Puerto Montt, Chile

"First-time visitors to southern Chile are often surprised by the scenery. Chile's Lake District is a place of powerful beauty. The district, though often neglected on travelers' itineraries, is one of the most gorgeous places on earth. It comprises two Chilean regions: the ninth (La Araucania), and the tenth (Los Lagos, of which Puerto Montt is the capital). The official boundary is the Biobio River. South of the river, earth and water have contrived to produce a series of cerulean lakes to mirror the majestic ice-capped volcanoes and Andes range that guard their seemingly secret existence.

The region is named for its twelve biggest glacially carved lakes. Small rivers and streams link many of them to some of Chile's best freshwater fishing grounds. Six volcanoes line the district's center.

Puerto Montt is the region's largest city. Nearly 700 miles south of Santiago, it is the terminus of the continental portion of the Pan American Highway. German colonists first arrived in the community in 1852, and their influence is apparent at every turn. There is a Bavarian look to many of the homes - ski chalets, shingles, high-pitched roofs and ornate balconies. The wooden churches are a variety of colors, and all quite charming."

(* above is paraphrased from our on-board guide)

So yes, the biggest surprise has been how European the landscape looks! Forests, lakes, rivers. Who knew that a country this far south would feel like such a northern clime? I think most of us feel that if we're going south, it ought to be getting warmer. In fact, many people on this ship apparently forgot to pack warm weather clothes...as if they didn't look at the itinerary and see that it said Antarctica! So I guess I am not the only American who is woefully ignorant of geography. I just have to remember that the latitude numbers equal each other whether they are N or S. I glanced at a book in the library detailing a recent journey by dogsled to the North Pole - the log states: 90' 0" Latitude, 0'0" Longtitude. Pretty amazing to see those numbers as a place where a human being actually stood.

We travelled to the Petrohue Falls in the Ensenada national park. They were tiny, but brilliantly colored blue-green, and have created bizarre shapes in the surrounding basaltic stone by running through the ancient lava flow.

Along the way we drove along the southern shores of Llanquihue Lake, a chilly 65 degrees farenheit. There were loads of people swimming, to my delight. Our guide told us that, "Hey, it's summer here and people like to go to the beach to swim and barbecue. It's a lot colder in winter!" I say, "Hardy people!"

On the far shore we could see Osorno Volcano and behind us, another volcano, both snow-capped.

Earlier in the day I had checked out the local market, supposedly one of the best for Chilean handicrafts in all of Chile. There were lots of knitted articles, Lapis Lazuli, and wooden artifacts. Most amazing to me is that they sell the alpaca yarn in skeins the size of basketballs, by the kilogram!