Hello from Puerto Montt Chile.

Tomorrow I head south, first to see the island of Chiloe and then on to who knows where... island hopping by ferry and bus down the archipelago. But, we need to pick up the tale where we left it on leave Easter Island. 

6-9 January 2006 Santiago Chile 

The flight back from Rapa Nui left the islands at 14:00 and took a half hour less time than going. The two hour time difference with the mainland meant we arrived in Santiago at 20:00. The plane returned to Santiago only half full so no need to spar with a seat mate for the adjacent arm rest. Even the salmon entree complete with a delicate cheese sauce served by a gracious stewardess exceeded my expectations based on the packed flight getting to the islands. A personal television system mounted on the back of the seat in front of mine with a rich selection of entertainment made the four and a half hours pass quickly. Had this arrangement been available on the flight to the islands; my whole experience there might have been different, a sobering realization as I reflect on my Buddhist vows.   

Rereading the  previous dispatch about Rapa Nui I am aware it reflects a lot of personal hostility. On further consideration I realize neither the people nor infrastructure are any worse than many I've visited and certainly a lot better than some. If you truly are curious about the migration of humanity throughout Polynesia or the enigmatic demise of the Easter Island civilization, I would not discourage you from planning a visit. 

The Santiago airport bus to the center of the city is operated by the excellent Tur Bus Company and goes directly to the central Tur Bus Terminal. There, the company operates a convenient $49 Tur Express Hotel right in the terminal building with free Internet access in the hotel lobby. My backlog of email and unfinished postcards has grown daunting. With great anticipation I looked forward to spending a few nights there before continuing my trip south toward the exciting archipelago of southern Chile. 

Chile has surprised me in many ways. For example, foreigners are never charged a sales tax for anything. Chileans pay a whopping 20% tax on hotel bills, but Gringos are spared that particular pain. That means we always get an automatic discount from the posted rack rates at hotels. Sale prices for anything in pesos means change is often a tiny amount. Something worth about a dollar priced at $C497 pesos means the cashier will ask something like (in Spanish, of course) "Would you like to donate the 3 peso change to Hogar de Cristo?" All those tiny contributions must add up to a sizable amount and all I've seen go to one religious organization or another. 

My Spanish has improved so much I have been able to flirt with the more intelligent young girls who seem fascinated by my white beard. On several occasions patient professionals and I have had quite involved conversations about social or political issues. I'm always amazed by people who obviously understand my struggling use of the language. However, some people insist on speaking fast and without pauses. I have now learned to listen patiently, deducing from the situation what they must have said and then responding in equally fast paced English my relevant response as they stare at me bewildered. I figure on the off chance they do speak good English we will have a conversation and in the more likely circumstance they don't, they will understand language will not be our primary mode of communication. The strategy usually leads to some jolly good fun as they stammer something like "me no speak anglish!" After that I'll do my often practiced careful rendition of "I also speak little of your language, so please speak slowly and with simple words." Boy, do they look relieved at hearing my Spanish response! During my early attempts at communication with almost no Spanish I remember being totally flabbergasted, sputtering nonsense and watching others expressions turn to exasperation. 

Chillan Chile 

9-11 January 206: A six hour deluxe bus trip down the Panamerican Highway through mile after mile of tree farms got me to the small town of Chillan about 400 kilometers south of Santiago. Toll booths along the Panamerican highway stop vehicles about every hour or so and extract fees ranging from $1.40 to $3.20; buses pay double. Chillan is an orderly community where  people live their lives at a considerably slower pace than those in Santiago. Rarely did I get jostled in the busy commercial areas. During my few days wandering around the city I saw not a single beggar!  The city suffered enormous casualties in January 1939 when a major earthquake destroyed the city. As many as 36,000 people were killed. To commemorate the disaster a monument in the shape of a 36 meter tall crucifix was erected next to the cathedral on the Plaza de Armas. 

