Photo of the Week – Santiago’s Fresh Seafood at the Mercado Central

23 August 2012 by Raul 4 Comments

I loved spending a year in Santiago, Chile with the Andes as a majestic backdrop and in a country that offers so many beautiful landscapes from deserts in the north to fjords in the south.

One of my favorite places in Santiago is the Mercado Central where one cannot only shop for fresh seafood but, actually, sit down and have some lunch on said seafood, accompanied, of course, with a nice Chilean white wine.

But don’t only stop to eat. Walk around and check out the colorful – and slightly smelly – stands!

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: Canon EOS Rebel, Chile, market, Mercado Central, photo, Santiago, seafood

Photo of the Week – The Grandiose Andes

25 October 2011 by Raul 1 Comment

The Himalayas sound remote and far away? Well, the Andes are ALMOST as tall and with spectacular views too.

The Andes viewed from the plane on a trip from Mendoza, Argentina to Santiago, Chile

I dream of the Andes

You can take a VERY short flight from Santiago, Chile to Mendoza, Argentina (for peanuts if you buy the ticket in Chile) and you get this impressive view. I fell in love with the view in 1991 and it took 19 yrs to see it again. But I did. God’s wonderful work on display!

Filed Under: Argentina, Chile, South America, Special Photos Tagged With: Andes, argentina, Chile, mountain, photo, view from plane

A Propos of Earthquakes

27 August 2011 by Raul Leave a Comment

As I have written elsewhere in this blog, I missed the Chile earthquake of Feb 2010 by a day and a half. How lucky of me! Our company did not allow us to return for 3 weeks and in those 3 weeks the more powerful aftershocks took place so I also missed those mercifully since I was staying usually at floor 20 and above at the Santiago Marriott during my stay in Santiago… I did experience a few smaller aftershocks most of which I was too busy/carried away with work to realize they were taking place except people would point it out.

This week’s Virginia quake, therefore, took me back to Chile and even my childhood in Puerto Rico where we did experience quakes like the one that just struck Virginia this past week. I knew what to do, I knew to worry but not panic, etc. But what I had forgotten was the rumble of the building as it shook – it is an eerie sound and many a person in Chile told me that was the worst part of the very long earthquake in February, more than the shaking itself.

Here are some of my pix from the damage in Santiago… Worth saying that these are only from the Centro. I did not see or capture damage outside of that area (I wasn’t hunting for it, most of these were near work!). Also, it is worth noting that these buildings are old and built before serious earthquake-safety codes were developed and implemented. Newer structures fared better.

Filed Under: Chile, Random Thoughts..., South America Tagged With: Chile, earthquake, Virginia

Photos of the Week – Sights of Chile

13 August 2011 by Raul Leave a Comment

I loved Chile from a 3-month stint there 20 yrs ago before I went back in Dec 2009. I have written about what I saw, did and felt in other entries in my blog so I won’t repeat myself, but I continue to long to go back even after spending all of 2010 in Chile… Why? Well, take a look below and read my other entries about Chile (https://ilivetotravel.me/tag/chile/)

Lagunas Altiplánicas in the Atacama Desert in northern Chile

Near the Lagunas Altiplánicas

Tourists REALLY enjoying the Torres del Paine scenery

In Punta Arenas

North of Puerto Natales in Chile’s Patagonia

Near the Salar de Atacama in the Atacama desert

Fonicular and stairs in Valparaiso, Chile

The hills of Valparaiso! Steps and foniculars!

Skiing in Valle Nevado outside of Santiago, Chile

Skiing in Valle Nevado right outside Santiago

Great summary of the juxtaposition of old and new in Santiago: the Cathedral and a building across the street

Scenery from the Cueva del Milodón in the Chilean Patagonia

Saving the best for last… What I really miss is seeing this just about every day I was in Santiago…

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: Atacama, Chile, Lagunas Altiplanicas, Patagonia, photo, Punta Arenas, Santiago, ski, torres del paine, tourism, travel, Valle Nevado, Valparaiso

