Nov 21, 2012 - Week 8 - Pichilemu, Pucon, Valdivia, Puerto Varas (Chile)

Thursday morning we boarded the Pachamama hop on hop off bus for the southern leg of the lake district route. The bus meant we could cover a lot of ground quickly without missing out on the sites along the way and it was a nice break from having to lug our bags around trying to find hostels and waiting for buses. Leaving Santiago there were only 5 of us on the bus plus Tanya our guide and Pedro our driver. The first stop of the day was in Pomaire, a small handicraft village known for it's clay pots. After refueling with empanadas we drove...

May 14, 2012 - Puerto Varas et les volcans

Après Chiloé, nous avons passé 2 jours à Puerto Varas pour observer les volcans. C'est une jolie petite ville au bord du lac Llanquihue qui fut colonisée par les allemands. C'est drôle de se promener dans la rue et de voir plein de panneaux avec des noms allemands. D'ailleurs, notre auberge s’appelait albergue Ellenhaus. Nous sommes allés dans le parc national Vicente Pérez Rosales qui abrite les volcans : Osorno, Puntiagudo, Casablanca et Tronador. A notre arrivée, le ciel était malheureusement très nuageux et nous ne voyions aucun volcan....

Feb 15, 2012 - Puerto Varas

Saturday 4th February Today we were leaving at 8am to catch another bus and arrive in the town of Puerto varas. The journey was about 8 hours. We are all now into the habit of hitting the bus and falling asleep, waking up every now and then to make sure we are still on the road. We arrived into town at 3.30pm and reached our hotel shortly after. Hotel Greco. We have been very spoilt with our accommodation. G adventures have certainly done well here. More to know that we are safe and our belongings will be safe. My room buddy is Richelle,...

Apr 11, 2011 - Monday Puerta Veras

Walked into the town to have a coffee and chocolates and looked around for something to fill the afternoon.......Settled on a visit to Frutillar , another town on Lake Llanquihue. We took a little local bus for the 30 minute journey and arrived at a holiday town which is now almost deserted as it is at the very end of the season. Also it started to rain for the first time om our holiday! However we are a lomg way south so rain is usual. We found an amazing modern theatre building built out into the lake on stilts where we had smoked salmon...

Apr 10, 2011 - Sunday Puerto Veras

We set off to the main town of Puerto Veras with no clear plan except that our host in our B&B suggested that we might like to visist nearby Purto Montt as most places except cafes and restaurants would be closed in PV on a Sunday. We visited the Catholic church in PV - an amazing wooden framed structure protected from the elements by sheets of painted corrugated steel. Had a coffee and huge slice of cake ( German influence in this town which celebrates its German colonial origins)in the company of locals who took their Sunday morning...

Apr 9, 2011 - Saturday Bariloche to Puerto Veras

After a relaxed breakfast we had expected to be picked up at 09.30 but no - an even more relaxed bus crew picked us up at the hotel for the Cruce Andino lake crossing of the Andes mountains at 10.30. We crossed 3 lakes and transferred by bus through dirt track mountain roads at impossible angles to Puerto Veras. The scenery was just wonderful with spectacular volcanoes appearing, white capped above impossibly blue, then green lakes. We had, as company, several American parties with their guides who told them when to stand up and sit down...

Mar 16, 2011 - A wet and windy day

What a change. We awake to rain and wind. The lake has waves big enough to surf. The volcano is completely obliterated by the clouds and rain How lucky were we yesterday. A quiet day. We brave the elements a couple of times. Firstly to lunch and again in the late afternoon looking for a bookstores etc. About half our group went on a day excursion to visit an island, penguins and have a traditional lunch. We had originally planned to go however changed our mind. Glad we did as the boat trip section was impossible and it was a long way just...

Mar 15, 2011 - Farms and Volcanos

Back at the airport and flying to Puerto Montt – a short bus drive to Puerto Varas, a tourist town of 35000 people on a lake called Lago Llanquihue. We drop our bags and head off to the national park to visit the dormant volcano called Osorno of 2625 metres. The weather so clear and the view stunning – yesterday they had torrential rain all day. This particular volcano last erupted some 150 years ago. Chile is an earthquake zone and until the Japanese earthquake held the record of the three worst quakes in recorded history – the highest...

Mar 14, 2011 - Wines and Vineyards.

A day visiting vineyards. Firstly a large commercial vineyard called Concha y Toro – makes Casillero del Diablo wines. Then after lunch at a local restaurant we visit a vineyard that now markets itself as a traditional vineyard using old traditional methods and not additives. We end up purchasing a Muscat for David and a Merlot for me from the smaller vineyard. Can’t make up our mind wether to drink them now or send them home!

Mar 2, 2011 - The end of the Caraterra Austral

The end of the Caraterra Austral, Chaitan then to Chiloe Island to (Castro, Ancud) Camping Libre on Lago Llanquihue.\ About 1300 miles of some of the most beautiful mountains, Lakes, rivers, and Glaciers in the world. 2/22-drove out from the town of Futaleufu and found a great little libre sight on the Rio Azul. Before that we spent a good part of the afternoon at the computer catching up. At a great little restarante called Sur de Andes. As the sun sat the large mountain behind us cleared for a bit to show us the Three fingers of its...

Feb 10, 2011 - Puerto Varas and Volcan Osorno

Puerto Varas is the most modern town in Chile in which we have spent time. It is clean, picturesque, small enough to easily move around in, and conveniently located near some fabulous natural scenery and locations. Volcan Osorno, at 2600 meters high is often comapred to Mt. Fugi; snow covered, conical shape. We hiked up to the snow line, across black lava terrain. It was hot ! Many tourists use the ski area chair lifts to easily gain access to the views; we decided instead to hike. Downhill was easier ! The rapids and cascades at Petrohue...

May 29, 2010 - relax

vandaag een beetje shoppen, nieuwe fleece en handschoenen gekocht want mijn favorite handschoenen zaten in de zak van mijn verdwenen fleece. beetje internetten, boeken geswapt en een beetje gelezen."s avonds zelf gekookt of een poging daartoe gedaan om daarna in een plaatselijke pub nog een paar zeer gevaarlijke drinkspellen aan te leren