SA Cruise: Day 22

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The ship arrives in Puerto Montt around 8 am and we are tended to shore and on a bus by 9:30. This is a full-day excursion of the city and the surrounding area. The weather is cloudy and rainy but fairly warm at about 15°C.

Puerto Montt, named for a former Chilean president, is an attractive but mostly industrial city of 180,000 people. The big industry in town is salmon farming, which has been going on for about a decade. About four years ago, there was a disease crisis with the fish that caused the complete collapse of the industry, but it is now healthy again. The other interesting thing about the area is that it was originally settled by Germans around 1850, and the various towns retain a certain Teutonic charm. Puerto Montt is literally built up the side of a mountain in a series of large terraces. We ascend to the fourth terrace, the newest, which has thoroughly modern row housing.

Puerto Montt also serves as the gateway to one of Chili's most popular lake district. and in fact our first destination outside the city is the Parque Nacional Vincente Pérez, some 40 minutes away. We drive along a remarkable inland fresh-water lake named Llanquihue that stretches northwest of the city. On the far side of the lake are a series of perfect cone-shaped volcanoes, the largest being Volcán Osorno at 8500 ft. It has not erupted seriously for a hundred years but is still considered active. Its snowy summit is obscured by clouds today but teases us by revealing parts of the central cone through gaps in the clouds.

We stop to visit Petrohué Falls. After a pleasant hike through the woods, we reach the falls, which actually are more a series of picturesque cascades boiling over black volcanic rock laid down by the last eruption.

Our next stop is for lunch at a farm, which is spread over a hillside overlooking the lake and Osorno. The weather is starting to clear and we are able to glimpse the summit of the volcano. A variety of animals are wandering around: llamas, pacos (a type of llama used mostly for its wool), deer, sheep, dogs, geese, even emus. Our lunch features cheese empanadas, local salmon, wine, and a glass of pisco sour, the Chilean national drink, which is made from grappa, lemon juice, sugar and egg whites. Too sweet for my taste but a treat to many. For desset, there is raspberry kuchen, reflecting German origins.

We next drive to the town of Puerto Varas, dubbed the City of Roses, where we have an hour's free time to explore the town's handicraft markets. Violet finds some sweaters made of paco wool to her liking. I head out on my own to explore the town in the limited time available. I visit a huge red-wood church that is apparently a replica of one in Germany. There is a definite Bavarian vibe to the architecture. The town is clearly in expansion mode, with lots of construction under way. Many beautiful homes. I have no doubt that the well-to-do live in Puerto Varas and work in Puerto Montt.

The bus returns to Puerto Montt, this time taking a scenic route around the city. As I described earlier, the city is mostly industrial in character but it is enlivened by the bright colours sported by the homes and other buildings.

Back on the ship, we relax and play bridge. Supper is formal tonight, with surf and turf as the feature item. Excellent. The entertainment is also great, a show featuring operatic/classical-inspired pop music. The finale, for instance, is Ode to Joy.

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Comments

[Rose-Marie Fox]

SA Cruise
Hi David & Violet, David, thank you so much for taking the time to write a most interesting blog on your SA cruise and sharing it with us. What a trip you and Violet are having! You have certainly experienced a variety of landscapes and weather. I thouroughly enjoyed reading all of your descriptions and information on the different countries and places you visited. You have put in a lot of thought and work into this. Thanks again. Rose-Marie Rose-Marie