On the List for a Future Trip to Patagonia

29 July 2011 by Raul Leave a Comment

Reminiscing about my trip to Patagonia and the southern tip of the Americas, I think about what I didn’t get to see… Somehow, 7 months later, Patagonia’s grasp on my mind and my spirit is still very strong. I don’t know if it is the remoteness, the “unspoiltness” (though there is tourism there), the closer-to-how-it-used-be, or just a magnificent nature landscape. But Patagonia has got hold of me. I long to return. I’d thought I’d write down those things I would have liked to have time for in case I can go back again – then all I would have to do is look up this entry and, voilá, my travel plans are ready! And perhaps help a fellow traveler or dream-of-traveler…

Towards the top of the list is that I never actually made it to Tierra del Fuego proper. I thought I was going to TdF by going to Punta Arenas but it turns out TdF is the island across the Straits of Magellan from Punta Arenas and my itinerary had me going NORTH and SOUTH of Punta Arenas but not EAST… Now, I am not sure what I would have seen there that would have been worth the trip but, definitely, I would have liked to explore it. (The thought that I went SOUTH of Punta Arenas but didn’t make it to TdF is somehow mindboggling, n’est-ce pas?)

Oway, penguins, pingüinos, Chile, Patagonia, nature, beauty, Canon EOS Rebel

Penguins in Otway, on the way to Puerto Natales from Punta Arenas

In TdF, Ushuaia would have been the thing I wanted to see the most. A few travelers told me that it was way more beautiful than Punta Arenas and I can imagine that it would be as Punta Arenas as a town was not necessarily scenic nor quaint for the most part.

While I got to navigate a fjord near Puerto Natales and saw plenty of lakes and a couple of glaciers, I would have liked to go further west and north of the area navigating fjords up the Chilean coast. THAT would be a dream. Going to TdF would be about checking it off. Going to Ushuaia would be special. But spending time up and down all those fjords… well, that would be like something.

Puerto Natales, Patagonia, Chile, fjords, lakes, mountains, nature, beauty, Canon EOS Rebel

View of the waterfront in Puerto Natales

And, while at it, a cruise through the southern/eastern side of the Straits of Magellan all the way down to Cabo de Hornos would have been a cool thing to do – but taking some dramamine along as I hear the waters can be quite choppy (and that may be soft-pedaling the water conditions from the stories other travelers told me…). Lowest in my priorities for this return trip but worth noting.

Finally, I would go back to the nice hotel in between Puerto Natales and Cerro Castillo called Hotel Posada 3 Pasos (http://www.hotel3pasos.cl check it out but don’t DARE tell folks about it!!) and spend a few days in the quiet and the beauty that now I understand to be the essence of Patagonia. This would be my TOP priority if I go back…

View from the grounds of Hotel 3 Pasos

Filed Under: Chile, Patagonia, South America Tagged With: Chile, Patagonia, Punta Arenas, Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia

Discovering Santiago de Chile – Highlights

9 July 2011 by Raul 10 Comments

Santiago de Chile may be, as Chileans themselves could be thought to be, understated; but the city -again like Chileans- has a wealth and depth that you may miss initially if you don’t look for it!

Santiago likely offers many places to stay in every budget range so I will leave that part to other websites. What is harder to get from a hotel/accommodation website is the various parts of town. Life is very different in Santiago depending on which sector you stay at. The closer to the mountains, the less traditional things get and the more U.S.-like (if that is a fair comparison which it may not be). For example, the eastern suburbs sport the fancier and more standard malls, like Parque Arauco (expensive but an interesting place to hang out on weekend afternoons people-watching!). I stayed next to Parque Arauco at the Santiago Marriott which offered incredible views of the Andes. My favorite rooms were high up (earthquakes aside!) and facing the Andes. But I never said no to a corner suite facing elsewhere 😉

Office buildings near Parque Arauco

The Centro – The Old Heart of Santiago

The closer to the centro, the more colorful and traditional the city becomes. The centro will tend to be of more interest to someone wanting to explore and get to understand how Chile is unique and how Santiago evolved over time. No matter which end of town you enjoy more (notice “north” and “south” did not enter this discussion), one thing you can be certain of is that the majestic Andes will be your faithful compass as you move around the city…

The centro is the only area in Santiago that suffered to any significant extent during the February 2010 earthquake (which I missed by one and a half days, something I am VERY thankful about!). The structures in the centro are old and pre-date, by a good bit, the great building code currently in place (which likely saved countless lives in this earthquake – following rules pays off; other countries need to learn from Chile…).

