4 to 6.2.11 Puerto Montt, Emeral lake, Bernardo O'Higgins and dresses 35,36,37,38

Dress 36 Huasco

4.2.11to the 6.2.11 Bernard O’Higgins, National Parks Glaciers, and Puerto Montt Lake District of Chile

Glaciers and the Patagonian Ice fields

No dresses yesterday, but lots of Glaciers and small islands which are exceptional close to the ship.  The temperature was 7C and as at the 12 noon bell on the 5.2.11 we are at 49o latitude 28.4s 074 26.2 west.

We had to be up early this morning to see another Glacier the Pio X1 or Bruggen Glacier.  This was most impressive. About 4km wide and 65km long it is as big as the city of Santiago with an area of 1265Km2.  It is the only glacier in Patagonia as in most areas of the world which is still growing.

To list those we have seen so far:- 

·         Germany and so on as we left Ushuaia

·         Amalia or Skua Glacier

·         Pio X1 or Bruggen

·         Brujo (witch in Spanish)

Bernardo O’Higgins National Park

This park can only be accessed by boat, the lonely planet guide says it’s ‘virtually inaccessible’, we are sailing round the islands in the park and the vegetation seems almost close enough to touch. The water is green and the sun is just starting to come through the mist. 

Who was Bernardo O’Higgins?

The name sounds almost like a joke, an Irish South American who fought in the Napoleonic wars at 7 years old, then the peninsular wars, then studied and trained in the UK. He was summoned back to Buenos Aires to train and lead an army to help achieve independence for South America.  At the time the countries as we know them did not exist and so he is recognised as a hero in many of the countries here, so far we have seen statutes and memorials in most of the places we have visited, he died in France at the ripe old age of 76.  There is an exact copy of his Boulogne home in Buenos Aires a typical French style mini chateau.

National Parks and canals of Chile

Since leaving Porto Arenas we have passed through many national parks although we are in the sea they call these passages canals. To our left are islands and beyond them the Pacific to our right islands and then Chile main land. These days at sea have been magical; there is a soft misty ethereal look over the islands and their mountains.  They are very linear with gentle sloping sides and reminiscent of the Japanese landscapes.  Our pictures from these few days are equally misty and look rather grey so not sure how they will look when posted.

Bernarno O’Higgins national park

Puerto Montt, Puerto Varas and the Lakes of Chile  

This area has an interesting colonial history, the usual suspects originally navigated and explored this area however it was not until the Chilean government appointed explorer Vincente Perez Rosales to find a suitable place for a new settlement in the 1850s that the area was identified.  As it is very similar to southern Germany and Switzerland delegations were sent to those places to encourage immigration, land, suppliers and support were given and the first settlers arrived in 1853. It really is very Germanic in the architecture and high pitched roofs.

Spa and resort

Emerald lake and Osorno

In a catamaran we sailed over the Emerald Lake so called as its water is bright green. This is caused by the minerals in the volcanic soil and it really is truly beautiful.  In the background you can see a dormant volcano, Osorno, with its nearly perfect cone; it looks just like Mount Fuji in Japan. 

Lunch, Lamas and Osorno again

Salmon is farmed here and apparently Chile is now second in the world to Norway for productions we it was salmon for lunch and afterwards we were served Kuchen a real baked cheesecake with fruit exactly as one gets in Germany.  But everyone is speaking Spanish and there is a volcano in the background and Lamas in the garden.

Finally some real Chilean dresses

We saw the La Cueca the national dance it’s a bit Spanish and a bit German folk.

We saw youngsters on two occasions during our time here dancing so Dresses 35, 36, 37 38 are the national dancers

 I also got a better picture of the shoes, boots and spurs the huasco (Chilean gauchos) wear as when we saw the rodeo at the estancia they were moving too fast

We thorough enjoyed this part of Chile and Patagonian.  The history here is something we will read more about when we get back and we certainly want to return.  This is the height of summer, people are on holiday and it’s the ideal time to visit.

Our next stop is into the capital Santiago, the weather is warming us as we travel north and the sunsets are getting earlier, about 9.00pm tonight.