front of the church. Each of the four communities on the island has its own concession.

Musical and theatrical events take place on the outdoor stage, many of them with children participating.

The music continued into the night, until 2am both days. It's difficult to sleep even in the villages of Chile. More on Quehui in future posts.

Camping among volcanoes

2010-01-25T07:26:00.000-08:00

About 32 kilometers from Pucón, up in the mountains, I joined a small group for a camping trip in the Villarica National Park. Here we get ready to leave Rancho de Caballos, a farm settled by Germans 22 years ago. I am the only English speaker in the group. Fortunately I could carry on conversation in Spanish with our local guide Armín.

Juta and Gaby rest their horses early in the trail.

Gaby and I contemplate the active Villarica Volcano. We are about to leave the tree zone, though the altitude is less than 6,000 feet.

Armín navigates the challenging steep trail. I am next.

There are numerous patches of snow above the tree line. We never know how deep it is until out guide tests it. Occasionally we must dismount and lead the horses. Below, Thomas skies down the slope as he leads two horses.

Here is our first view of Laguna Azul where we will set up our base camp for two nights.

Our camp at Laguna Azul. Lanín Volcano looms over the lake. This is the view from our water source. The water is trickling down the mountain, under a snow pack. Delicious!

On day 2, our guide Armín leads the way through huge lava fields and across more snow.

After three hours on the trail we arrive at this spectacular point for a lunch stop. We are at the top of a cliff that drops straight down about 1,000 feet. After lunch we head back to our base camp.

Sunset at Laguna Azul, Lanín Volcano.

Early morning view of Choshuenco Volcano. So begins day 3 and return to the ranch.

Armín and his Arabian mix horse. Mine is the black steed called Tornado, a great horse full of energy despite his 16 years of age. Happiness is enjoying wonderful views and listening to the sublime sounds of nature.

Three Cups of Tea

2010-01-20T05:18:00.001-08:00

This is certainly the most important book I have read in recent times. Written by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin, the subtitle is "One Man's Mission to Promote Peace … One School at a Time." I learned more about the conflict in Central Asia than from any other source. Mortenson understands that the best way to progress and peace in the area is not through military action, but through education. He notes that it is most important to educate girls, because boys with some education tend to emigrate to the cities in search of work, while girls stay in their villages and contribute to the progress of the village. I can strongly recommend this book to anyone who desires a better understanding of Islam, Taliban, and village life in the region.

Click here to learn more about the fundraiser in Santa Cruz to support the work of the Central Asian Institute. It will be February 11 at the Rio Theater.

Stones into Schools is the continuation of Greg Mortenson's efforts, and I look forward to getting a copy at the local independent bookstore back home.

Short horse ride near Pucón

2010-01-19T11:00:00.001-08:00

I joined three other tourists today for a visit to a Mapuche community near Pucón. Here is our guide, Grigorio, preparing the horses. This thatched ruka is where his mother prepares meals. She is cooking now for our lunch, with smoke from the open fire filtering through the thatch.

A typical bucolic scene as we begin the ride out.

My friend is named Bambi.

After about 90 minutes in the saddle we arrive at this lookout. This is looking west toward Pucón and Villarica Lake. The volcano is covered in clouds all day.

Grigorio, our Mapuche guide and host, explains about many of the medicinal plants here. He says the Bachelet government treated the Mapuche very well. We are an international group today. The others are solo travelers as I am, and are from Germany, Canada and Denmark.

One last snapshot of the panorama below before we head back down the mountain to a Mapuche lunch in the family ruka.

Pucón

2010-01-18T11:24:00.001-08:00

This is one of the most popular destinations in the Lake District of Chile. The Villarica Volcano looms over the entire area. It remains active, with puffs of steam that resemble smoke signals in Hollywood movies. I ate lunch at a table on the lawn nearby. It's easy to stretch a midday meal to at least a couple of hours when you find such a lovely place to hang out. This next photo shows the volcano alert system at the city hall. If the mountain begins to belch and rumble, people will be directed to the evacuation routes. There have been serious lava flows in the past. I'm glad the green light is on today.

This area is probably comparable to Vail, Colorado. Excuse me if I don't add photos of the souvenir shops. In this town of about 16,000 people, there are probably almost as many tourists, although the tour operators tell me business is off by 70% compared to last season. Restaurants abound, but the servers are usually just standing around, hoping some tourists will enter. Dozens of arts and crafts stands are seeing little shopping activity. Villarica Lake attracts many people to the lava sand beaches and pleasure boats. Luxury condominiums are sprouting along the shore.

