Patagonian cruise, circum-Andean drive and a Pacific island hop back

[TomVexille]

That looks yum.

Good thing it's lunch time.

 

[zig]

Looking forward to travelling along RooFlyer.
I'm heading back to Chile for the 3rd time this year, and have Easter Island via Tahiti booked in for next year, so hope to pick up some tips from you

 

[RooFlyer]

So, a couple of old codgers met up in a restaurant in Puerto Montt, Patagonia, Chile ...



(Red wine was sampled.)

 

[RooFlyer]

Meanwhile, back in Santiago ...

The inside of the Catholic Cathedral. Not one of the most spectacular or finest detailed cathedrals I've visited ... but serviceable:




Now, who can resist a funicular? This one goes up a hill next to downtown Santiago. We first turned up on one hot afternoon and the wait would have een maybe 90 mins. Nope! So we came back the next morning for a very short wait.

As usual, its a very steep incline (much steeper at the top than down here at the base) ...



At the top is a statue of the Madonna, and also some Chapel gardens ...




And from the top some fine views of Santiago ... which does have a smog (+ dust) problem, lying in between two mountain ranges.




A smoggy shot of SCL's tallest building ... and something to remember the visit by ... and then a nice view on the way down.

 

[RooFlyer]

One of the things I really wanted to see was the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art (of America). Exhibiting indigenous art from North America down to the southern tip of South America.

To be brutally frank, it disappointed a bit, as the explanations of each exhibit were in small font, in low light, around waist level. Really hard to read, so mostly I didn't't and the significance of each therefore eluded me. Pre Colombian means pre 1500 for a start, and they went back to well over 1,000 years BC. Mostly pottery type artefacts, but fabrics, metal-work and some large objects.

Most of the following I don't know what they are, except for the first, which are figures put over the graves of Mapuche chiefs.








Two of my favourites:




But #1 favourite is this "Not happy, Jan ..." figure.

 

[RooFlyer]

Before we go much further, I have to say something more about food here in Chile. I'd always known Argentina as a place for STEAK! But it seems Chile is right up there. Steakhouses seem to dominate the 'good restaurants', although seafood is also big here, as you'd expect.

We asked the Novotel to recommend us somewhere to go, local, on the second night too, and we got a table at Cuero Vaca (I think that means cow leather).

Fantastic experience. Not much English amongst the waiters, but all good humor and we coped perfectly well. Fantastic setting, on a short 'restaurant strip' in leafy Vitacurra and a nice balmy night.

The menu set the scene, as did the first choice of wine:




Lovely location ...




Entrees of octopus, salmon ceviche ..



My main of STEAK! and a side of sweet corn pie (under a glaze of caramelised sugar)... there were 3 of us, but not all dishes got a picture. Smart to put the name of your place on the plates, these days, eh?




Sorbets and a dessert of something sweet under a shell of meringue.

 

[jeng]

One of the things I really wanted to see was the Museum of Pre-Colombian Art (of America). Exhibiting indigenous art from North America down to the southern tip of South America.

To be brutally frank, it disappointed a bit, as the explanations of each exhibit were in small font, in low light, around waist level. Really hard to read, so mostly I didn't't and the significance of each therefore eluded me. Pre Colombian means pre 1500 for a start, and they went back to well over 1,000 years BC. Mostly pottery type artefacts, but fabrics, metal-work and some large objects.

Most of the following I don't know what they are, except for the first, which are figures put over the graves of Mapuche chiefs.

The museum has a great app that you can download and then scan the QR code and you get an audio of all the information

 

[juddles]

.... Rumour has it that juddles may be lurking by the side of the road somewhere in southern Chile.....

For the record, I do not "lurk". But as a condor in this beautiful continent, I will "swoop" if I suspect lost sheep are loose.....

 

[TomVexille]

So, a couple of old codgers met up in a restaurant in Puerto Montt, Patagonia, Chile ...

I've now met both of you, you're not old

(Red wine was sampled.)

In the name of research of course

For the record, I do not "lurk". But as a condor in this beautiful continent, I will "swoop" if I suspect lost sheep are loose.....

I await your "swoop"

 

[RooFlyer]

A few quick shots before we begin our cruise, where the suspicion is that we'll be without internet for nearly a week :shock:

Coat of Arms of Chile:




The Presidential Palace:




Church of San Francisco, oldest building in the city, from the early 1500s (although rebuilt a few times after earthquakes, especial the tower)





A Spanish guy on a horse ... quite a few of those about the city!

 

[RooFlyer]

Apologies for the absence. We've just done the cruise in Patagonia to the San Rafael glacier and I've posted some pics in the 'Office" thread. But internet was and continues to be elusive, as we continue by road into western Argentina.

Will post where I can but the bulk of the TR will be done after I arrive back home.

Can I leave you with these 2 pics:

One, a flightless duck and a 'swim' of Magellenic Penguinos from Chilean Patagonia.






... and when I come back, food, will feature prominently (unusual!). JohnM and I have just come back from this, in San Carlos de la Bariloche, Patagonian Argentina. Just wow!

 

[RooFlyer]

Quick update while I have some decent internet here in western Argentina.

