Instead of making a web page of my travels after the trip, I hope to maintain this blog on the road. It isn't so easy to do. Every day there are distractions of beautiful scenery and generous and warm people, and an Internet connection is not always reliable. So I will do what I can and hope you all will enjoy the beauty of this land and people that have become my second home.
This trip began, as most do, near the southern city of Puerto Montt, the gateway to the Lake District from here north, and the gateway to Patagonia from here south. My friends Beth and Rusty joined me for several days on their first trip to Latin America. Exclamations of "It's so beautiful" were answered with "That's why we came here!"
We began the adventure in the town of Puerto Varas (population 22,000) just 20 minutes north of Puerto Montt. Compass del Sur is a lovely bed and breakfast near downtown but on a quiet street nearby. Our host Mauricio met us at the airport and was available for two day tours. First we took a trip around Lake Llanquihue by car, an area that was settled from the middle of the 19th century by German families.
The Germans first arrived in 1852, invited by the Chilean government to develop the lands for agriculture. They cleared the forest and planted crops and raised livestock. Their culture is still a major contribution to Chilean life today, the most obvious being the delicious kuchen, or fruit pastries that all Chileans enjoy at tea time. They built their farms around the lake, and the architecture of the homeland is part of the landscape.
A typical house in Frutillar, with our guide Mauricio.
Llanquihue Lake, near Puerto Octay, with a view of Osorno Volcano.
Las Cascadas, near the base of Osorno Volcano
Near Las Cascadas, below Osorno Volcano.
Calbuco Volcano from Lake Llanquihue, near Ensenada.
The next day brought us the opportunity to hike in what I consider the most magical place in the Lake Region of southern Chile. We drove to where the Petrohué River meets the Reloncavi fjord near Ralún, and headed into the forest.
At the end of the road we got out the trekking poles and headed north. The tábanos were fierce. They are large flying bugs, very colorful and rather stupid, as they are easy to avoid. Occasionally one will bite, but that doesn't discourage us. We stopped briefly for a picnic lunch at Cayutue Lake. I had spent a day here with my parents in 1966. My Mom caught the only trout that day. The memories flooded back. This is my next view of the lake, in 2009.
After about 7 miles of easy hiking we arrived at the lake Todos los Santos, on this southern arm called Ensenada Cayutue. Soon a small boat arrived to take us to Petrohué where a vehicle awaited us. I don't know how this tábano got in the view.
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