Morning clouds on the lake. Located 540 miles south of the capital of Santiago, the town was founded in 1883 as part of the “pacification” of the region’s indigenous Mapuche people. By 1904 the army had left and German families from Valdivia to the west began to settle the area. The first families were Holzapfel and Gudenschwager. The Mapuche moved to the marginal lands at the foot of the mountains.

Puerto Grés Ceramics, Puerto Varas, Chile

2010-01-15T05:03:00.001-08:00

Puerto Varas, in the Lake District of southern Chile. This is where German farmers brought their families beginning in 1852, to develop farms around the large Lake Llanquihue.

The German farmers brought their language and culture, including this Chilean favorite, "kuchen".

This is one of those days when you can see six or seven volcanos in the distance. These three are Osorno, Tronador, and Calbuco.

One of the great attractions near Puerto Varas is the Salto de Petrohue, with Osorno Volcano as a backdrop

Ceramic artist Hanny Bergen at Puerto Grés in Puerto Varas. The word grés refers to the style of firing. It might be translated as stoneware.

My new little house in California needs some Chilean touches. Here is a new set of dishes by Hanny Bergen, sent by mail from Puerto Grés in Puerto Varas. Thank you Hanny!

Volcán Apagado (Extinguished Volcano)

2010-01-12T06:38:00.000-08:00

I had the good fortune to meet up with Robert from Patagonia El Cobre in Hornopirén. He and his wife Noemi arrived here about 20 years ago to start a family. They purchased some land near town and began to create a destination for tourists, including a campground and botanical park. They and partner Cristián offer tours by land and kayak in the fjords. It's a bit cold and rainy for me this year, so I chose to explore the land where there is an old volcano with a sandy lava cone and crater. It carries the undistinguished name of "Extinguished Volcano".

A lovely road leads us up into the mountains. This is one of the better sections of the road.

Looking west toward Chiloé

We stop to visit a portion of the dense forest. One of our guides, Patricio, is caretaker of this huge property, more than 50,000 acres. He knows the forest well and can explain much of the flora here.

Logging of the ancient alerce trees was big business in decades and centuries in the past. This remarkable species is very much like the coast redwood of California, with a similar bark. A preferred wood for construction and shingles, the alerce is now protected. Only felled trees can be harvested. This tree is only an adolescent at about 1,500 years of age.

Notro or ciruelillo

This is me in front of a nalca plant. It looks like a giant rhubarb, but the flesh of the stem is sweet and juicy. We decided that it tastes somewhat like a mix of celery and cucumber and is eaten raw.

An ancient Russian truck once used in the logging operations here

A few obstacles in the road must be cleared before we continue. At this altitude (3,000 feet?) the mountains are shrouded in a cold mist with little visibility.

This narrow saddle has perpendicular walls. I try not to look down as we pass over.

We leave the vehicles behind and head up the side of the volcano. The lava is like sand. The air is cool and a little windy. This makes the hike easier than if there were sun.

We conquer the top of the volcano. Here I am with Robert and Patricio, our two excellent hosts and guides.

We have our lunch as we contemplate the crater. The younger folks visited the bottom of the crater. Our descent on the lava sand was like skiing, great fun!

Looking down into the crater.

A small forest on the slope of the volcano

The sky clears considerably in the afternoon as we prepare to leave the volcano. This land was once covered in giant, ancient alerce trees. Many houses along this narrow country are constructed with the wood.

The next couple of days are very rainy, with thunder and hail. I am very content with a book in front of a wood stove in my cabin, but I will have to return here another day to see more sights by boat and horse that I couldn't do this trip. Hornopirén is a town with very friendly people. It is typical of the south of Chile in that one feels completely comfortable. And the food at the Mercado Típico is excellent. I am grateful to the people of Hornopirén for their generous hospitality. Tomorrow I return to Puerto Montt and more adventures.

Quintupeu Fjord

2010-01-11T07:52:00.000-08:00

From Llancahue Island I join a group of six passengers to visit the legendary Quintupeu Fjord. There are scattered clouds and sun that allow for some good photos.

Here is Llancahue Island as we begin the journey down the Comau Fjord

Cholgo, a small fishing community with salmon farms

Heading south down the Comau Fjord

Farm along the fjord

In 1915 a German warship was evading the English navy and entered this small fjord to make some repairs. It is about 3 miles long and only one half mile wide. The narrow entrance to the fjord allows for a sneaky hideout. When the English were about to discover them, the Germans left a decoy of a large raft with lights and fled the area in their ship.

The narrow entrance to Quintupeu Fjord, heading west from the Comau

It is just as I expected: emerald green water along a rocky shore with dense, green vegetation of every hue. The walls of the fjord are perpendicular at times, covered with trees and bushes.

