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Published: February 8th 2010
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European Influence
European influence in Southern Chile is everywhere. January 30 to February 6, 2010
What a difference a week makes. I returned to ship from the “Machu Picchu Experience “ and woke Saturday morning cruising the Chilean coast en route to the Lake District and Chilean fjords. This part of the World is abundant in European influence…quite logical when one remembers that before the Panama Canal opened, this was the shipping lane for goods and people moving between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. It makes sense that many of these travellers would opt to remain in this gentle, abundant part of the world.
First stop was Puerto Monte, Chile where we made a City tour before traveling about thirty miles to visit the village of Fruitiliar located on Lake Llanquihue, South America’s third-largest lake. We visited an open air museum which depicted the early years of German settlement in both Puerto Monte and Fruitiliar.
The next day, Monday February 1, we were in Puerto Chacabuco in Chilean Patagonia. This fishing village of 5000 inhabitants is also home to the Rio Simpson Natural Reserve. The event here was a rainy visit to a rain forest followed by great food, music and folk dancing at a lodge overlooking
Ushuaia, Argentina
Downtown Ushuaia reminds me of an Alaska city. Tourist and sporting goods stores abound. the Reserve.
Cruise ships on extended journeys stop in ports for several different reasons. First (at least from a passenger viewpoint) is to visit the notable spots around the world, provisioning the ship influences stops; politics and scheduling are also contributing factors. Charming though Puerto Chacabuco was, I would guess, put it made the schedule because we needed to be “someplace” for eight hours on this leg of the journey.
Exporting Chilean Salmon is big business here….seemingly the “new and improved” fish since Chilean sea bass is fairly well fished out.
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday we cruised the Chilean fjords, visited some huge, though visibly retreating glaciers and enjoyed sunny gentle days at sea. We have an excellent lecturer on board who is going to have us all expert on the topics of cultural and natural history.
Our last Chilean stop was on Friday in Puenta Arenas. This city of 100,000+ inhabitants is still a significant location for ships making their way through the Strait of Magellan. Two very well done museums and a 150 year old cemetery left no doubt as to what this city had been during its heyday as a shipping capital. It
Fashion Statement
Sheepskin hat from Street Market. Think this will be one of Ophra's Favorite Things next season? was the “new world” to both Eastern and Western European immigrants.
But the BEST part of Puenta Arenas: a street market! Short of a much needed tooth brush and t-shirt purchased in Machu Picchu, shopping as been a little lean the last couple of weeks. I am now the proud owner of a quite fetching sheep skin hat….should come in quite handy in the desert this summer!
Our first Argentina stop is in Ushuaia….labeled by some as “The End of the World”. A penal colony until the middle of the 20th century, today it is home today to extreme winter sports and travelers headed to Antarctica. We boarded the “Ice Captain” here - he will work hand in hand with the ship’s Captain as we spend the next five in and around Antarctic.
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Lenni
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Enjoying your travel blogs
Hi Becky and Dick, It sure sounds like you're enjoying your trip and that makes me happy! I loved Chile and thought it was beautiful. I can't wait to hear more about Antartica. xo...Lenni