The roses here are the largest and most beautiful I have ever experienced. The colors vary and you find them planted at the end of the long rows of grape vines, between the sidewalk and the street, poking over the tall fences and between the iron bars that protect every yard. The blossoms can be 6 inches across or a flurry of small deeply colored buds, and the smell brings me back to my back yard growing up, which was ringed in roses.
The wine surrounds us. The vines go as far as you can see up the valley and onto the hillside. Looks like the hair of mother earth has been braided in cornrows in a neatly interlingual pattern. Every store has a section of wine for sale, the largest section in the Lider which is Walmart. We have visited vineyards and done tastings, each one distinctly different than the next. The small proud vineyards boast of the many generations of family who have lived on the land.
Beef easily could be a part of this title. Now in the south there are more cattle and dairy cows. We passed a heavily protected Nestles plant. Then noticed the farms and dairies along the way all displayed a Nestles sign, like a cooperative.
We are now in Puerto Oclay. Best known for the cake shops that have a strong German tradition and of course Kuchen that amazing pudding cake with a bottom layer of sponge cake then a custard with fresh fruit and topped with a strudel…Fruit eggs and milk a healthy breakfast.
This small town is on the edge of a very large lake Largo Llanquihue. It is about 150 km around it so you can not see the far shore, the wind creates breakers in the water. Most outstanding is the Volcano Osorno which rises above it. This magnificent snow covered volcano is so pure white at the top and rises from the rolling hills and plains. We can see 3 other volcanos from here as well.
While biking from the town of Osorno to here we saw evidence of the damage that was done by the 2015 earthquakes. Some bridges are now just being replaced while the broken one is in pieces in the river next to it. The 4lane bridge looked like a toy that had been stepped on.
Biking has been hard as we expected it to be. The roads when paved are fairly good but the climbs are steep and long. We had a day that was spent mostly on dirt, deep gravel, river rock covered and generally bad roads… it makes us appreciate the good days. We have been lucky to only have one wet and cold ride.
Food in general is good. We can drink water from the tap, find bread and ham everywhere. Breakfast is coffee (from instant) warm milk, 4 slices of toast and sliced ham and cheese or a grilled cheese sandwich. The juices are flavorful and we have our share in the evenings sometimes with Rum. Pastry shops are in every town and every store sell pan the flat round breads, there are yeast raised breads available in the larger stores. Bread is the main stay of the diet with icecream the second most food we see available in the parks and town squares. It seems everyone is always eating something. This is not a thin population especially the children who mostly seem a little pudgy. We notice in restaurants soda is served to everyone in the family.
We spent some time on two beaches and they are not what we expected. The black sand is beautiful and the pacific is constantly crashing into the shore. The wind however is cold off the water. Most people rent open tents like a lean-to which blocks the wind and few are in the cold water past their knees. The boardwalks are full of food vendors and lots of midway games and trinket vendors. We see no drinking on the beach.
In restaurants the salads are large and come with peeled tomatoes shredded carrots, steamed broccoli and usually corn in neat piles. On the side is oil and lemon juice and white vinegar. Cooked vegetables are not usually offered but fried potatoes can be with every meal.
A few quick observations
Generally this is one of the cleanest countries we have traveled to
Kids do not care how cold the water is they will stay in until they are blue and chattering.
Little boys everywhere love playing with rocks
There are more people of all ages on bikes here, an accepted mode of travel in both the cities and in the country.
Uber Eats is a delivery service in Santiago the deliver by bike with a hotbox back back on.
We see hundreds of tee shirts with English words and sayings and some not exactly a good translation of a saying but never anything in Spanish.
Graffiti is like artwork here, spray paint murals are amazing.
We have not been chased by dogs and friendly dogs approach for a pet when you sit in the park.
That’s all for now
Bruce and MaryLou