One of 5 waterfalls in the fjord

Looking east toward the river that feeds into the fjord.

Las Termas (hot springs) de Llancahue

2010-01-09T14:14:00.000-08:00

This is a land of volcanoes and hot springs up and down the range of Andes mountains. I took advantage of a couple of dry days to visit Llancahue Island, about 50 minutes by boat from Hornopirén. It's a wonderful setting to rest and enjoy the natural hot springs. First, we board the Miska II in Hornopirén.

Soon we see the hotel and hot springs complex as we approach the wharf on Llancahue Island.

The natural hot springs feed into two pools where the tourists can enjoy spectacular views. The food and service were excellent.

I hiked up the mountain behind the hotel, on a steep and muddy trail that enters the dense forest. What a view! This is looking northwest at various islands and the irregular coast of the mainland.

Coming next: A visit to Quintupeu Fjord, where a German warship hid away in 1915 while making some repairs.

Hornopirén

2010-01-09T06:54:00.000-08:00

It's a new year and another trip to my favorite destination, the south of Chile. As usual, the trip begins in Puerto Montt, about 700 miles south of Chile's capital, Santiago. After a good rest of two days, I take the bus south to this lovely town of about 4,000 people. I was here last in 2002 when it was about half the size that it is now. Click here to see photos from that trip. The following are photos from 2010.

Black neck swans near the wharf in Hornopirén

Until about 30 years ago the town was connected to the world only by the sea. It was a major supplier of alerce, the ancient trees that were used for construction, somewhat similar to California redwood. The forest is now protected and there is no more cutting of these trees. This woodwork is on alerce that is cut from the remaining trunks in the forest. This beautiful piece is supported by cypress, and has a volcanic rock inserted in the wood.

Two days per week people come to town to sell their goods at the farmers’ market in the mercado típico, a building provided by the town. They offer mussels, clams, merluza (a typical local fish), and some veggies. There are two small restaurants in the same building. I had a delicious shellfish stew with very fresh ingredients.

This is my little cabaña in Hornopirén

It rains a lot in southern Chile. I knew this would be a wet summer. In this storm I may have to get my feet wet to leave the cabin. I have been keeping the wood stove stoked round the clock. Inside I am warm and dry. But I would rather be hiking or exploring the fjord.

Coming next: a visit to the hot springs at Llancahue Island and Quintupeu Fjord.

Nutcracker ballet

2010-01-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

San José Ballet

For some unknown reason, this colorful Tchaikovsky ballet has become America’s favorite holiday entertainment. Every year ballet companies and orchestra musicians count on multiple performances as a way to balance their end of the year financial situation. For me it has become a welcome friend.

I played cello in various productions of Nutcracker. It is an excellent musical score and I always enjoyed the performances. It never bothered me that I had no view of the stage. The music was enough. Then there was the added pleasure of playing the celesta part, that toy piano sound that accompanies the Sugar Plum Fairy. I would put down my cello four times to play a short passage on this little keyboard, and then return to the cello.

Since I retired from the orchestra I am privileged to return to play only the celesta, a small keyboard instrument with hammers that strike metal bars that resemble those on a glockenspiel. I spend almost the entire Act I in the lounge, an opportunity to write Christmas cards and read. At the end of the act I also provide the sounds of a choir (on a synthesizer) singing “Ah…” I spend the intermission practicing the celesta.

In Act 2 there are two celesta passages, rapid figurations that last only about 60 seconds each. It took hours of practice to bring those up to speed. Then there is the lovely Sugar Plum Fairy music. This is what is often heard during the season in department stores and elevators, usually ugly electronic versions. It is my shining solo moment. I have no idea what the S.P. Fairy is doing. I wouldn’t recognize her in the street. I just follow the conductor. It concludes with a fast coda that I can barely play up to tempo. With a sense of accomplishment, I can then leave the theater before the end of the show and am out of the parking lot before the patrons and musicians line up at the exit.

I enjoy the music. I enjoy visiting with long-time colleagues. I enjoy getting to the parking lot first. Most of all, I enjoy the paycheck that provides another airline ticket to South America where I can then enjoy an austral summer in January and February.

Victor Jara

2009-12-06T12:32:00.000-08:00

1932-1973

Victor Jara was buried with dignity yesterday, December 5, 2009 in Santiago, the capital city of Chile. His widow, Joan Turner, and their two daughters, Manuela and Amanda were joined by thousands of people who paid their respects and many who viewed the procession in the streets of Santiago.