Finishing off Santiago.







Santiago is good for say 2 to 3 days I think. Lots of history and nice green spaces, but it tends to get a bit repetitive after a while. Great food options. We didn't look far from our hotel and had excellent meals. The metro is good and taxis are metered, and cheap too.

 

[RooFlyer]

JohnM and I had arranged to rent a SUV from Alamo (not all companieds allow vehicles to go to Argentina) , and take it into Argentina after we went south for our Patagonia cruise. Taking the vehicle into Argentina meant getting a 'Permit', plus some Argentine insurance when we picked up the car. We knew that it would take 24hrs to get the permit, but no amount of e-mailing and phoning over the weeks prior yielded exact info on the process: eg would we both have to front up, or could 1 driver do it etc. This was important as I was in Santiago for a few days prior, but we were picking JohnM the day we drove 800km south.

In the end when I arrived I went to the counter and asked direct, and I decided to hire the car 1 day early, so we would be assured of being able to pick up the permit before JohnM arrived and we headed off.

Did that successfully, only to find out when I went to do the paperwork 2 days later, and only then that the permit was e-mailed to me!!! Really annoying that this wasn't mentioned to me when I stood in front of the guy 2 days before, asking how I got the physical permit. Cost us an extra US$100 for the extra day's hire, but thankfully I had the permit printed (7 pages!!) when we picked JohnM up from the airport the next morning. Permit cost US$350, including insurance.

So our happy group of 4 headed south, down the Panamerican Highway (Routa 5 locally). Its an excellent, 2 lane each way highway. Uncrowded for the most part,except at the toll plazas. I think it would have cost us A$120 in tolls for the 800km on day 1. We thought not bad.

Not much in the way of scenery on the way and the weather turned grey and rainy as we headed south.

We had that night at Pucon, a holiday town east off the highway at the foot of the Andes. Unfortunately not much visible.

Volcan Villarrica last blew its top a couple of years ago and unfortunately was hinding behind cloud while we were there




'Monkey Puzzle' trees are endemic here and are fascinating (really )




Dinner was at a local steak-house, well rated on trip advisor: Bovinos Carnes y Vinos ... hopefully you get the idea by the name.




A crisis of no cold Sav Blanc was averted when a bottle miraculously appeared ... and I then had my first experience of Carmenere, and loved it (thanks, JohnM )

 

[RooFlyer]

We left Pucon the next morning under grey skies which followed us for the following week. Back to the Panamerican highway, passing huge streams of Chilean holiday traffic (going the other way, fortunately) and it was a couple of hours to Puerto Montt, a regional capital of about 220,000 people, at the head of the 'fjord land' waterways we were about to go cruising on.

Its not a pretty city, unfortunately; quite dingy in places, very crowded on narrow roads. Lots of potential to do up the waterfront.

But OK for overnight prior to the cruise. WE (my 2 friends, JohnM and myself) had reservations at the 'Grand Pacifico' hotel. A bit tired, but OK, and like nearly all hotel staff we have met, poor English but very happy to try to help, and they usually succeed.

Room was good, but restaurant was just a buffet - avoid if you stay here. The room and the view:



WE (just) got a reservation for Pepe's for dinner - a steak house, rated #1 on Trip Advisor. In pouring rain we arrived, and surprised to find it 'just' a family restaurant. Full of locals just enjoying a Friday night dinner out.



No food shots, sorry, but the menu pages are indicative. STEAK! Check the prices: 10,000 Chilean pesos (written as $10.000) is about A$20.



The wines were superb.



A couple of happy old codgers:

 

[RooFlyer]

Here is the cruise vessel - MV Skorpios II. Family owned from a small, fishing boat start; abt 130 capacity, we had 102 pax; mostly Spanish (only) speakers (incl vast majority of crew); abt 15 English speakers - we 4 Aussies, a very intrepid Kiwi senior lady, 4 Brits, a Bulgarian/Canadian couple and a delightful Swedish family of 4. We had some bow wave company:



JohnM and my cabin (taken on last morning, sorry):




We had a rough-ish crossing of the Gulf of Corcovado; abt 3 hrs exposure to the Pacific Ocean swells, then the next day we stopped at a rather non descript town (with a dock) for a walk around. It had a non-descript church:



The vegetation very lush and green - much like SW Tasmania in fact (Nothofagus dominant). But also fushias were abundant, large and endemic:

 

[TomVexille]

A couple of happy old codgers:

View attachment 92044

Trouble!!

 

[RooFlyer]

Oh, at that stage we hadn't even started!

 

[RooFlyer]

The second night of the cruise we anchored just short of a narrow channel that leads into the San Rafael glacier lagoon.

Just before dawn we motored slowly through the channel to an iceberg carrying lagoon and were presented with the glacier, deep in Patagonia. The weather was overcast, but the rain held off.




Although it was disappointing at first about the weather, we soon believed what the crew told us, that overcast weather accentuates the incredible colours of the glacier and icebergs. We went for a close look in a couple of large run-abouts.

 

[Steady]

Beautiful colours / photos

 

[craven morehead]

Whoops I missed the start ........