In the land of fire and ice.

Our drive to the most southern part of the region called Sur Chico took about four hours, mostly on a tollway. It led us to a town called Puerto Varas, yet another lovely place.

Puerto Varas

Puerto Varas sits on the southern end of Lake Llanquihue, a surprisingly large body of water that is flanked on one side by peaks of exceptional beauty, the most distinguished of which is, without a doubt, Volcan Osorno. The latter is a storybook image of what a volcano should look like. If you thought Volcan Villarrica was close to perfect, check this out.

Puerto Varas, much like Pucón, is a sought-after destination for thousands of Chileans and their neighbors; it is abuzz with activity. Restaurants, many of which excellent, abound, as do clothing stores, artisan fairs, wine bars, and the like. We had a superb dinner at a place called La Enoteca. The only drawback is the traffic at this time of year, and the temperature has taken a bit of a dip, falling into the 60s, which make it perfect when the sun is out, but chilly in the shade, or when the wind picks up. Yet, brave souls lie at the beach, and the bravest among them even spend time in the water.

We lucked out having selected a wonderful B&B that is in a rural gated community away from the center of town. The owners are wonderful, lavishing us with welcome drinks of champagne, a charcuterie board, and chocolates for bedtime. They are obviously quite well off. The home is outstanding, full of interesting art and well-decorated large rooms. The one-and-a-half-acre property is also very pleasant, with many flowers to decorate it.

After a good night’s sleep, today we ventured into the surroundings. A beautiful road flanking a river valley led us to Salto del Petrohue, a river with many class 3 and 4 rapids situated at the bottom of the most verdant mountains, with several snow-capped volcanoes adding dramatically to make the place seem magical. It is all part of the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, the oldest in Chile.

We continued on to another lake called Todos Los Santos, also stunningly beautiful and very deep. At the far end of the lake lie mountain peaks that define the border between Chile and Argentina.

Our hosts invited a friend from Spain to watch the campions League game between Real Madrid and Manchester City, and I gladly joined them for the exiting match, while Diane relaxed in the room with her latest book. Another great day.

Volcan Osorno rises dramatically from the shores of Lake Llanquihue

Hasta Mañana friends!