Victor Jara was a teacher, poet, singer-songwriter, theater director, and political activist. His songs are about love, peace and social justice. His brutal murder by soldiers transformed him into a symbol of struggle for human rights and justice.

Victor was assassinated a few days after the military coup of September 11, 1973. He was among 5,000 detainees held at the Chile Stadium in Santiago, the first political detention camp of the new dictatorship of Pinochet. He was tortured and shot in the stadium which today bears his name. Fourteen other prisoners who witnessed the killing were also shot and killed. The crime has gone unpunished.

Shortly after his death, his widow Joan was able to bury Victor in secret, and then flee the country with their daughters. Earlier this year (2009) it was decided to exhume his remains and perform an autopsy. This painful decision was made with the participation of the family and of the Victor Jara Foundation. Through DNA testing, his remains were verified. Daughter Manuela restored the coffin. For the funeral procession it was draped with his poncho. The vehicle moved slowly through the crowded streets, covered in red carnations.

The Victor Jara Foundation has issued this statement: “We demand truth and justice in the case of Victor Jara, as in each of the disappeared and politically executed people of our country. The brutal murder of Victor has not prevented his legacy and example of life to transcend. Victor continues living in the heart of the Chilean people.”

Te Recuerdo Amanda

Ventisquiero Valley by horseback - Part 2

2009-02-16T07:57:00.000-08:00

February 12-14, 2009
We set out early the next morning for a long day of riding west into the Ventisquiero Valley, passing through Primer Corral. Sra. Cuco called ahead on the radio to tell the next farm when to expect us. We met some folks on the trail who assured us we were expected around 5pm. The small wooden structure ahead marks the spot where a man was murdered by another over a woman.

We passed through few farms, including Rincón Bonito, owned by Douglas Tompkins of Pumalin Park. His park administrator lives there with a landing strip, water generated turbine for electricity and a satellite receiver dish. Here is a photo from the Pumalin website that first got me interested in this area.

We made good time and arrived early to the next farm west, after six hours in the saddle. This is as far into the valley as one can expect lodging and meals. The farm beyond this one does not receive visitors and has been known to refuse to let people pass through.

Señora Bernadita gave us a warm welcome with coffee and kuchen. The farm is called Vertiente (Spring Farm) and it is a spring in the mountain which provides water for the house. It is delicious. We are surrounded by steep mountains. The nearby glacier is rapidly diminishing. Two rivers fall down the mountain.

We are now two days by horse from the nearest gravel road. The Pacific Ocean is not much farther to the west, but the mountains are not passable by ordinary humans and horses. The valley ends up high in a glacier with icebergs in a lake. Few have been there. We are also not far from the Argentine border. Here is a functional horse cart with rubber tires.

Señora Bernardita was widowed two years ago and her seven children all live away from the farm. She has adapted to a solitary life here and says she is content. She has neighbors and occasionally enjoys working for Mr. Tompkins in the garden. She also sells her fruit preserves to the farm there. Everyone here speaks well of Tompkins, a controversial figure in Chile these days.

Here she poses with visiting son Omar, his wife and daughter, all lovely people who smile and laugh often. They enjoy each other. The young family lives not far away in Cochamó, but they can visit only once each year in the summer.

It's almost time to say farewell to my companion of the last four days. I really bond with such an animal after it has taken me up and down steep trails and across long valleys.

This is the end of another adventure in Chile, a great place to visit. I will return to Puerto Montt for a few days to do laundry and rest up for the trip home. After visiting most of Chilean Patagonia over the past few years, the Río Puelo and Llanada Grande area remains my favorite. There are still remote valleys to explore here. I will return.

Ventisquiero Valley by horseback - Part 1

2009-02-15T16:48:00.000-08:00

February 10-11, 2009
I met Redd at the B&B one morning in Puerto Montt and we began talking about the possibility of a horseback ride in the Andes mountains. A phone call to Señora Blanca in Llanada Grande confirmed that she could find us a place to stay and arrange for horses and a guide to take us where we wanted. So we took the 8am bus along the Reloncaví fjord to the town of Río Puelo and up the river of the same name until the road stopped at Lake Tagua Tagua.

Next was a ferry ride across the lake to meet with another bus which took us up the Puelo River for another two hours to Llanada Grande. The road was built only in 2001 and is still under construction farther up.

I had been up this way three years ago when I visited the Gallardo family at their farm at Lago Azul.

Arriving in Llanada Grande later that afternoon, we found our lodging for the night and then visited Sra. Blanca who introduced us to Toribio who would be our guide. I had seen photos of the Ventisquiero Valley and always wanted to visit there. We agreed on a price, the Señora made some calls by radio to some farming families and all was set.

