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Published: January 26th 2010
For many Chileans and Argentinians, the Lake District is their main holiday destination. In winter (June to October) ski resorts open for business. The rest of the year (especially January, the annual holiday month) the region's mountains are trekked and climbed, its lakes are swam in and relieved of their fish. It is easy to see why the Lake District is so popular. For me it is some of the most beautiful scenery in South America. There is something about the mix of lakes and mountains that inspire relaxation. Add snow capped volcanoes into the mix and it is picture postcard perfection.
The Lake District is huge. It straddles the fiercely guarded border of Argentina and Chile. The two countries are not on friendly terms. In one conversation with an Argentinian man, he stated as a fact that "Half of all Chileans are Nazis". To most Argentines, the close relationship between dictator Pinochet and Margaret Thatcher during the Malvinas war is unforgivable (by the way, calling the Islas Malvinas "The Falklands" is a conversation stopper in Argentina). As recently as 25 years ago, there was a heated border dispute between Chile and Argentina in the Lake District.
But of
course the territory wasn't originally Chilean or Argentinian. It belonged to an indigenous group called the Mapuche, which means "people of the land" in their language. There is a great pride that the Mapuche were great warriors. First they fought off the Inca's attempts of domination. They then resisted the Spanish for nearly 300 years. Today, most of the Mapuche live on the Argentinian side of the border, having been forced off their land by the Chilean government. However, the Mapuche influence is still present in many of the place names all over the Lake District. For example, Esquel - the town where we first entered the Lake District - means "bog" in Mapuche.
Over the next few weeks we crossed into Chile and back over and again through the Lake District, seven times in total on this trip. I'm sure in some immigration office somewhere our names are viewed with great suspicion.
On the Chilean side we caught a ferry in Chaiten. We stopped in the town before reaching the dock - a strange and eerie half hour. Chaiten was destroyed by a volcano the previous year and the town was entirely evacuated. It remains so today,
a ghost town smothered in ash and mud. A stark reminder that volcanoes are powerful destructive forces of nature, not just a scenic backdrop.
The ferry took us to the island of Chiloe (not exactly the Lake District but right next door). We were both really surprised that an island on the coast of Chile could be a mirror image of the Emerald Isle. Fields and hills of greens and yellows and browns. Cows, sheep and horses grazing the lush grass. The flowers, heathers, hedges and even the smell of cut grass triggered memories of home.
Back in the Lake District proper, we visited locations that have filled an entire file in my brain under the letter ´S´ for spectacular: Stony hidden coves around Lake Calafquen in the village of Lican Ray; the incredible view of the perfect cone-shaped Volcano Osorno from the lovely town of Puerto Varas; the outdoor religious sculptures in Junin de los Andes, a mix of Mapuche and modern art; trekking amongst Monkey Puzzle trees in Huerquehue National Park; sunset in Villarrica next to a smoking volcano; the most impressive border crossing yet at the foot of Volcano Lanin.
To end our time
in the Lake District, we followed the ´Ruta de los Siete Lagos´ (route of the seven lakes) from San Martin de los Andes to Bariloche, the chocolate capital of Argentina, just in time for Christmas. Perfect timing or good planning?!
From James
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Gay Hoban
non-member comment
Lake District
Great!