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Castro, Valdivia & Pucón, Chile20 Jan 2007
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Local fishing boats
One of many churches in Chiloé
Traditional houses on stilts in Castro
| We took a flight south from La Serena in order to explore Chile's lake district. Our first stop was the Island of Chiloé which was described by our guide book as 'lost in time'. We stayed in the small town of Castro and spent our time wandering around the streets taking in the surroundings and local characters. Castro is one of the only places where traditional 'palafitos' houses (on stilts) still exist. They are painted in bright colours and make for very picturesque views and great photos. We also found a little market to meander around and a great restaurant to sample the local seafood which Chiloé is famous for. We headed north to the university town of Valdivia where the highlight was (surprisingly) a visit to the local fish market. The market is located on the edge of the river and sells freshly caught fish to the locals. What made it unusual was the fact that a group of canny sea lions have discovered it and swim up river from the sea every day in order to gorge themselves on the scraps that are thrown into the river - they aren't stupid, it's much easier than having to go fishing themselves! Next stop was the town of Pucón which sits on the edge of a crystal clear lake in the shadow of Vocano Villarica. It is probably the most touristy of all the places we visited in Chile but that had its benefits - namely a plethora of restaurants to choose from and ease in communicating with the locals! The views of the volcano and surrounding mountains were stunning from every street corner and we spent our time relaxing by the lake and meandering around the streets. |
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