11/05/09
Finishing off last night in Osorno, our hostel was really comfortable and only 7,000 pesos (about 14.00 bucks). We hit up a supermarket and bought ingredients to make soup, salad, and tacos. (And of course, vino). Turned out we went to bed early in order to get up early and possibly hit up one of Chile's most visited national parks near Osorno. However, this morning we found out that the fishermen were no longer on strike! Therefore we took off to the bus station to buy tickets to Chiloé.
On our way out, we walked through Osorno's main plaza with a sweet fountain and bull statue. We also saw two churches built in the 1500s. Finally, there were several wooden houses still standing from hundreds of years ago that we checked out. We walked through a cemetery, bought our bus tickets, and took off around 1:30 for a 4,000 pesos, 4 hour bus ride and ferry over to the island of Chiloé.
I really like the people I'm traveling with: Hayley, Alison, Cheryl, Brad, Evin, Al, and Jess. We all get along really well and the boys especially are soo funny.
I can't believe how much I've been traveling!: North, south, Chiloé, next week Perú, and soon it'll be December and I'll be in Iquique and maybe Bolivia. I love it so much though. The closer I get to going home the more I miss everyone, but also the more I don't want to leave.
11/06/09
Yesterday night we arrived in Ancud but the bus driver allowed us to stay on until Chepu for 500 more pesos, the city where our hostel is located. The owner of the hostel actually came and picked us up and drove us to the hostel called Chepu Adventures. We settled in, chatted with the owners, explored the vecinity, and then hit the hay. This morening we got up at 7am and took off for a 6 hour hike through the hills and bluffs. It started out with a boat ride over to the part of the island where we trekked. After kilometers of mud up to our knees, hill after hill, running through the ocean, we arrived at a point to see penguins in the FLESH! At that point it was only 11 in the morning. It was necessary that we hiked quickly in order to reach a point as early as possible because sometimes the tide covers the peninsula and its impossible to cross. The water was covering the penninsula but lucky for us it was only a foot deep or so. WE MADE IT! We watched the penguins for a while, took some pictures, and ate some food to rejuvinate. Then we took our time trekking back.
The scenery throughout the whole trek was so beautiful!
After we munched and napped after returning to the hostel, we took off for an asado (BBQ) and ate curanto, the official Chilote dish. Mashed potatoes, beef, chicken, longanisa (sausage thing), and shellfish were all cooked in the ground over rocks and logs underneath giant leaves and sod. It endedup being really god, to our surprise! The French and American couple from our hike in the morning were there too and we all ate the dish with wine. Heading home in the back of a pick up truck, we hit the hay super early, exhausted from the day's trek, and also to prepare ourselves to wake up at 5am.
11/07/09
Just before dawn, around 5am, we put on our layers once again and headed down to the main cabin/office for coffee before throwing on wet pants and water shoes. We geared up and soon found ourselves in kayaks going out against the current down a river just before sunrise. It was sooo beautiful when the sun finally did rise just behind a few clouds that morning. It was so peaceful and quiet in Chepu, Chiloé that it was nearly deafaning.
Alison and I took off in our double kayak and found ourselves very far ahead of everyone. We saw all sorts of birds only found in Chiloé and other peole in our group got to see sea otters. We were out there only until abut 9am. We came back, ate, packed, and took off, yet again, in the back of a pick up truck, to the main road in order to catch a bus to Castro, Chiloé. For 1,000 pesos we made it to Castro around noon and were able to run around, see thefamous palafitos (houses on stilts over water), churches, and downtown. Some of us went shopping, exploring etc. At 3:30 we hpped on another bus headed for Puerto Montt once again in order to commence our journey back to Concepción.
I have really had quite the vacation this past weeka and a half. I loved it, but I also can't wait to get back home to Conce!
I legitimately miss my familia chilena.
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