Santiago offers some really interesting sights, starting from the imposing like Cerro San Cristóbal which one can visit by taking a funicular or by hiking it. The views of the city from there are unparalleled. But, to me, the best part of Santiago is the part that you walk around and discover on your own. West of the centro but still in the centro are very picturesque neighborhoods like Concha y Toro (yes, named like the winery) with old buildings with architecture of the period and also some still bearing the marks of the February 2010 earthquake. Walk around early in the morning when the light is best and bring your camera if you want some really neat shots.

Driving around Santiago’s Interesting Neighborhoods

One Saturday morning, I hired a taxi to drive me around to whatever the driver thought was worth seeing. It was a great way to view Santiago from a local resident’s eyes and gave me many great photo opportunities!

A picturesque neighborhood I discovered this way was Barrio Patronato. An older part of Santiago with lots of life and charm, normally overlooked probably due to being close to the more popular Barrio Bellavista.

Sample architecture in Barrio Patronato in Santiago de Chile

Barrio Patronato architecture

Church near Barrio Patronato

Street scene near Barrio Patronato

Another discovery was the Cementerio General de Santiago, one of the largest in Latin America with over 2M burials and many former presidents!

Statues in front of the Cementario General de Santiago

Mausoleum in the Cementerio General de Santiago

Other parts near the centro, like near the university, are great areas to walk around during the day. Sit down somewhere and watch life go by. Perhaps even chat up a local – I have never been disappointed at the thoughtfulness of their opinions be them political, cultural, or otherwise. In fact, taxi drivers in Chile have helped me understand the events of 1973 much better than any history book as they lived that history.

The Mercado Central

Near the centro is the Mercado Central. This is a place to be observed and discovered with just about all senses.

Walk around the seafood stalls and marvel at the freshness and color of the catch. Stop at one of the local places and have lunch and perhaps a pisco. An experience!

Some unlucky fellas…

Parque de los Dominicos

El Parque de los Domínicos is an arts and crafts market in Santiago on the east side of the city where many artisans still make their crafts and then sell them. It is a historic site and worth seeing (the metro drops you right there on its last stop) even if you can find better bargains elsewhere.

Barrio Bellavista

The Barrio Bellavista district is the home of Pablo Neruda’s home, many artistic murals, nice architecture, and some good eateries. It is also home to Patio Bellavista which felt too forced for me but it may be to your liking as it has a good amount of open dining areas and shops. I prefer to spend the time outside of Patio Bellavista in the neighborhood proper (Santiago Colonial was a good choice for dining).

Food!!!

And that gets me to dining… I had plenty a good meal in Santiago, whether Japón or Osaka for sushi; Cuero Vaca, Don Carlos or Ox for beef; Tiramisu for pizza, etc. I have a whole list and if you are interested, just drop me a note and I can send. Again, lots of local input in building the list and I greatly enjoyed hitting as many of them as possible. Rarely disappointed and plenty of repeat-visits to the ones listed above!

—————————————————————————————————————————————

The question for someone coming to Chile to explore the entire country is how much to spend in Santiago. Yes, it has some very good dining but so do many other cities, so is that what makes it special enough for you to linger longer?

(Photos taken with Canon EOS Rebel)

Filed Under: Chile, Good Eats and Drinks, South America Tagged With: Barrio Bellavista, Barrio Patronato, Canon, Cementerio General, Chile, EOS Rebel, Mercado Central, Parque de los Domínicos, restaurants, Santiago

Photo of the Week – A Colorful Home

8 June 2011 by Raul Leave a Comment

Last December, I finally fulfilled a dream almost 19 years old: to go to Punta Arenas and see the Chilean Patagonia. I have written about the trip already in the blog but I thought this picture merited a Photo of the Week entry of its own. This is a home in Puerto Natales, near the hotel where I stayed and not far from the waterfront. The mix of colors and dominance of the blue of the exterior of the home really caught my eye.

