From sea lions to snakes, we saw everything in southern Chile.

Back from our first trip outside of Santiago! Steph, Laura and I took a night bus down south to Valdivia where we (accidentally) stayed in a really nice hostel for the first night, thinking it was actually a lot cheaper than it was. It did provide us a nice opportunity to rest, which was much needed after the 10-hour night bus ride down there. Upon arriving in Valdivia we were able to see the famous Mercado Fluvial, which is a market that boasts and smells of a lot of fresh fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, and even cowboy hats and some used books. We then hopped a quick bus to Niebla, where we heard there was a beach. We dressed in our swimsuit attire but by the time we got there we saw nothing but a seasonal fair with lots of food and crafts (similar to the Cow Chip Throw in Sauk City), and a rocky parking lot jutting out over the water that was the closest thing to a beach we could find. We made the best of the situation and mingled with the locals, tried some empanadas with camarones (a.k.a. oysters) and spent a good chunk of time laughing and enjoying la vida.
After wandering around Niebla, we came back to Valdivia and spent a few hours lounging and recharging in our riverfront room until dinner. We then went to Restaurante Flotante Rio de la Luna, which was a boat-turned-restaurant hosting a wide variety of fresh catches as their main dishes. The food and service were excellent and we could even feel the boat move as a bigger ship passed by, as well as hear the huge, barking sea lions that seek refuge on the docks each night.

The next day we went to Cervecería Kunstmann (a local brewery begun by Germans in I
the 1800's) which was the first real tourist attraction we had been to. The prices were a little higher but the German cuisine was fantastic (even though there were no liederhosen). We made sure to order lots of kraut and red cabbage and between the three of us we ordered two main dishes, a pitcher of beer, and were certainly satisfied. We hopped another typically over-crowded bus back into the city, made a new friend named Juan Pablo, watched a volleyball tournament, and then went and hung out in hostel #2, which gave us exactly what we paid for ($6/person). The rooms smelled of stale cigarette smoke, there were burn holes in the blankets, and who knows the last time the sheets were washed. But the dueña was a sweet woman and she was very hospitable in our two very brief encounters.

The next morning we got up and boarded a bus to nearby Pucón, from where we immediately hopped a bus to the nearby national park, Parque Nacional Huerquehue (where-KAY-way). The bus ride was by far the scariest of my life and I was praying Hail Mary's the whole way up. It started at the bottom of a mountain in Pucón and went about 35 miles to a nearby mountain that it literally scaled. I have no idea how this bus driver does it but apparently he goes up and down that mountain four times a day. It is definitely something you would have to experience to truly understand. Nonetheless, we made it to the park in relatively good conditions (the altitude mixed with dehydration had actually gotten to me) and walked about 45 minutes to get to the refugio (hostel #3), where we were praying there would be an open room. Luckily there was! After taking our shoes off at the entryway and working a deal out with the dueña (which included saving $4 by not renting blankets...), we plopped our things down in our room and headed straight for the beach. The sun was warm and felt so good, and at 7:30 it was still up in the sky, shining bright--that is definitely something I could get used to! At 9 pm it is still light out! We basked, napped and relaxed until the time came to start the trek back to the refugio, first stopping by our soon-to-be favorite food stand to pick up some 1800 peso sandwiches (about $3.50).

We had gotten these same sandwiches for lunch (I actually had the famous Chilean completo-a hot dog with tomatoes, guac and mayo-because they were out of meat to make more sandwiches at the time) and now were getting some to take back for dinner as well. We came in, took much needed warm showers and savored our sandwiches while listening to two 60-year-old Canadian couples eating their 4-course meal, taking back glass after glass of vino, and recounting their tales of their 3-month excursions in Chile. Yes, we were a little jealous, but at least we had the included breakfast to look forward to in the morning!

Morning came and the three of us were quite hungry. We were down in the dining area at 8:30 when breakfast was said to begin but things actually started around 9. We were excited for whatever was in store for us after seeing the mouth-watering dinner the night before. Fortunately this was the first place in Chile that did not have instant coffee! They are famous in our travel books for their French Press coffee and it was great. Unfortunately the breakfast consisted of the coffee and a basket of toast (2 pieces each) with 4 varieties of jams. Let's just say we visited our friend Salvador at his stand and picked up some granola bars before we set out on our long hike.

The hike was so beautiful! Starting out gave me an instant natural high and I was filled with excitement. We found out that we had not actually entered the park yet, so we first hiked about a mile or so (uphill!) until we got to the park entrance, and then about 800 meters until the trail began. Although the trail certainly would not

have met the U.S. National Park standards for trail safety (not that I know them, but I am sure they exist), it was all worth it when we got to the first lookout point. We hiked uphill almost the whole way to the lakes, and at a few spots we were fortunate enough to see a whole lake, set in the middle of the mountains, and a giant active volcano in the background. We also saw two beautiful cascadas (waterfalls), some ancient trees, a black sand beach and lakes with views that literally took our breath away. I would give anything to show you what we saw! We then had to begin our descent back so we could catch the bus back to Pucón, and we finally saw our first wild animal in the forest--a snake! It wasn't very big, but hey, it was something. The trails were extremely muddy, which made them slippery, and yes, I took it for the team and fell in the mud, right in front of some strangers. Luckily this kind of thing happens to me often so it did not phase me too much. By the time we got back we had been hiking for about 4 1/2 hours straight, so we decided to get one last lunch from Salvador. We ordered our sandwiches, went and sat down (we knew the drill), and after going to his mom's kitchen to place the order, he came back telling us that we had eaten their last three sandwiches! Oh well, at least we were paying customers!

We got back into Pucón, watched the sun set over the lake, drooled over the huge volcano in the distance, and checked out the ritzy restaurants and shops. This town is definitely a lot different than Valdivia (which was mainly a college town with not a lot to offer). There were a LOT of fancy restaurants and shops and it was basically like walking through the Los Angeles of Chile. We took a night bus back to Santiago, had some great seats right next to the baño, and arrived back in the city around 8 am. Overall the trip was a lot of fun, and we learned a lot for the next ones that we plan! We already have a couple in mind and tomorrow our orientation class starts so maybe we will meet some more people to join us! I am really looking forward to what tomorrow has in store--I love Chile!