Toribio met us the next morning with horses and we set out for the adventure. For a while we followed the gravel road to its end at Puerto Urrutia. Chileans are experts at road building in Patagonia. Here we ride through the solid rock passage blasted out of the mountain.

What a lovely valley. The land was originally forest, so it has taken tremendous effort to clear it and make these pastures.

Soon we were off the gravel and on a dusty horse trail high above the Puelo River, one of the most beautiful rivers I have seen anywhere. It is a popular destination for fly fisherpeople from all over the world.

Four hours of riding brought us to our first stop, at the farm of Don Segundo and Sra. Cuco. They were expecting us and lunch was ready. We had already met their son Camilo on the bus yesterday as he was returning with the local soccer team. They played on the island of Chiloé. It was a draw. They have a beautiful farm with livestock and other farm animals. The house is simple and typical of the area. We stayed here for the night.

They have a beautiful waterfall on their property. After lunch I just laid down on the grass and took a nap in the warm sun. It was heaven.

Next: Part 2 and the Ventisquiero Valley

Ilque

2009-02-07T15:08:00.001-08:00

February 7, 2009
February is a midsummer time in Chile when each village and town has a Festival costumbrista, a weekend of celebration of typical Chilean life in the country. It usually takes place in an empty pasture or fairground area, and consists of selling traditional foods and playing and dancing traditional music. Every weekend in January and February there are festivals throughout the country.

I took a bus out of Puerto Montt to the south along the waterfront. In an hour the bus let me off in Ilque, not a village, but rather an area where people live on small farms. The people here share the festival with neighbors in Huelmo, and each year they trade locations between the two communities.

I arrived much too early for the festivities, so took a walk down the road for two hours. The first photo above is of a lake filled with birds creating quite a lot of shrieking. They are mostly gulls, plus some bandurrias (ibis) and a solitary white egret. They all seemed quite happy with this lake. Further down the road I had a choice to make. A playa (beach) always sounds good to me. Of course it was a couple of miles away. Fortunately I had no other schedule today.

Then I saw this cara-cara (carancho), a carrion-eating bird. He honored me with a quiet pose on a fence post. This cow and two calves were spending the lunch hour quietly chewing, unfazed by my presence. This is a beautiful pastoral area and the kind of countryside I can walk in for hours.

I soon came to the the shore near Huelmo, a community of small farmers and summer houses, one of the most picturesque areas I have seen along the coast. Here people are unloading sacks, probably grain or flour, from the delivery boat. Some people are camping along the beach. The day is mild and beautiful.

Fortunately a small bus passed by and I didn't have to retrace the few miles I had walked. I got off in Ilque again just as the party was getting started. After the playing of the national anthem, the mayor of Puerto Montt, Rabindranath Quinteros, gives the opening welcome speech, giving praise to the people of the area for their efforts in promoting progress and solidarity.

Next, these young teenagers in traditional costume dance a few cuecas, the national dance of Chile.

These women are preparing empanadas de carne, meat pies filled with beef, raisens and egg. They are a nice, though filling, appetizer while the lamb is cooking on the barbeque.

The asado al palo is almost ready. This is the most Chilean food in the south, lamb cooked over a fire on an iron skewer. I got in line early for mine, a big hunk of lamb served with potato, tomato and cucumber. A liter of chicha de manzana quenched my thirst. I was glad it hadn't fermented yet. I was thirsty. It was sold in recycled plastic Coke bottles. It is a hard apple cider, fresh from the farm.

Here are the folks in the desert booth serving lemon pie and kuchen, the typical German pastry. You don't have to be of German descent to be an expert kuchen cook.

Meanwhile, the curanto is being prepared, the traditional indigenous method of cooking. A fire is built in a hole in the ground. When the fire burns down and hot stones are placed, the first level is a bushel of mussels, which will provide the steam to cook everything else place on top. Then a cover of ferns is placed, and then they place chicken, sausage, and two kinds of potato bread. More ferns cover all, then sod is placed and it is sealed with plastic. It will all be ready in an hour. I passed on this one.

Very satisfied with food and sun, I said goodbye to the family I had shared a table with, took the afternoon bus back to town and had a cup of tea for dinner. Another wonderful day in southern Chile.

Isla Magdalena

2009-02-05T12:57:00.001-08:00

February 4, 2009
One of the tourist attractions in the Straits of Magellan near Punta Arenas is to visit the Magellanic penguin colony on Magdalena Island. (For anyone doing this tour, buy your ticket at the Comapa building near the Plaza. They offer a 4pm tour for about 60% of what you would pay for the 7am tour at another agency.)