Puerto Natales Home

Note: Though I already posted a picture this week, I decided to just “go crazy” and post more than 1 since I will not be posting in the next two weeks 🙂

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: architecture, Chile, house, Patagonia, Puerto Natales

Best of Chile Itinerary | What to See and Experience

30 March 2011 by Raul 7 Comments

Having traveled a good bit throughout Chile while visiting and working there, I’d like to share a “best of” Chile itinerary. This itinerary of what to see in Chile is geared to those with enough time to do more than a couple of days’ worth of exploring (but not boundless time either….). I elaborate on some of the places mentioned here in other posts in this blog. Therefore, I will not repeat all that content here (true, for example, for the Atacama and Patagonia bits). Now, admittedly, I did not get to see some places I hear are worth exploring, like Valdivia but I did see a good bit!

My time in Chile – or why I can offer a best of Chile itinerary

As background, I spent three months working in Chile in the early post-dictatorship days of the early 1990s, During that stint, I got to travel north AND south of Santiago during my spare time. From the beaches of La Serena to the island and volcano beauties of the area around Puerto Montt and Chiloé.

Then in 2010 I got to return to Chile to work for a year. On that year I ventured further north than I had before to the Atacama Desert. And, equally, further south to Patagonia, in an ever-expanding coverage of my experience of the natural beauty of this South American country. And, it goes without saying, a lot had changed in the country in the time between 1990/91 and 2010!

Not only was it almost twenty years in between (with a major set of economic booms with the liberalized economic model implemented in the 1980s), but also a real evolution. From a timid way of living (from needing to mind curfews and the like during part of that period) to a more free and lively society reveling in the democratic and economic success that is Chile – the Switzerland of South America (or is Switzerland the Chile of Europe perhaps??).

Valley of the Moon, Valle de la Luna, Chile, Atacama, desert, desierto, mountain, color, purple, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

The Valle de la Luna is one of the key sights in the Atacama Desert

The diversity of Chile’s lands

Chile offers a wide range of scenery as it runs a long way in the latitude dimension. Therefore, the climates along the country vary significantly – a climate zone for every preference! The presence of the Andes clearly has a major effect in the climate. It also provides a great backdrop to many of the places you should visit and experience in the country. Heck, sometimes the Andes are not just the backdrop but part of what you will explore! The terrain in Chile varies from coastal plains or cliffs (lush to arid) to the big wall that are the Andes. Fjords, hot deserts, glaciers and islands complete the diversity of landscapes that make up Chile.

View from la Cueva del Milodón in Patagonia

A trip to Chile typically starts of in Santiago (SCL), its capital. However, one can enter the country over land from any of the neighboring countries (that would be Perú, Bolivia or Argentina) in places like the Atacama Desert, Pucón, the lake district, or Patagonia. In terms of flying, from the U.S., a flight to Santiago can be from 9 hours upwards. From Buenos Aires, a little over 2 hours to fly in. And from Europe, well, longer.

Atacama, desert, Chile, vista, view, photo, Canon EOS Rebel

In the Atacama Desert, near the Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon)

My best of Chile itinerary

If you really want to see the range of what Chile has to offer, a good itinerary would include these 7 destinations:

– San Pedro de Atacama and nearby sites of interest like salt lakes, geysers, and moon-like landscapes (4-7 days); a two-hour flight from Santiago plus an hour ride by bus or car

– Pucón and the Villarica area (3-4 days) with volcanoes, fast rivers, lakes and lots of green; I did it on a long 10-11 hour drive – LONG!

