Posted 6 February 2007
Catching a bus out of Santiago on Saturday was like it must have been at the start of 'Wakes Week' for a northern town in the fifties. There were hundreds of long distance buses leaving for holiday destinations, and many were coming down here to the lakes. We travelled with JAC for 22.2K each for 11 hours in a 36 seater with a breakfast tray, that is to say one down from the most spacious bus here, no places were available on the superior 24 seater. It was more comfortable than we first thought and we both slept OK, but Joan in particular was very tired the next day. We still haven't found our rhythm.
Lican Ray is a hic hill billy town, 'Sandy Lane' writ large for those who know Swansea. This southern area of Chile mostly comprises of wooden houses. Add to that the black (volcanic sand) to add to the depressed feel. The lakes however are large and beautiful surrounded by the remains of volcanoes, but now very green, with lots of trees, weeping willows along the river. The foreshore is well equipped with kids water amusements like plastic kayaks and pedalos. Our hosteria, 18K with breakfast, looks straight out onto the beach and the lake in front and has a lovely garden full of flowers and plum trees behind. The women proprietors, who I presume call themselves Los Angeles de Infaflanquen, (which means beach in Mapuche - the indigenous people of the pre-hispanic era), are probably of Indian descent but speak excellent English having lived in British Columbia. They like many of the town live elsewhere but come here for the holiday trade.
Terry writes that Cataluna is sunny, well so is Lican Ray at times and we both have red faces to prove it. But there is also a continual light moving cloud cover, which means that it is like a really hot British summer day in the sunshine, but the cool breeze makes it less appealing when the sun disappears. We have found an excellent restaurant 'Cabala' and make lunch our main meal - at 3pm! - where we can get a tasty tender steak and egg for 3K, and return at night for delicious 'cakes and ale' which cost as much. Nearby restaurants look as good and no doubt we will try them soon. In fact they are part of the contrast here, for although wooden they are modern and professionally built as opposed to the self builds like our hotel. We walked along the lake shore this morning for several hours and after a while came across a section full of luxurious holiday homes, presumably owned by people from nearby towns. The only disadvantage being that we could not get back off this private stretch of beach.
I was hoping to sun bathe and swim for a few days, but so far I haven't made the plunge - well the effort to walk in, the Chileans seem to have no such problem for they lie out in bathing costumes and stay in the water for simply ages. As in Britain on holidays of old it's better in than out. We are intending to go a great deal further south and certainly hope it isn't going to get much colder before we leave the holiday are of Puerto Montt and the island of Chiloe which is top of Joan's wish list. We are well prepared for it to be very cold down in Patagonia and Antartica, though Cape Horn is not so extreme in Latitude as you might think. Still the area has a reputation for extremes of weather, mainly rain and wind, some say all four seasons occur in 24 hours there! On the other hand it has an equal reputation for outstanding natural beauty.
Catching a bus out of Santiago on Saturday was like it must have been at the start of 'Wakes Week' for a northern town in the fifties. There were hundreds of long distance buses leaving for holiday destinations, and many were coming down here to the lakes. We travelled with JAC for 22.2K each for 11 hours in a 36 seater with a breakfast tray, that is to say one down from the most spacious bus here, no places were available on the superior 24 seater. It was more comfortable than we first thought and we both slept OK, but Joan in particular was very tired the next day. We still haven't found our rhythm.
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| LONG DISTANCE BUS STATION AT NIGHT |
Lican Ray is a hic hill billy town, 'Sandy Lane' writ large for those who know Swansea. This southern area of Chile mostly comprises of wooden houses. Add to that the black (volcanic sand) to add to the depressed feel. The lakes however are large and beautiful surrounded by the remains of volcanoes, but now very green, with lots of trees, weeping willows along the river. The foreshore is well equipped with kids water amusements like plastic kayaks and pedalos. Our hosteria, 18K with breakfast, looks straight out onto the beach and the lake in front and has a lovely garden full of flowers and plum trees behind. The women proprietors, who I presume call themselves Los Angeles de Infaflanquen, (which means beach in Mapuche - the indigenous people of the pre-hispanic era), are probably of Indian descent but speak excellent English having lived in British Columbia. They like many of the town live elsewhere but come here for the holiday trade.
Terry writes that Cataluna is sunny, well so is Lican Ray at times and we both have red faces to prove it. But there is also a continual light moving cloud cover, which means that it is like a really hot British summer day in the sunshine, but the cool breeze makes it less appealing when the sun disappears. We have found an excellent restaurant 'Cabala' and make lunch our main meal - at 3pm! - where we can get a tasty tender steak and egg for 3K, and return at night for delicious 'cakes and ale' which cost as much. Nearby restaurants look as good and no doubt we will try them soon. In fact they are part of the contrast here, for although wooden they are modern and professionally built as opposed to the self builds like our hotel. We walked along the lake shore this morning for several hours and after a while came across a section full of luxurious holiday homes, presumably owned by people from nearby towns. The only disadvantage being that we could not get back off this private stretch of beach.
I was hoping to sun bathe and swim for a few days, but so far I haven't made the plunge - well the effort to walk in, the Chileans seem to have no such problem for they lie out in bathing costumes and stay in the water for simply ages. As in Britain on holidays of old it's better in than out. We are intending to go a great deal further south and certainly hope it isn't going to get much colder before we leave the holiday are of Puerto Montt and the island of Chiloe which is top of Joan's wish list. We are well prepared for it to be very cold down in Patagonia and Antartica, though Cape Horn is not so extreme in Latitude as you might think. Still the area has a reputation for extremes of weather, mainly rain and wind, some say all four seasons occur in 24 hours there! On the other hand it has an equal reputation for outstanding natural beauty.
1 comment:
Hola amigos y saludos de Terry y Chikako. Don't know if you received my e-mail but I am enjoying reading your well writ account. Saw a TV programme on the German speaking region of very South Chile and they did indeed have four seasons in the day. My Mum died on her husband's birthday Jan 12th at 96.5 years , so we gave her a good send off. I have inherited the family bagpipes and all her father's letters from the trenches, he was klled on the Somme. I am making them up in to six booklets for the grandchildren. lBest Wishes Terry
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