The boat leaves from Tres Puentes and takes two hours to reach the island. Dolphins are often seen romping around the boat. Clouds are always dramatic and colorful, as they are anywhere in the southern latitudes.

Magdalena Island is 25 miles from Punta Arenas and consists of only a few acres of soft earth that penguins love to burrow into for their nests. It is probably only about 200 feet in elevation. It is topped with a lighthouse built in 1902. The light is mechanized but the building houses park rangers who keep watch over the penguin reserve.

A trail marked with a rope indicates where the tourists should not wander in the colony. Unfortunately the penguins don't follow the rules and regularly cross back and forth. One bird who seemed to have just lost a chick became a bit aggressive with one tourist and tried to bite her leg. Most of us just tried to stay clear.

We were told that this small island is home to 170,000 penguins. Ask me some day what that smells like! The entire island is covered with the birds.

The Magellanic penguin makes their next in the ground, normally laying two eggs. Today the chicks or pichones are approaching full size. We watched the females regurgitating to feed the young.

Gulls and Skua are the garbage cleaners on the island. During nesting periods they try to steal eggs. In this season they feed on weak penguins that died. These birds also nest on the island.

One hour on the island is enough to get a good idea of the Magellanic penguin. Here we head home and watch another spectacular Magellanic sunset.

Punta Arenas, Chile

2009-02-05T06:32:00.000-08:00

Though I often prefer the Chilean and Argentine countryside, Punta Arenas is a lovely city to visit and spend a few days. Most tourists hurry from their cruise ship or the airport and quickly head north to Puerto Natales and the breathtaking Torres del Paine National Park, or south to Tierra del Fuego or Antarctica, I enjoy hanging out here. Besides, I have enjoyed visiting those place (though not Antarctica).

My first visit here was a short one in 1965 as a Peace Corps volunteer on vacation with few pesos in his pocket.

Here is the same view of downtown in 2009.

These guys are talented folkloristas and played cuecas at midday in the Plaza.
They were very entertaining. Several locals, young and old, spontaneously responded by dancing to this most Chilean music.

Bories Street next to the Plaza in 1965.

The same scene in 2009.

Here is my favorite bed & breakfast in town, and I recommend it highly. Dinka's House is a short distance from downtown and just a few blocks from the Strait. It is quiet and very reasonably priced. Señora Dinka is a second generation Croatian, one of many people in the area descended from immigrants attracted to the sheep industry in the early 20th century. I never understood why she picked this name, as hardly anyone speaks English. A stay at Dinka's is worth it if only to taste her delicious homemade rhubarb jam at breakfast. She is an animated and joyful hostess.

Río Grande - the estancias

2009-01-31T15:06:00.000-08:00

January 31, 2009
The city of Río Grande is about the same size as Ushuaia, but there the similarity ends. Ushuaia is set against the gorgeous Andes range, whereas Río Grande is about half way up the island and set right on the Atlantic coast. My hotel is one block from the ocean. All one sees around this area is steppe, softly rolling and grass-covered, with no mountains or forest. Because of this, it is ideal for producing high quality sheep in great numbers.

Numerous shallow lakes dot the landscape, though many are dry because of little rain. We searched for miles to find the flamingos who inhabit the lake shores. Though we saw several condors overhead and other typical birds of the region, not a flamingo was to be found. Here are some that Fernando captured with his camera on a previous trip.

Our first stop was 12.5 miles inland at the María Behety estancia. Originally the ranch consisted of 475,000 acres and was like a small village with quarters for 100-150 men. It has since been divided into four properties and now has only (!) 154,000 acres. The Corriedale sheep produced here are some of the most important of the race in the world. The ranch was named for the wife of José Menendez who founded the estancia in 1898. It has the largest shearing shed in the world, which we visited. It helps to travel with someone like Fernando who is known to many of the workers, so we had easy access to the property and the shearing shed.

Next, we visited the Los Flamencos estancia, once part of the María Behety, and located several miles to the east. Here is their shearing shed which was also in use today.

Segunda Argentina was the name of this estancia founded in 1902 by José Menendez.

This is the heavy machinery imported from England in the last century to form the wool bales.

We returned to town for lunch, then paid a visit to the Salesian Museum. The order came to Tierra del Fuego in 1894 to preach to the indigenous Yahgan and Ona people. Because of the recent gold strike and the importation of sheep, the people were being exterminated at an alarming rate. The padres brought them to a mission in Río Grande and another on Dawson Island in the Chilean fjord country. They were taught to pray, wear clothes, and learn European ways. They quickly died out from disease and a broken heart. This small museum and the larger one in Punta Arenas preserve many of the artifacts of these people. Here is a modern representation of a typical Ona house or choza.

