Chiloé
Jen wrote this, oh, about 2 1/2 weeks ago, but a few hints from friends and family finally got me off my butt to edit and post it...
Jason
The reality of la Isla de Chiloé is not, perhaps, as magical as the guidebooks would have you believe. At least, not at the first glimpse of Ancud, the chilly and damp harbor town where our bus deposited us after our 3-hour trip from Puerto Varas. A half hour
hike from bus station to hostel took us away from run down houses and fried food shacks and offered in return colorful houses perched on a hillside overlooking the ocean. Once ensconced in our home for the next two nights, it was difficult to leave its warmth. We went out that night for curanto (a traditional shellfish dish made on the island), but otherwise stayed warm and content in the hostel. Its glassed-in porch was the perfect spot for Debbie and I to enjoy our books and the ocean view over a cup of warm tea. Jason sat and petted the house cat for about 4 hours, which made him (actually, both of them) quite happy. I think he misses Marmalade.
The next day we went on a tour of the countryside and offshore penguin colony. This is when Chiloé's reputation started to make sense. Once away from the town, the island is beautiful. Rolling hills spill down into the ocean, and the sky is an almost unrealistic blue. The high
points of the trip were the sculpture "bosque de pesces" (forest of fish) outside of a local school and, of course, the penguins. The penguin colony at Puñihuíl is run by a government sponsored organization charged with the habitat's protection. Before the group took over, penguin tourists and local fishermen were having an extremely negative impact on its heath. Things seem to have found a better balance now, although money for penguin care and research is
still tight. The islands off Chiloé are home to two species of penguins: the Humboldt and the Magellanic -- the only place in the world where two species of penguins nest together. They nest here from October until March, then disappear to parts unknown for the rest of the year.
Our final day in Chiloé started at 6am and ended at 9am, as we caught the first bus off the island. Our next stop was Pucón, and the distance (6 hours) and infrequent bus schedule forced an early start.
Jennifer
Jason
The reality of la Isla de Chiloé is not, perhaps, as magical as the guidebooks would have you believe. At least, not at the first glimpse of Ancud, the chilly and damp harbor town where our bus deposited us after our 3-hour trip from Puerto Varas. A half hour
hike from bus station to hostel took us away from run down houses and fried food shacks and offered in return colorful houses perched on a hillside overlooking the ocean. Once ensconced in our home for the next two nights, it was difficult to leave its warmth. We went out that night for curanto (a traditional shellfish dish made on the island), but otherwise stayed warm and content in the hostel. Its glassed-in porch was the perfect spot for Debbie and I to enjoy our books and the ocean view over a cup of warm tea. Jason sat and petted the house cat for about 4 hours, which made him (actually, both of them) quite happy. I think he misses Marmalade.The next day we went on a tour of the countryside and offshore penguin colony. This is when Chiloé's reputation started to make sense. Once away from the town, the island is beautiful. Rolling hills spill down into the ocean, and the sky is an almost unrealistic blue. The high
points of the trip were the sculpture "bosque de pesces" (forest of fish) outside of a local school and, of course, the penguins. The penguin colony at Puñihuíl is run by a government sponsored organization charged with the habitat's protection. Before the group took over, penguin tourists and local fishermen were having an extremely negative impact on its heath. Things seem to have found a better balance now, although money for penguin care and research is still tight. The islands off Chiloé are home to two species of penguins: the Humboldt and the Magellanic -- the only place in the world where two species of penguins nest together. They nest here from October until March, then disappear to parts unknown for the rest of the year.Our final day in Chiloé started at 6am and ended at 9am, as we caught the first bus off the island. Our next stop was Pucón, and the distance (6 hours) and infrequent bus schedule forced an early start.
Jennifer
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