– Patagonia/Tierra del Fuego including Torres del Paine National Park, fjords, islands, glaciers, penguins and the like (5-10 days); a direct flight from Santiago would be about 4 hours nonstop; though there are flight that stop in Puerto Montt (without changing planes) that split the flight in half

– Santiago (a city is a city is a city but I find it worth exploring) (2-4 days) with its diversity of food, neighborhoods, nature

– Valparaíso – check out its “elevators” or foniculares and add on nearby Viña del Mar and nearby beaches – though having grown up in the tropics, they don’t rank up there in my book!) (2 days tops, 1 day is doable); a little over an hour drive from Santiago – easy

– Puerto Montt, the Lake District, perhaps even doing the crossing of the lakes to South America’s best known ski resort town in Argentina: San Carlos de Bariloche, and crossing over to the island Chiloé (4-8 days); Puerto Montt is a 2 hour and change flight from Santiago; from Bariloche, one can either turn around and go back to Puerto Montt or fly to Buenos Aires

– Mendoza (OK, this is Argentina but it is almost on Chile and easier to get to from Santiago than from anywhere else!) – wine country is just less than 40 mins away by plane and dirt cheap if you buy the plane ticket from WITHIN Chile (2-3 days). Mendoza is also the gateway for Mount Aconcagua, the tallest mountain outside of the Himalayas, I believe.

Puerto Natales, Chile, Patagonia, Canon EOS Rebel

A typical house in Puerto Natales, the closest town to Torres del Paine

Readers, please feel free to add to the list, comment on the destinations mentioned, or provide other perspectives. Make your suggestions to expand this best of Chile itinerary. I, by no means, saw EVERYTHING Chile has to offer and wish I could say I did. I’d enjoy receiving more reasons to go back!

Pin these images to your travel board, create your own Chile itinerary, and then head to Chile!

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: chile itinerary, chile vacation ideas, exploring chile, lake district, Mendoza, Patagonia, places to visit in Chile, pucon, South America vacation ideas, Tierra del Fuego, what to see in Chile

Going with Serendipity in Chile’s Patagonia

28 December 2010 by Raul 11 Comments

The agency that helped me organize my trip down south to Patagonia created a suggested itinerary based on what I wanted to see. In their itinerary, they had me staying 3 nights in Puerto Natales and 1 night in a place sort of in the middle of nowhere. I would stay at that place the second night of the 4 nights. I wrote to the agency asking for the rationale behind this as I would certainly prefer being in one place so I could unpack once, pack one especially in a year where I think I spent 10% of my time unpacking and packing already…

The answer was sort of OK. It was that the morning after staying in this place for one night I would save 20 mins in the ride over to see the Perito Moreno glacier in Argentina. Oh, and 20 mins the night before as I would get dropped off before the bus got to Puerto Natales. In other words, a total of 40 mins savings by staying further north of Puerto Natales since my travels around that night were north as well. I decided to not argue it as they better knew the lay of the land than myself.

I chose right. Though I was up there to see the well-known sites and sights, I was not aware that I was about to discover a place that for me would showcase some of the best in the beauty of the Chilean Patagonia as well as just a plain and simple quiet setting – something well needed after the last few weeks…

A Lodging Paradise in Patagonia

The Hotel Posada 3 Pasos (http://www.hotel3pasos.cl/) is located on a site where there has been a hotel or inn for most of the time that part of the country has been colonized. Of course, the structure has changed a few times since then. But once one has traveled in the area, one can see that a trail or road likely always existed once the land was colonized and that the location of this place of lodging was well chosen as a place to stop, eat, and sleep.

Looking at this inn’s setting I couldn’t help but feel I was in a special place on this planet – a real paradise of serenity and beauty.

A Building with Charm and Good Food!

The employees told me that many visitors stop on the drive from El Calafate to Puerto Natales or Punta Arenas simply to dine (the food was great! anything with the “vazca” sauce is well worth trying!). The next morning I was pleasantly, no, correction: VERY pleaseantly surprised at the incredible spread they served me for breakfast. I was SO engrossed by it that I forgot to take a picture of the table!! The bakery type of items and the jams were all home made and simply exquisite. I could not eat half of what was offered!

But, of course, food always distracts me… The inn is not the very original one from early 20th century but it is still of a period and style: country! It is charming, with a limited number of rooms, a small bar, a living room with a fireplace (which I am sure is used here year-round in the evenings!), and a dining room area.

