Pucon back to Santiago

We slept in and woke up to our last day in Pucon to the sound of rain and wind pounding the roof and windows.  Once we got ready we settled the tab with the manager and made breakfast.  We poached the eggs this time because they ended up soldered to the pan last time.  They pretty much fell apart, yolk broken...but they were still edible and tasted fine.

while we were eating a girl came to the hostel door with her backpack, in the rain.  We let her in, and we waited for the manager to come around to give her a room.  The manager ended up scolding me for letting someone in the hostel who didn't have a key.  We sat around a bit more and packed up all of our things.

After a while the rain let up and we ventured in to town for lunch (Ecole again) and alpaca shopping.  Ryan's indecisiveness paired with me already owning an alpaca sweater means that we left empty handed.  But the prices were pretty high compared to what we paid in Ecuador, and none of them really stood out.

Our favorite dog followed us again around town.  He's so cute, I really wanted to pet him, but I know better.

We came back to the hostel after stopping at the lake to make dinner.  It was cozy to sit for a while and have tea and blog with the little wood oven right by us.  The girl from the morning came in with a bottle of wine she'd purchased in town.  We had the same problem of no functioning corkscrew.  She was able to find the manager who had an extra, and she ended up sharing it with us.

Dinner was lentils, quinoa, carrots, and zuchini with raisins. The rain had picked up again by the time we were eating.  Shortly after dinner it was time to go to the bus station.  A five minute walk away.  We loaded up, put our rain jackets over our packs and covered our purse/day packs with plastic bags.  We made it most of the way before the rain really came down, and managed to stay dry with our gear.
We hopped on the bus, grabbed our free socks, read a bit and went to bed.  I really dont mind the overnight buses at all.  We got in at about 7.

We took the subway back to our Santiago hostel once we grabbed our bags.  We are in a different room, its a little bigger actually.

Once we settled in we headed out in search of breakfast.  After finding most places closed, we happened upon a micro cafe.  We were able to get some coffee, Ryan had scrambled eggs and toast, and I had a Neopolitan empanada 9ham, tomato, and cheese).

We decided to take the subway to the end of the track and go to Concha y Toro winery.  Long story short - we took a long subway ride, got off in another part of the city, had no idea how to get to the winery, witnessed an episode of road rage between two locals, got back on the subway and came home.  One plus was that we got to see a guy playing the pan flute and guitar on the subway car, he was pretty good, too!

We had lunch at a vegetarian restaurant by our hostel.  El Arbol - we each enjoyed a carrot tostasa and mixed green salad before heading to the art museum for another free walking tour.  The 3pm tour is different from the 10 am tour (we we took last week).

On our way we passed a large gathering of people waving rainbow flags around someone with a megaphone on stage.  A gay rights rally from what I gathered.

We met Phillipe, our guide, along with a euro couple, and our tour began.  We took note of a place he recommended for great ice cream.  We walked through a few different neighborhoods and learned more about the history of Santiago.  We saw some beautiful churches, learned more about Pinochet and the dictatorship, went under the presidential palace, and ended in the Plaza de Armas.

The highlight for me was the middle of the tour when we learned that it was not a rally that we noticed earlier, but a march.  A gay rights march to the Plaza at least ten thousand strong.  Rainbow flags, glitter, drag queens, electronica music, chanting.  We found ourselves right next to the march, and at one point had to cross through it.  I actually kicked an inflated condom back into play as we were walking.  Look at us!  caught in the middle of a gay rights march in Santiago, Chile!

When the tour was over we decided to go back to the ice cream shop, and then on back to the hostel where we are now.  Ryan just found that the clothes in his backpack got wet some how - it couldnt have been last nights rain, we stayed pretty dry.  I'm off to shower and turn in for the night...as they say in Chile, Chao!

The oven in the common room

Ryan in his rain gear at the bed stop

Premium seats!

Ryan's scrambled egg in the pan

Barney spotting!

The gay march 

Pucon Dia Dos

Welcome guest blogger:  RYAN

We woke up early so we could get ready cook and make the 8:30 bus to Huerquehue National Park.  We had scrambled eggs with peppers and onions avocado and toast. We quickly ate and cleaned our dishes which proved to be harder than anticipated given the fact that the "non stick" pan was clearly worn down beyond the Teflon. 

After packing  our lunches which consisted of  cereal bars, apples, bananas, bread and chocolate we walked into town and found the bus station.  We hopped on and had a bumpy 45 minute ride to the park.  Upon arrival we checked in at the ranger's office and began our walk.