Tomorrow: my bus leaves early for a 4-hour trip to Porvenir across the border in Chile. From there I take a ferry to Punta Arenas.

A word on Fuegian people

2009-01-30T16:55:00.000-08:00

January 30, 2009
After two weeks in this lovely area, my memories are of people who continually impress me with their generosity and love of life. Fuegian is anything from Tierra del Fuego. For example, the delicious fuegian lamb has a flavor all its own due to what the animals have to graze. It is the signature product of the island since the English brought animals from The Falkland (Malvinas) Islands in the late 19th century. The fuegian people of today are mostly from beyond the island, from Chile and from the north of Argentina, people who search for opportunities to work and raise their families here. Many work on the sheep ranches. In Ushuaia many are involved in the tourist industry. In Río Grande, further north, they come to work in the petroleum industry or in the manufacture of automobiles or electronic devices. They can make double a typical salary in Buenos Aires.

Across the border in Chilean Tierra del Fuego most people are working the large sheep ranches. I will only pass through there in a couple of days on my way to Punta Arenas. However, earlier this month I sailed through the impressive channels and fjords of Chile which are home only to elephant seals and seabirds.

Of course my experience has been heightened by having good language skills. Tour guides do their work with an enthusiasm and love of the land that comes through in their talks. Restaurant waiters excuse my occasional faux pas with a smile. Hotel workers have been very accomodating. But my favorite fueguinos have been the taxi and bus drivers. Yesterday, a fellow asked if I was German. Even my negative reply gave him the opportunity to tell me about his grandfather who, at age 14, avoided the military draft in the World War II when Germany was sending youngsters to the front. Now his grandson is a happy taxi driver in Tolhuin, a small village dedicated to forest products.

A small bus with 14 passengers took me the 90 minutes to Lake Fagnano. The driver indicated I should sit up front with him and the young Argentine woman. We engaged in enthusiastic conversation about a thousand things. I worried that he didn't always watch the road. When we said goodbye, I expected to shake hands, but he gave me a big hug and kiss on the cheek before the bus continued on north.

This morning I said farewell to Sonia and Jorge, the wonderful people at Lake Fagnano who provide horse outings, including the famous Bridges Trail crossing. A Chilean man across the road has cabañas for rent on the lake. I was sent there to ask if I could buy his CD of folkloric music. There are no more, but after a short conversation, I now have the CD cover and his book of song lyrics which he autographed for me. He will send me his next CD and book which are almost ready. I felt that I shouldn't offer payment, as this was obviously an act of friendship. I will of course send him some things of mine. This is a man I knew for 15 minutes and we already have commitments. We clicked even further when we discovered we have both been radio announcers as well as performing musicians.

Today, in Río Grande, a taxista took me to the bus station to buy a ticket. He has been here less than five years, and was a taxi driver in Buenos Aires since 1966, where he routinely carried a revolver in his pocket. Arriving here with thousands of others, he is very content. Many locals leave for the summer weeks to take a vacation. He says he is here on vacation, or so it seems compared to his life in the capital city. He took his visiting grandson on a week-long trip to Lake Fagnano and Ushuaia where they did many of the usual tourist outings.

Fernando has gone way beyond the limits of generosity with his photos of our horse trip on the Bridges Trail. He is an amateur photographer with professional standards. He presented me with several large prints of his beautiful work, and also gave us his new DVD of our trip with music. Then he gave me a ride to his town of Río Grande where I had made hotel reservations for a couple of days. Tomorrow we will visit one of the largest estancias in the area and also the local Salesian museum.

The Goodall family invited me to their table at Harberton Estancia on the Beagle Channel. Juan Pablo is the enthusiastic university student who took me under his wing at the estancia and gave me a private tour and helped with all arrangements.

These are just the most vivid recollections. There have been many more moments of interaction with the locals that have impressed me with their gentileza, or generosity. Perhaps I will have to return to do some outings that I missed. Besides, I ate some wild calafate berries the other day on the Beagle Channel. "He who eats calafate will return."

Rowing in the Beagle Channel

2009-01-29T04:06:00.000-08:00

January 27, 2009 (Mozart's birthday)
Today I joined a group of about 14 tourists for a day tour to the Beagle Channel and Harberton Estancia. We left early from Ushuaia in the Yellow Submarine (bus) for the 90-minute dusty ride to Harberton. Arriving at the Lashifashaj River on the historic estancia property, we unloaded two large rubber canoes and donned wet weather gear and life jackets. We rowed down river to where it meets the Beagle Channel. Here we carried and towed the canoes to the nearby bay and headed into the Channel. Marine birds were numerous, especially the black and white imperial cormorant, some white terns and flightless steamer ducks. Unfortunately my camera was packed in a dry pocket. I was busy rowing into the wind.

