Chile Chico / Chile

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Chile Chico is a town half way in Patagonia that produces most of the fruit for the country. The town lies on a huge lake and is totally exposed, so it is bloody windy here.

After I updated my blog last time I took the bus from Coyhaique to Puerto Ibanez where I had to take a ferry to Chile Chico. And what a ride it was. I really try to describe it as good as I can but one has to experience it in person to know what it is like. Just sitting in the bus and passing these amazing mountains that are snow covered and so majestic. Passing lakes and waterfalls, small one, big ones and crossing rivers on bridges you think will collapse anytime. And in the bus they are playing South American music. Just like in a movie, but better.

And your mind wanders on how the natives lived here before the Spanish came over; and when the Spanish came over wha did they thought about these mountains and the freezing cold. What about the strange animals, fauna and the never ending mountains. The Andes start in Peru and go all the way south to the bottom of Chile; over 7000 km of mountains and volcanos. Chile alone has over 2000 active volcanos and that is why they have so many earthquakes…..

Well the things you do when traveling through strange countries; think about all sort of things and how it must have been so many years ago. But also on how the people live in these areas today and how happy most of them seem to be.

Anyway, I am digressing. After we arrived in Puerto Ibanez I had to wait for a while until the ship left for the two hour trip to Chile Chico. It was pretty cold so I stayed insight most of the time. But the ship had some good viewing areas so all was good.

In Chile Chico I just walked around and looked for a hotel. One has to do that because the prices vary dramatically; from $60 to $24. Guess where I am staying.

So the rest of the day was spend walking around and just enjoy the little town. Only 5000 people live here but it seems that nobody is living here. The streets are empty…….

During the evening I came across a street parade, again from the different schools in the city it seems. And it was refreshing to see that all the vehicles and costumes were hand made. Lots and lots of work went into them. And while they didn’t look all perfect and glitzy the people had fun. And it was real… Not like the parades in Sydney where hundreds of thousands of dollars are spend to have the best floats. I rather have a small community event where everything is homemade and on the cheap that a parade in Sydney. Feels more real……… And not fake…… If you know what I mean.

Anyway, tomorrow I am off to Argentina. Only way to reach the far south of Chile…… I am looking forward to Argentina, the country we beat at the football world cup. Sux eggs. And that will be even better when I go to Brazil. I am going to buy a German jersey …… LOL

Now a couple of things that you should know when coming to Chile:

1. Beside all the stuff you pack when going away, please pack heaps and heaps of warm stuff. Thermo is best.

2. Always have a roll of toilet in your day pack. Not only when nature calls when you are hiking, but also the cheap hotels don’t supply that stuff. And it is a very uncomfortable situation if you don’t have paper when you need it.

3. Same goes for towels

4. If you buy beer in the supermarket and you don’t have an empty bottle to exchange they charge you between $0.60 and $1. So don’t throw the bottles out. Keep them and return them when buying a new one. (Beer is cheap here so..)

5. Bread is bought by the weight. So never grab some rolls and go straight to the checkout. They will look at you like you are from Mars. Go to one of the weight stations and let it get weight. Same goes for fruit.

6. Beer is as cheap as water. Chilean wine in casts is even cheaper and very good.

7. If you travel off season a lot of the tours don’t operate and the ones that do have a minimum of two people they need for tours. So if you are on your own and don’t find someone on the trip you will have to pay for two. And that is not cheap.

8. Watch where you go and that you have enough cash with you. There are not always ATMs in the towns and you don’t want to be stranded without cash. Bad move

9. Shops open at 10 am to 1.30 pm. Than they close to 3.30 to 7.00

10. Discos and nightclubs are not opening before 12 am. So don’t drink too much before that otherwise you are not going to enjoy them

11. On long bus trips always pack plenty of water and food. Emergency chocolate is a must on hiking trips as well……

12. Weather changes very fast here so ask the locals before you set out on your own.

13. Most buses here have seat allocation so ask for your preferred seat.

14. Washing is done at laundries here and they charge by the weight. NEVER give them your woolen stuff. They will ruin it.

15. Take a sleeping bag with you. I know it takes space but you will need it.

16. Feed the street dogs from time to time. They are poor souls and so adorable and grateful if you feed them.

17. Wherever you go keep in mind what an old diving instructor told me: We take nothing away but pictures and we leave nothing behind but bubbles.

18. Internet is everywhere and wifi is in all hostels.

19. There are hotels (expensive), hostels and backpackers (OK) and cabanas (cheap as as you live in people’s home).

20. Leave your western expectations at home. People here live differently. And enjoy, enjoy, enjoy…..



Ok, that’s it from Dr. Welf. Have a great week and the next you will hear from me will be from Argentina. No idea where from, just how it should be.

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Comments

[Jimbo Baggins]

Feed the dogs
was thinking you were going to say feed them or they will feed on you.

[Welf]

Feed the dogs
No. There are street dogs everywhere and some really good looking ones. But some of them are starving. I rather spends money on feeding dogs than humans...