My Dad and Cindy had decided to use my trip to Chile as an excuse to one: come visit themselves, and two: ensure that I was still alive.
I arrived in Santiago and met them at a very nice hotel they had secured for two nights. I thought I was living in the lap of luxury when the hostel I stayed in had hot water. I forgot what 1st world living was like a little bit. A laundromat down the street helped me rinse some of the stale backpacker smell off. However at this point I think it has leached its way into my pours.
Our first day in Santiago we decided to try the on-off bus tour to get a feel for the large and sprawling metropolis. Sadly Santiago is often plagued by smog, as it sits in a valley between the mountains and the wind cannot push the pollution past the mountains. After all of my mostly quaint towns, with lots of pre-colonial and interesting histories, I was unimpressed by Santiago. I wanted out. Quickly!
We decided to escape south to the Lake Country. A place by description is host to fishing, lakes, fjords, rivers, volcanoes, and national parks to explore, via hiking, boating, rafting, horseback riding, zip-line tours, or mountain climbing. Really how could one go wrong. We booked a flight for the next moring and headed to Pucon.
The city sits with lake Villarica to one side, and the Villarica volcano to the other. Rivers and national parks flank the rest of the surroudning area. The big attraction to the area is Villarica volcano, and active volcano that has some form of erruption close to every 12 years {it was over due}, and constantly smokes. You can chose to hike to the top and look into the crater with the possibilitie of seeing magma. We were all instantly hooked on the idea. We tried to sign up for the excursion on our second day, however sadly the weather had turned and the tour agencies didn't think it was possible. We returned 4 times that day to see if the weather forecast had changed enough to allow us to attempt an accent. After our 4th return they caved and said we would try in the morning. Excited, but realizing we were not adequately prepared, we visited the sporting goods type store to load up on thermals, heavy duty socks, and hats. The company supplies the ice pick, crampons, hiking boots, and water proof shell, however you must bring warm clothes, and all of the food and water for the 7-8 hour hike.
All geared up we arrived the next morning, and drove to the National Park, at the park entrance one of the park rangers came out and informed us that although we had gotten all ready at 5am, the park was closed and to turn around. So although we tried our hardest, no volcano crater to peer into and see bubbling magma.
Instead we did some other great things like hike through the volcanic caves, created by magma traveling underground from a previous erruption over 5000 years ago. Took Cindy zip-lining through the tree tops and over the rivers, and did a great 5 hour hike up into the national park to two lakes hidden in the back country.
Being the big sucker I am, there were always lots of homeless begging dogs, that at the first sign of attention or kindness would follow you around the town rubbing into your legs or bumping your hand for pets and love. I started hoarding my left over food {steak mostly from a massive steak dinner one night}, and doling out food to the starving kind creatures. On our last day in town as we were killing time before having to transfer to the airport, we were wandering the streets. I had not fed any of the dogs yet, but had developed an entourage of puppies that I couldn't help but pet and love, their ribs and hips poking out of their matted fur. Although Raina would be well aware of what sat in my purse, these dogs didnt seem to notice, just wanted a scratch behind the ear. Well one or two dogs, even when not being fed, attracts another one or two dogs. Eventually while Dad, Cindy and I walked down the street we had developed a huge pack of 8 dogs that followed us around, barking at men in suits and police men. These were my type of dogs. It was halarious to watch, but eventually we were causing a ruccus amoungst the locals with our disruptive pack. Some one rode by on a horse and the pack took off to pursue the horse. We did a fast 180, and ducked around a few street corners to lose the group.
We returned to Santiago and had booked a wine tour to again take us from the smoggy city. Happily it had rained the day we returend which had washed the sky clean. Blue skies and a sun revealed the mountains that surround the city that we could not prevously see. We boarded a bus to take us to the Casablanca Valley to visit 3 wineries. The first was Emiliana, an organic winery owned by the largest Chilean wine company Concha de Toro. I really enjoyed Emiliana, listening how they grow the grapes and use organic means to protect their crops. I also thought they had the best wines on the tour. It was fun to start drinking the day away at 930. The Casablanca area specializes in Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir... my least favorite wines, but because Carmenere and Cabernet Sauvignon are also populare Chilean wines, I could easily be placeted.
The trip with my parents flew by, a week seeming go by in only a few hours in retrospect, but it was great and I always enjoy when we go ramble across new contries together.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
San Pedro de Atacama
From the Salar trip I transfered into northern Chile. San Pedro de Atacama is a desert town in near the Bolivian border which attracts tourists to climb the surroudning volcanoes, visit the unusual landscapes, or watch the stars. Because the town in located at a high elevation, and the air is dry and clear, with few clouds in the sky it is one of the leading areas in the world to star gaze at the southern skies. Nasa is one of the very many observatories from countries all over the world that utilizes this area.
As I didn't really count Easter Island as "Chile", I felt like this was my first real Chilean experience. I was excited to finally find serious heat on my running from winter, vacation. It was arid and hot, making me a happy traveler.
San Pedro is a dusty town with few paved roads, causing for dusty gritty feet. 4 main toursits roads make up the hart of the city, lined with multiple tourist agencies all offering the same tour packages. A central square filled with benches shaded under tall peper trees, palms and landscaped bushes provide the home to happily chirping birds. Two cafes make up one side of the square, with small wooden tables and white umbrellas. An od church with white washed adobe walls, and a mud baked roof is currently being restored. Long vines of a plant once grew down from the roof, leaving red lines which looked painted onto the side of the church.
Bikes are the popular method of transportation for locals and gringos alike. Moste hostels, restaurants and stores offer bike rentals to anyone who is interested. Dogs liesafely in the center of dusty strees as cars, although present are not common.