Hotel Posada 3 Pasos in Chile's Patagonia

Living Room

Bedroom

The inn is in a very remote area so power is not easily available. At some point late at night, the generator is turned off. One is given a rather powerful battery-powered lamp in case one needs it (like for that middle-of-the-night bathroom run…) so it is not an issue should one want to read, etc. All the rooms have a private bathroom and, likely, a beautiful and serene view.

Gardens and Walking Around

The inn is in a great setting and they maximize how you can experience it. Across the road, there is an area where one can walk to one’s content as far as one wants, even up the hill at the end of the area. The inn also has a nice garden dedicated to the great Chilean poet Gabriela Mistral where I went to town using the micro settings in my camera on flowers, moss, and acorns! Certainly a great way to practice my hobby and also relax and unwind, something I badly needed during this trip.

Finally, I have to say the staff that day was very friendly and wanting to make sure my stay was comfortable and relaxing. I thank them for that!

What Did I Re-Learn?

I have realized over time that sometimes it is better to let things happen rather than have them all planned. This lodging experience drove the point home. Certainly my research would likely lead me to choices that better match what I am looking for in a trip. However, it is impossible for research to uncover it all and leaving space for the random discoveries is just as important. Lesson well learned. I may even get back to Patagonia just to stay at this place but this time for a few days of R&R!

Filed Under: Chile, Good Eats and Drinks, South America Tagged With: Chile, hotel, Patagonia, perito moreno glacier, Puerto Natales

A Long Trip to Get to a Glacier

26 December 2010 by Raul 8 Comments

The first time I heard about the Perito Moreno glacier was back in 1991 when an Argentinian friend mentioned having gone there and it being “espectacular!” as Argentines are prone to say when they like something enough. I finally got to visit it but, in doing my research, I was surprised at its location, well inland in Argentina – I had expected it to be near the ocean closer to Tierra del Fuego.

I had to get to the glacier from Chilean Patagonia which meant a long bus ride from Puerto Natales to El Calafate, the main town right outside the ice fields that give rise to the glacier. It took about 4 hrs or so to get to El Calafate and that included a stop at Argentinian immigrations/customs; faithful to expectations, a slow process and rather rudimentary baggage check with some luggage opened on the road and a sniffing dog walking ON (not around) the open luggage. At that border point, we entered the Santa Cruz province which many say is the personal fiefdom of the presidential couple (now just the wife since he passed away). I am not sure if that is the case or not but the place is certainly vast.

The more one gets away from the border with Chile, the flatter the land becomes. The scenery is impressive but then you get a few hours of that same landscape and I quickly dozed off to make up for the early pickup time (around 7AM).

The bus was full of passengers. Most of them were just getting off in El Calafate which seems to serve as a base for backpackers and other travelers but a few of us stayed on to be taken to the glacier, another 1.5 hrs away. Oh and the bus had its share of people who stank but, mercifully, they were towards the front of the bus and I, being the last one picked up on the road from Puerto Natales, got to sit all the way in the back. I guess the Northern Hemisphere folks in the front of the bus thought that being on vacation meant skipping on those showers for a couple of days. Joy.

So, the bus ride was long and tedious. But what about the main attraction, the glacier? Well, one quickly realizes one is facing a monumental piece of ice! The glacier is almost kissing the peninsula directly across from it. When the “kiss” is “deep”, the glacier splits the water body in front of it in two. I hear this is the only place in the world where that happens. After a few years of the deep kiss, the water level rises on one of the sides of the glacier and pressure builds up such that the kiss is broken up. When I went, there was a very small bridge left between the glacier and the peninsula.

The kiss

The glacier’s front walls are monumentally high. Nothing helps one get this than seeing large boats come close to the glacier for a close-up. The glacier is constantly making noises as it moves and shifts and, every 15 minutes or so, a piece of ice (usually small) would break off and fall in the water making a good deal of noise.

The park has been very nicely prepared for the tourists with recently built walkways meandering down the peninsula’s face. There used to be a concrete path but one clearly sees the difference of being in a nicely built walkway vs. the more rudimentary concrete path that one can still see from the walkway. There are different paths to follow and one can go as far as one wants or stay as close to the carpark as one wants. One can see both “faces” of the glacier from most of the walkways so one doesn’t have to risk missing that falling piece of ice!

