desiree's Journals

Argh!!! I have actually left this a week now!! So obviously not going to be able to do one of my usual long detailed entries hehe but will do my best to put in the best things:) So left it at last tuesday in Puerto Varas I think. Ok here goes: Tuesday 14th Feb// Started this day before. Didnt do much really.. had a good walk around town and booked our tickets onwards to Chiloe basically. Wednesday 15th Feb// Took a bus to the supposedly enchanting island of Chiloe. Obviously being an island the bus had to board a large ferry to cross over. Very cool as we saw loads of sea lions popping their slender brown heads out of the water. Even saw one completely jump out of the water and dive back in which was cool:) Our first stop in Chiloe was the most populated town of the island called Ancud. It was quite misty when we arrived and started drizzling which Tom wasnt very impressed with. Stayed at a lovely hospedaje though (basically a family's house) called Hospedaje Patricia, the family was really welcoming and they gave us great breakfast:). Made friends with a couple called Roy and Jean who were from England. They were really friendly and gave us loads of great tips on where to eat and where to go to see the penguin colonies etc.. more on that later:) But yea so didnt do much for the rest of the day, had an amazingly cheap dinner which cost about 2 USD, had soup, a gorgeous fish called merluza each with all the sides and our drinks too! Really good:) Had a wander around and saw the last Spanish post in Chile. Not bad, overall the place didnt seem that enchanting tho, oh well! Thursday 16th Feb// Tried to get up early to get the first bus to see the penguin colonies but were too lazy hehe. Got up for the 12 bus. Got off the bus and walked 2.5km to get to this gorgeous beach where we got a cheap tour to see 4 penguin colonies. They were gorgeous:) got to see 2 types of penguin, the humboldt and the magellan. They were so cute and there were just soooo many of them! Saw some live sea otters and some dead stuffed ones on shore (kind of sick). Also got to see the local male Sea Lion called Arturio hehe just lazing in the water. There were loads of gorgeous red legged commorants as well with lovely long slender black necks very cool:) After that had yet another gorgeous cheap meal hehe had salmon this time and tom had sea bass. Sooo good! Then we headed back to the bus stop a bit early so we walked down to a nearby beach which was cool. Friday 17th Feb// Left Ancud today and headed futher south to Castro. Had issues with trying to find accomodation in Castro because they had a festival coming up that weekend so ended up in a tiny room with a tiny bed (the beds were like the singles in the last place we stayed!! supposed to be a double!). Had cable tv randomly tho so un backpacker like we watched lots of tv hehe. Tom and I have decided we love laguna beach hehe know its a bad show but oh well! Wandered around castro and had a look at the Palafitos, which are basically houses on stilts above the lake nearby. Very cool! They dont look very stable though hehe wouldnt want to live in one myself:) Had a look in the Chruch there too. It is a very cool lavender and yellow colour outside. Whilst the inside is all made of gorgous light coloured wood. There is an amazing lifesize crucifix with Jesus on it hung in mid air right above the altar. The church looked especially gorgeous at night when it was all lit up as you couldnt see the worn down paint job outside hehe. Saturday 18th Feb// Spent the most part of the day at the Castro festival in the Parque Municipal. Was very interesting. There were loads of wooden huts selling a variety of wares. Many sold local food but there were a few with handicrafts and such. Tasted one of the local specialties called Chochoca soooooo nice!! Its a kind of flattened potato dough which has been browned over a fire and then sprinkled generously with meat (we had pork I think) and then folded over. Also tasted some of the roasted lamb not bad eitehr:) In one of the huts we were able to watch this dish called curanto (mentioned it before)being cooked in the traditional way. Very interesting as they cook it all under ground! They basically put all the food in this hole in the ground which had loads of smoke coming out of it (obviously from the coals or something) and then they covered it all with leaves then the actual ground itself that they dug up! Everyone seemed to be waiting to have their share of it hehe. Turns out every half our a new batch is cooked and more people can have some! Other than that there was a section with loads of animals, and also a little display of local ghosts and strange monsters. Hopefully will be able to find a place to put up photos soon so you can see them!! argh!We saw a local group of musicians singing songs there too as people danced to their music felt very cultural hehe:) Actually saw Roy and Jean there too! Was interesting hehe:) Lastly about the festival, tried some of the local drink called Chicha which is basically a sour apple drink made from these tiny green apples being crushed. You could actually watch them crush them there! very cool!! Anyways after all that excitement, we headed back to Puerto Montt in the evening as we could only get a bus to bariloche the following morning. We arrived in Puerto Montt quite late and were worried cause I tried to make a booking on the phone for a hostel but obviously hehe weren't sure if my spanish made any sense to them but luckily it was all good! Had a good twin room and everything:) bit noisy and a guy was climbing down the roofing near our window in the middle of the night so I close dour window hehe obviously but other than that was fine:) Sunday 19th Feb// Got up bright and early for our 9:30am bus to Bariloche. Didnt have such a great shower tho as the lights went off half way through hehe and there was no window argh!! Tom met Louise and Thomas from our last Pachamama bus on the way to the shower which was cool! Turns out they decided they wanted to head back into Argentina and were taking the exact same bus! The bus ride took up most of the day as it was an 8 hour ride. Not too bad tho as the views were amazing:) did pass the andes after all hehe. Very different view of the andes from last time tho when we passed through from Mendoza to Santiago. The mountains were very green and foresty and there were loads of massive rock formations, was amazing! Was funny along the way as we had to stop twice for immigration stuff, first to get our exit stamp second to get our visa for argentina. During the second stop we were all called up separately and the immigration officer first shouted out elliott for me hehe followed by a very weak Joyce no desiree tho:) dont know why the have such issues with it! Tom on the other hand was called Red (imagine a very strong spanish accent hehe) followed by Hot Chilli Peppers hehe. Noticed also that at each crossing they always ask me where I am from so I say Ireland as its just easier then they ask me if I am spanish... what is that about? Obviously I look spanish hehe:) Anyways arrived in the bus terminal at abotu 5 so not too bad. Took a taxi into Bariloche with Thomas and Louise as they had no argentine pesos so we thought we'd help them out. Were too nice tho as when we first arrived at the hostel they actually had a preference for we let them take the last room there.. then we had problems trying to find a place ourselves hehe so had to call up a fe places. Luckily got a good deal at this Hosteria Guemes. MOre like a hotel than anything as they clean our rooms everyday and change our towels! Soo good and still cheap! The old couple that owns the place is soo nice as well:) Feel bad cause they keep talking to us in Spanish and cant say anythign back really.. well try but not with much success hehe. So yes taht evening had the most amazing meal ever!! Was kind of our first splurge hehe but was definitely worth it. Went to this restaurant called La Vizcacha and had their house special Bife de chorizo i.e. a sandwich made up of 2 massive new york strip steaks with ham and cheese melted inbetween!!! Heaven! hehe:) Had a bottle of gorgeous red wine as well soo nice! Not that expensive tho not more that 7 USD? I think.. After that we made our way to one of the many shops dedicated solely to chocolate:) hehe. Bought a box of 12 chocolates and totally stuffed ourselves argh!!! There goes operation lose 1/4 body weight!!! Monday 20th Feb// Took it easy today, had yet more bife de chorizo felt soo bad hehe. But just booked a whole load of excursions for the week including a boat tour to Puerto Blest and Paragliding for Sunday this week!! If we do it will depend on whether the weather is good but fingers crossed!!! Right still actually have quite a few days to do but will leave it there for now will continue later this week hopefully!! argh!! hehe:) Bye!!!!

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