A bohemian feel lines the strees with many of the men with long hair or dreadlocks. The relaxed ambience of a small town with out rush for anything. Another town like Uyuni that seems to have risen out of the dust of the desert as a gringo hub.
I utilized San Pedro as a "re-do" for Salar. A 4am start one morning brought me to watch geyesers blow steam high in the air as the sun rose behind. A thorough lecture ensured that no one left the marked paths at the strange land as the ground can be very unstable, and a few tourists trying to get a closer look had fallen into the geyesers. Surrounded by volcanos and mountains it was a beautiful place to watch the sun streak the sky with pinks, oranges and yellows as it rose above the clouds. Unlike Old Faithful in Yellowstone which blows steam at timed intervals throghout the day, these geyesers are most active at dawn, hence the early morning start.
After the option to swim in the natuarl hot springs, we headed to a small village for a breakfast of empanadas. These are one of my favorite finds when they are done correctly. It is horrendously unhealthy and fabulously delicious. Cheese, meat, or vegetables is wrapped in a pastry shell that is usually made from flour and lard. Then fried to perfection. If you can get it straight out of the oil it is the best. Those who then stick it in a warmer to sit in a store front are usually terrible. In the small village they had fresh goat cheese (which is different than our goat cheese but still awesome} empanadas made to order. I ate two. I am also salivating now as I think about it.
One night I joined a astrological tour to learn about the stars, planets, constillations, and look through a high powered telescope to see the rings of Saturn. I saw Saturn and its rings, but the tour may have boasted a bit more than what it offered. In the tour guide office he showed me a picture of saturn that you could google off the interent with the gas and rings in color and very large. In reality what I saw of Saturn was a white dot in the microscope, about the size of the tip of a blunted pencil, with a visible white ring. It was still much more of Saturn than I have ever seen before, but I laughed when I looked through the telescope. An English translator was supposed to acccompany the tour, but she decided she was too cold and sat inside the car, eating our supplied "snack" of potatoe chips. So although the guide was very passionate and informative on what we were looking at and the different constilations both current and Inca, I missed about 95% of what was happening. The stars however were incredible. Getting outside of the small city with its few street lights made what seemed like a wonderful view of the stars spectacular. It was pitch black where with out a bit of light it was hard to see much in front of you, to looking up and seeing more stars than I beleived was possible. It was wonderful.
My time was short in San Pedro, but a few trips to the beautiful surrounding landscape helped me feel better about my sham of a Salar trip.
As I didn't really count Easter Island as "Chile", I felt like this was my first real Chilean experience. I was excited to finally find serious heat on my running from winter, vacation. It was arid and hot, making me a happy traveler.
San Pedro is a dusty town with few paved roads, causing for dusty gritty feet. 4 main toursits roads make up the hart of the city, lined with multiple tourist agencies all offering the same tour packages. A central square filled with benches shaded under tall peper trees, palms and landscaped bushes provide the home to happily chirping birds. Two cafes make up one side of the square, with small wooden tables and white umbrellas. An od church with white washed adobe walls, and a mud baked roof is currently being restored. Long vines of a plant once grew down from the roof, leaving red lines which looked painted onto the side of the church.
Bikes are the popular method of transportation for locals and gringos alike. Moste hostels, restaurants and stores offer bike rentals to anyone who is interested. Dogs liesafely in the center of dusty strees as cars, although present are not common.
A bohemian feel lines the strees with many of the men with long hair or dreadlocks. The relaxed ambience of a small town with out rush for anything. Another town like Uyuni that seems to have risen out of the dust of the desert as a gringo hub.
I utilized San Pedro as a "re-do" for Salar. A 4am start one morning brought me to watch geyesers blow steam high in the air as the sun rose behind. A thorough lecture ensured that no one left the marked paths at the strange land as the ground can be very unstable, and a few tourists trying to get a closer look had fallen into the geyesers. Surrounded by volcanos and mountains it was a beautiful place to watch the sun streak the sky with pinks, oranges and yellows as it rose above the clouds. Unlike Old Faithful in Yellowstone which blows steam at timed intervals throghout the day, these geyesers are most active at dawn, hence the early morning start.
After the option to swim in the natuarl hot springs, we headed to a small village for a breakfast of empanadas. These are one of my favorite finds when they are done correctly. It is horrendously unhealthy and fabulously delicious. Cheese, meat, or vegetables is wrapped in a pastry shell that is usually made from flour and lard. Then fried to perfection. If you can get it straight out of the oil it is the best. Those who then stick it in a warmer to sit in a store front are usually terrible. In the small village they had fresh goat cheese (which is different than our goat cheese but still awesome} empanadas made to order. I ate two. I am also salivating now as I think about it.
One night I joined a astrological tour to learn about the stars, planets, constillations, and look through a high powered telescope to see the rings of Saturn. I saw Saturn and its rings, but the tour may have boasted a bit more than what it offered. In the tour guide office he showed me a picture of saturn that you could google off the interent with the gas and rings in color and very large. In reality what I saw of Saturn was a white dot in the microscope, about the size of the tip of a blunted pencil, with a visible white ring. It was still much more of Saturn than I have ever seen before, but I laughed when I looked through the telescope. An English translator was supposed to acccompany the tour, but she decided she was too cold and sat inside the car, eating our supplied "snack" of potatoe chips. So although the guide was very passionate and informative on what we were looking at and the different constilations both current and Inca, I missed about 95% of what was happening. The stars however were incredible. Getting outside of the small city with its few street lights made what seemed like a wonderful view of the stars spectacular. It was pitch black where with out a bit of light it was hard to see much in front of you, to looking up and seeing more stars than I beleived was possible. It was wonderful.
My time was short in San Pedro, but a few trips to the beautiful surrounding landscape helped me feel better about my sham of a Salar trip.
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