More Lakes, Waterfalls, and Volcanoes

We came to really appreciate our last innkeepers who suggested great excursions and provided maps and tips. Today we were on our own to explore the area around Frutillar. We both wanted something with some hiking to work off the food we have been consuming.




We awoke today with the sun actually shining on our lake, Llanquehue, a vast expanse of water. A conversation at breakfast with a man who used to run the Peace Corps operation in Chile in the early '70's convinced us to drive part way around the lake.




After getting fairly lost in one little town and ending up in Pto. Varas, a bigger little town, we moved on passing fields of wheat and corn and every now and then catching a glimpse of one of several volcanoes which tower over the lake.




Lunch was another unexpected surprise at a very German-looking old restaurant. There was a big influx of German immigrants to this area in the early 1900's, and even today remnants exist like the word "kuchen" instead of the Spanish "pastel". The strudel could easily have been served in Bavaria.




David was first to notice the unique toilet paper holders, something my father would have appreciated.




After churrasco and avocado sandwiches and that cream-covered strudel we really needed to get out and walk. So we drove on to the Saltos of Petrohue, enormous waterfalls. It was not a terribly strenuous hike, but the sites were quite impressive.




From there we continued on an unsaved road to a beautiful blue-green lake called Todos los Santos.




So far we have been extremely lucky in terms of the weather. Let's hope our good luck continues as we board the ship for our cruise tomorrow in Puerto Montt.

We will not have Internet connection for the next 6 days on the ship, so I will let you know about the glaciers and fjords of Chile after we are back on land once again!

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Location:Frutillar,Chile