Perito Moreno Glacier in Patagonia near El Calafate, Argentina

Great walkways (& lots of stairs!) allow getting close up to the glacier – espectacular, ché!

I feel like something is sneaking up behind me… – portrait of the blogger as a young man

El Calafate was not much of a town but one could do some shopping down the main street. We hear that in winter there is nothing much to do. Our guide told us she read a lot and went ice skating on the part of the lake/bay that freezes. Unfortunately, my time there was limited so I could not discover any hidden gems. I had not budgeted staying a night there (which was probably a good thing) so I hopped back on the bus to ride all the way back to Puerto Natales. But I am happy to report that the bus was mostly empty, and most importantly, free of funny smells 🙂

I have no better way of describing how the vastness and general flatness of the land (it wasn’t 100% flat) that in this image I have of the Patagonian sky: sky in 3-D. Somehow, one gets a sense of multiple layers of clouds as one stares out and scans the sky. Perhaps it is the same anywhere else but I have never noticed this until this trip. I felt validated when later a fellow traveler made the same observation (minus the “3-D” part)…

Patagonia landscape at sunset in Argentina

The long flat road ahead

The vastness of Patagonia

Certainly, the trip from Puerto Natales was way too long for a day trip and, while El Calafate didn’t seem interesting enough for me, spending the night there would have been better for my body. However, I will say get to see Perito Moreno however you have to as it will be worth your while!

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: argentina, El Calafate, Patagonia, perito moreno glacier, Tierra del Fuego

Out and About to Check Out the Torres del Paine!

26 December 2010 by Raul 1 Comment

The Torres del Paine National Park, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, is the main “attraction” in the Chilean Patagonia. Certainly, there is a lot more to explore in the region (Perito Moreno in Argentina, Puerto Natales, penguin colonies, etc.) but nothing seems as well known as this National Park and its centerpiece the mountains that carry the name “Paine”. The picture below will not do them justice but it may ring a bell for some readers (read on… better pictures below!).

Seeing these mountains was the top goal for my trip down south. (For more info about the park, check out http://www.torresdelpaine.com/ingles/index.asp). I wish I had had the time and “knee-health” to do the hike (the famous “W” hike) everyone else does but that was not to be. So I signed up for a driven tour of the park which ended up being a really good way to see more in a limited time window. (I used a Chilean travel agency named Comapa (http://www.comapa.com/en/) – there were about 14 of us in a mid-sized bus – it was very well-organized.) While generally I prefer more “on my own” traveling, one good thing about this type of travel is meeting other folks and this particular day was not exception as I met friendly folks from Brazil and Chile. Sometimes it is not only the sights but the people one meets along the way that make a trip worthwhile!

In any case, the day started by visiting the Cueva del Milodón, a cave carved by a glacier thousands and thousands of years ago and where the remains of a prehistoric type of beast that resembles a bear with a long tail were found. Here is my picture of a milodón (or, I should say, a statue of one).

Cueva del Milodón near Torres del Paine in Chile's Patagonia, north of Puerto Natales

The entrance to la Cueva del Milodón

The visit to the cave involved a nice short hike through one of the most beautiful vistas I have ever seen. Ever.

Vista of Patagonia's majesty from la Cueva del Milodón

Wow. Just wow. No digital enhancement of colors. Wow again.

We proceeded to enter the main part of the park and visiting lake after lake, each beautiful in its own way and most with a view of the Torres themselves. As the day started, there was a cloud-cover on the Torres but over the morning the cover mostly dissipated providing us visitors an almost clear view of the Torres. Since it can be hit or miss, I was worried I may get to see the Torres on the day when they would actually not be visible rending this a rather long distance to go and not see them… But luck was on my side and I was glad for the almost perfect view of the Torres.

Map of the National Park

In any case, we visited Lake Sarmiento, Lake Nordenskjol (beautiful colored water), Lake Pehoé (where we had lunch at a local place sitting on the shore of the lake AND looking straight at the Torres!), Lake Grey and the glacier with the same name (which was way too far from the lake’s edge where we were to enjoy it much; but the short hike to get there was nice), and Lago del Toro. The views were majestic and offered way too many photo opportunities. But the Torres remained wrapped in fog. I kept getting dis-heartened as there is no guarantee that on a given day, the fog clears…

Foggy view of the Torres del Paine

Close up but a little foggy still…

Finally, the fog lifted enough for incredible views as we went further away from the Torres. Incredible land!!!