The trail began alongside a beautiful lake and we spotted a few birds while walking. I managed to snap
a picture while one of the birds peaked around a tree.  The lake was beautiful and the surrounding mountains were shrouded with clouds, similar to Cuicocha in Ecuador. After passing the lake the trail turned to muddy switchbacks.  We climbed passed a friendly family with two young boys who were slashing wild mushrooms along the path.  We walked passed two miradors(lookouts) took some pictures and decided to head back down so we could catch the 2:10 bus back into town.

Note the bird I caught on camera

The skies began to clear and I was hoping that we could catch a glimpse of Volcan Villarica on our return to Pucon.  Out bus was delayed by a group of cows walking down the road, which seems to always happen in South America.  We picked up a group of school children and other locals along the way.  I noticed that all of the kids got out of their seat and moved further back in the bus when an older adult came on, and the guys quickly gave their seats to the women.  The Chilean people have all been very friendly and well mannered.

Boat near the lake in the park

We got into town and walked to a cafe to get our afternoon coffee and pastry.  While crossing the street I looked to my left and there it was...Volcan Villarica.  I stopped Steph  and we both stood on the street corner in awe.  We took about 10 too many photos and went into the cafe.  The coffee was good and we split a slice of lemon pie while listening to American 80's music on TV.

On our way back to hostel we bought our night bus tickets, premium of course.  We sat around the hostel, Steph blogged and I got cleaned up.  We opted for the room with a full view of the Volcan which until now has been a bust.  But, the view was amazing and we took more photos.  I started eating the white bread we had lying in the room which meant I was hungry, so we went to Ecole for dinner.

Ecole is a vegetarian restaurant and it did not disappoint.  We had a fruit kebab appetizer which consisted of kiwi, apple, pear and banana with peanut butter and honey as the sauce.  I've been missing my daily dose of  peanut butter so I was quite excited.  Steph had a sandwich filled with fresh greens, hummus, grilled veggies and tzatziki.  I had a quinoa salad with grilled veggies and hummus.  Both dinners were delicious and very healthy.  I feel so much better physically and mentally on our diet.

Immediately after shutting the door to Ecole I saw a friendly dog wagging his tail and staring at my "doggie bag".  This was the same dog that followed us yesterday, and my favorite thus far.  He walked us most of the way home.  We got back to Donde German, made some tea, ate our cookies and went to bed.

 A few more shots from the park

Our first clear view of the volcano

One of te many street dogs.  Steph wants to give them all a flea bath and get them up to date on their shots...and then take them home.

Pucon

After we settled in and freshened up, we made some of our oatmeal from yesterdays dinner and sliced some banana into it.  It was a pretty good little breakfast. After breakfast we went back to the wrong hostel - on purpose this time.  We noticed earlier that they had bikes for rent.  We grabbed two and set off to explore this little mountain town.

Ryan making our oatmeal

We rode to the Villarica Lake and along the beach for a while.  Next we went over to the handicraft area of town and marveled at the many wood carvings and hand spun yarn in every color and thickness you could imagine.

A dog stands watch at Lake Villarica

Biking near the lake

After walking through the shops for a bit we decided to grab coffee and lunch at Lounge Brasil - one of the many hostel/restaurants near the main drag.  Ryan got espresso, I had hot chocolate, and we plot a veggie pizza.

Afternoon espresso

We returned the bikes and then headed out to the supermarket for some dinner and breakfast items.  We bought quinoa, lentils, avocado or "palta" as its called here, dark chocolate, bread, and eggs (the eggs aren't refrigerated down here, it was like that in Ecuador and Panama too.  We couldn't find them until someone pointed them out to us in a regular aisle. Freaks me out a bit.  I put them in the fridge as soon as we got back, haha), a giant carrot, a pepper, a lemon, and a zuchini.  Oh and some granola bars and apples for the hike tomorrow.

Vienetta - we found you!  America misses you!

After some blogging in the common area (some Euros were watching American Idol on the TV), we started dinner.  Ryan did most of the cooking.  I tried to use a corkscrew from the kitchen to open a bottle of Chilean wine picked up, but the corkscrew was completely useless.  Another guest (Daniel - from Brasil) helped us by using all his might to shove the cork down into the bottle while his girlfriend held it.  Later he let us try some fancy beer he picked up, and we gave him some of our wine.

Our dinner of quinoa, lentils, and veggies with palta was really good considering the shoddy kitchen we had to work in.  Good job, Ryan!  After dinner we chatted with Daniel some more about his home, his studies, and general travel and languages.  He said english was easy to learn.

clouds hover around the mountains- at the end of our street.

Just before renting bikes - in my new hat.

Biking near our hostel

Ryan celebrating the mountains