In addition to several modern shopping centers, there is a block long pedestrian mall and numerous producers markets near the center selling fresh produce or meats. Some blocks contain stores restricting their merchandise to a single product line: hardware in this block, auto supplies in this or shoes in another. It occurred to me what an eminently sensible arrangement for people who like to comparison shop. No need to jump in your car and drive all over town to visit several stores. Going anywhere in the city means starting off in a single direction. Within five blocks of the Plaza de Armas all streets are one way.  

I am on my way to Puerto Montt at the northern end of the extensive Chilean archipelago in the south. Stopping at a couple small cities along the way broke the long trip into several shorter ones and provided opportunities to see a bit more of the country. From Puerto Montt I will go island hopping for what promises to be my most challenging adventure so far. The guide books do not recommend the most arduous treks for the faint hearted or physically unfit. There is the possibility of a visit to Antarctica as well, should the timing prove favorable. Photos taken while in Chillan are here. 

11-12 January 2006 Valdivia Chile 

After the two nights in Chillan, another six hour bus ride got me down to Valdivia further south. Called the City of Rivers  because it is surrounded by several major rivers, Valdivia turned out to be full of surprises, not all pleasant. Pouring rain made my initial walking search for a decent hotel soggy. The small town folks patiently waited out the heavier downpours in doorways, hurrying on between showers unperturbed. The only good lodge in the city center turned out to be fully booked. Daunted, I finally grabbed a dingy overpriced $40 room in the Hostel Esmeralda near the colorful riverfront as twilight approached. Peeling wallpaper and a tiny bathroom so cramped and dirty I decided to forgo a shower, I slept in my clothes. This is a place other back-packer travel writers described as "cozy, homey."  

The history of Valdivia is not all tranquility. At 3.40pm on 22 May 1960 it was hit by the strongest earthquake ever recorded. The earthquake measured 9.5 on the Richter Scale.  Most of the buildings in the city were destroyed by the earth's movements or by the devastating tsunamis that followed. 

A few photos taken while in Valdivia Chile are in the Puerto Montt album here. 

12-18 January 2006 Puerto Montt Chile, 

Since my last Easter Island postcard I have been on my way to Puerto Montt at the northern end of the Chilean archipelago. First the return to Santiago, then a two night stint in Chillan followed by a one night stop over in Valdivia. Puerto Mont is even more delightful than I recall from my visit fifteen years ago, albeit dramatically more developed and unseasonably cold for this time of year. It is the middle of their summer! The old fisherman's wharf area is still much as I remember it, but further to the east is a modern new area with a lot of major construction projects underway. It is the best of both worlds as far as I am concerned.  

This is the start of the main tourist season in much of Latin America. The tower that houses my $82 Holiday Inn Express hotel on the 7th to 11th floors also contains the huge Mall Costanera shopping center; most convenient. The Full Fresh Supermarket in the mall features an imaginative deli where I learned to select excellent lunches during my stay. The fisherman's wharf and adjacent mom-and-pop restaurants serving delicious sopa de marisco fish soup is about three kilometers away. A good bus system makes the journey simple and fast.  

I've spent a week here planning the most challenging part of my escapee. You may recall my original objective this year to be island hopping down the Chilean archipelago. The first six months segment really has been foreplay with most of the major stops added at the urging of helpful friends. Well, now I'm here and the real fun is soon to begin. In the next postcard I'll add more links to sites that describe what challenges one can expect traveling in this remote part of the world. Photos taken while in Puerto Montt are here. More in a future postcard.

Peace,
Fred Bellomy 

PS: Art, truth and politics. In his video-taped Nobel acceptance speech, Harold Pinter excoriated a 'brutal, scornful and ruthless' United States. After seeing my reference to visiting the home of Chile's renowned poet, Pablo Neruda and knowing of my great anguish over my government's current foreign policies, Gladys Robinson in Santa Barbara California sent me this powerful indictment by the 2005 winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature. In it he quotes an extract from a poem by Pablo Neruda, 'I'm Explaining a Few Things' I recommend it to anyone not grieving for our country. It is important to remember that being a Christian does not guarantee attitudes that promote world peace and justice, something never more important in our leaders than in this age. FB