Amazing photo of Torres del Paine on a beautiful day with Canon EOS Rebel

Glorious!

The visit to the park absolutely met my expectations of the landscape. I only wish I had been able to stay right there at a place with a view of the Torres so I could see them at sunset and sunrise (assuming a clear view) – I can imagine how spectacular the setting must become at those times and with that type of light… Maybe another visit? But I still had more to discover about Patagonia in the next couple of days, including crossing the border to Argentina…

Torres del Paine in Chile's Patagonia with Canon EOS Rebel

Happy traveler!

Pin these images as you plan your trip to Chile!

Filed Under: Chile, South America Tagged With: Chile, Cueva del Milodón, Lake Nordenskjol, Lake Pehoé, Lake Sarmiento, milodón, Patagonia, Puerto Natales, torres del paine

Beginning the Journey into Patagonia: Punta Arenas and Puerto Natales

25 December 2010 by Raul 13 Comments

While Punta Arenas was my entry point to Patagonia (see map for a good visual!), I wasn’t going to spend too much time there – I had places to go in Patagonia! Punta Arenas is known for being very windy but much to my joy, the landing was very smooth.

Final approach before landing in Punta Arenas, Chile

Final approach before finally landing in Punta Arenas!

After a quick lunch at La Luna near the new costanera (“coastal”) avenue (chupe de centolla – a delicious king crab dish) and a failed attempt at using a coffee shop’s wi-fi on Ave. Pedro Montt after buying a coffee (the wi-fi “didn’t” work, something that seems to affect most places in this part of the country who claim to have one…), I walked around town for a couple of hours before I finally left town to head north into the heart of the Chilean Patagonia.

Chupe de centolla (crab dish) in Punta Arenas, Chile

Chupe de centolla. Yum!

Along the waterfront

Cormoranes on the waterfront of Punta Arenas

I made a stop at the penguin colony in Otway (I didn’t know I was going to see penguins right off the waterfront in Punta Arenas!). It was fascinating to walk among all the penguin nests on the shores of this body of water (more enclosed than a bay, but not a lake) – you stay on a slightly elevated walkway to avoid mis-stepping onto a penguin nest.

Penguins in Otway, north of Punta Arenas, Chile

On the way to see the penguins with dark skies in the distance

I was beginning to feel the wind and also be slightly disoriented in terms of direction. In Punta Arenas the water was to the east of the town yet somehow my brain thought it would be south and my many months in Chile would make me expect water to the west of land. Going to Otway, the water was to the west again. But my brain had a hard time processing this as I had not studied a map yet. My driver told me everyone from Chile goes through the same disorientation so I felt better.

Heading to the beach

“I’m sexy and I know it”

At the beach!

Younger penguin testing his strut

From Otway, we went back east to the main road again and headed north the remaining 2.5 hrs or so until we got to Puerto Natales, a small town of perhaps 20k inhabitants that tends to serve as the main launching point to explore the Chilean Patagonia. I am assuming El Calafate may serve a slightly similar purpose on the Argentine Patagonia. Puerto Natales does not have necessarily tons of charm but going to the coastal avenue does provide a 180 degree (plus) view of mountains and water that is very nice.

I stayed at a nice hotel called Aquaterra whose staff was very friendly and helpful even if the rooms were somewhat spartan. The best eating experience in Puerto Natales had to be the highly recommended La Picada de Carlitos. I was expecting to eat meat but the waiter recommended the chupe de centolla and, boy, he was right! It was phenomenal and easily beat the one I had at La Luna in Punta Arenas. Here is what it looked like:

Other than this, the only other thing to call out about Puerto Natales that I saw was some of the architecture and some bright coloring of house facades. I found the town to be charming and a great platform to launch into the rest of Patagonia. The views from its waterfront were beautiful.