Just as the wind became stronger, we landed on the Harberton Peninsula. A large zodiak picked us up and delivered us to the estancia where we had a delicious lunch on the hill above. After lunch we boarded the zodiak once again to visit a couple of islands in the channel.

Martillo Island hosts a large colony of Magellanic penguins and a small colony of gentoo penguins. We were careful to keep a distance, both to protect the birds and to avoid their curious and dangerous beaks. What is the fascination we humans have for these gentle animals?

This nest contains an adult and two almost full sized chicks.

After spending about an hour in the penguin colony we boarded the zodiac for a short ride to Gable Island. This is where the Harberton ranch used to deliver cattle and sheep to graze. It provided a natural way to prevent the animals from roaming. The name Gable was given because there are cliffs which resemble gables on a house.

We took a hike around the island, which consists of many acres. It is a model of the forest on the mainland, and our guide Freddy had a good understanding of the flora. This parasite is found in the magellanic forest throughout the southern continent. It reminds us of mistletoe and comes in a variety of colors from brown to green and yellow.

We soon met our bus on the mainland and returned on the dusty road to Ushuaia. The next day I took a bus north for 90 minutes for a return visit to Lake Fagnano for a bit of a rest from the adventure of the past week. Today (Jan. 29) I walked almost 5 miles to the village of Tolhuin to visit the famous La Unión bakery for treats. The rain discouraged this tired walker and I returned to my lodge on the lake by taxi. Throughout the day the sky changed constantly, from no clouds and bright sun to torrential rains. The sky in Tierra del Fuego is as dramatic as any of the sights on land or sea.

Tomorrow I have a ride north to Río Grande. My visit to Argentine Tierra del Fuego is almost over and I return to Chile and Punta Arenas on the Straits of Magellan in a few days.

Estancia Harberton

2009-01-28T16:42:00.000-08:00

January 24-25, 2009
It was exciting to arrive at this historic place by horse over the mountain pass.

According to Natalie Goodall's book, "the first estancia on Tierra del Fuego, Harberton was founded in 1886, by Thomas Bridges and his sons. The land was a gift from President Julio A. Roca and the Argentine Congress to Bridges for his service to the country - thirty years years of work among the Yahgans, rescue of numerous shipwrecks, and help given to the new Subprefecture in Ushuaia. Originally called Down East, the name was changed to Harberton for the town from which Bridges' wife, Mary Varder, had come. Now property of the several grandchildren of Thomas Bridges, the estancia is managed by a great-grandson. Located 40 miles east of Ushuaia, Harberton also claims the oldest house on the Island... The coastline is very broken and undulating, with four large bays... The houses are situated on a long narrow peninsula." (Tierra del Fuego by Natalie Goodall, 1979.) The gravel road to the estancia was made in 1978. Tourists arrive by car and bus and many come from Ushuaia on the daily catamaran. People, not livestock, are the main source of income for the ranch.

Below is the main house, said to be the first house on Tierra del Fuego. I was lodged in a refurbished workers' house but was invited to take my meals with the family here. The house is filled with original furnishings. There was a definite sense of connection to the past. English was the main language, but it was always mixed with Spanish, especially with the younger generations who were at the ranch for the summer weeks. Several university students serve as guides and take turns at the family table. Mealtimes provided a unique experience to share stories and experiences.

Below are farm buildings which are maintained to exhibit original machinery and boats.

Natalie Goodall is a distinguished scholar and scientist. She has created a museum on the property which exhibits Yahgan artifacts and examples of the flora and fauna, including skeletons of marine mammals and birds. All the exhibits were discovered on the estancia. Her husband, Tommy Goodall, is a great-grandson of Thomas Bridges. They were gracious and fascinating hosts. It was a pleasure to share their table.

After breakfast I toured the museum until Natalie called for me in the farm jeep to visit the archeology digs on the ranch. Ernesto Piana is the Argentine expert on Yahgan history. His students were enthusiastic and dedicated to their work, which can only be described as looking for needles in a haystack. They are looking for any signs of any artifacts in the middens that are so common in the area.

As we were talking with Dr. Piana, a student found a stone with chipping marks. Here she is taking measurements.

A second dig was further east, at Cambeceres, where Lucas Bridges had built a structure to stay in while caring for livestock.

From the main house looking southeast to the Beagle Channel through Harberton Bay. Cruise ships and tankers regularly pass by. They are only visible for a few minutes before they are hidden by the mountains. This is a magical place.