RANDOM FACTS

Google Chile has found us and it now appears in Spanish. If you are looking for amusement you can pick Croatian and see what it does to your computer.

There is no brown sugar in Chile. There is raw sugar, but we know that is not the same.

I have run out of Evening in Missoula tea and this is hard for me.

Henry has put a few sentences together. Richard's comprehension is amazing. He was able to figure out that we were going the wrong way on Avenida de Caupolican from the helpful man who gave us way too many directions last night when we were lost trying to find Oreos.

The Mecca for gringo food is at the Jumbo supermercado which is an hour and a half away.

We found the Oreos and the whole world probably heard Henry's whoopeee last night when he found the root beer. Having no root beer has been hard for him. Now he has to hoard.

All three of us volunteered at the girls' orphanage today. Richard checked out their computers. (That they have computers does not imply that they have much else. It is the minimal.) He has a few ideas about some old programs that will run on them. My Spanish teacher was recruited as a translator. We played hopscotch and then walked to al centro to buy a jump rope at the hardware store. I am the Friday afternoon English teacher. They are not accustomed to having any volunteers. There is no program. We are inventing a way to be helpful.

Not one bug bit me in Nepal. They do not have the same respect for me here.

The food here has its own regional adaptation.  There are sushi rolls wrapped in avocado. Who would have thought you could roll slices of avocado. They were delicious. They do have nori but it used less. The pizza is delicious too. The owner of the pizza place grew up in the US.

Richard had a very deep splinter in his foot and it finally came out this morning after my having to perform minor surgery. I'm still watching it for infection.

Our truck is diesel. We did not know this until we had it for a week. You do not pump your own gas here.

The ratio of girls to boys born in Chile this year is 10 to 1 according to Richard's Spanish teacher.

The president of Chile is Michelle Bachelet. Her father was tortured and died in custody under President Salvadore Allende. She and her mother were exiled to Australia. She returned to Chile in 1979. She is 57 years old.

The population in 2008 was 16 million. Smaller than Canada, eh?

 

 

CIA World Facts

The following demographic statistics published by Wikipedia are from the CIA World Factbook, unless otherwise indicated. These stats contradict my Spanish teacher's impression of an imbalance in the current birth ratios between boys and girls, though I do not dispute her report that when her daughter was born, there were nine other girls and only one boy born during the same week at the Pucón hospital.

[edit]Population

Chile. Population density by comuna, based on census 2002

16,284,741 (July 2007 est.)

[edit]Age structure

Age pyramid of Chilean population (2008).

0-14 years: 24.1% (male 2,010,576/female 1,920,951)

15-64 years: 67.4% (male 5,480,703/female 5,492,988)

65 years and over: 8.5% (male 576,698/female 802,825) (2007 est.)

[edit]Median age

total: 30.7 years

male: 29.8 years

female: 31.7 years (2007 est.)

[edit]Population growth rate

1.027%(2001 est.)

0.916% (2006 est.)

[edit]Death rate

5.87 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

[edit]Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

[edit]Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female

under 15 years: 1.047 male(s)/female

15-64 years: 0.998 male(s)/female

65 years and over: 0.718 male(s)/female

total population: 0.982 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

[edit]Infant mortality rate

total: 8.36 deaths/1,000 live births

male: 9.09 deaths/1,000 live births

female: 7.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)

[edit]Life expectancy at birth

total population: 76.96 years

male: 73.69 years

female: 80.34 years (2007 est.)

Population of Chile from 1820, projected up to 2050.

[edit]Total fertility rate

1.98 children born/woman (2007 est.)

[edit]HIV/AIDS

People living with HIV/AIDS: 26,000 (2003 est.)

Deaths: 1,400 (2003 est.)

[edit]Ethnic groups

White *	Mestizos	Amerindian
52.7%	42.7%	4.6%

*N.B.In the case of Chile, the percentages were taken from the study of Lizcano (2005)^[2], but these vary according to other studies, 30% of Chileans as white and 65% as either castizo ("white mestizo").^[16] in Another study Esteva-Fabregat (1988), a white majority that would exceed 60% of the Chilean population. In the 2002 census reported 4.6% of Indians in the country (most also varying degrees of miscegenation).

White Water Kayaking

Volcon Villarica looms above the Rio Liucura on a beautiful summer day in Chile.

"Don't think too much and just follow directions."

The Long family live in the house across the street from us during the summer months. Tom Long and his sons run the Cascade Raft and Kayak Company out of Boise, Idaho and come down to Pucón for the kayak season here.  Now their guests are gone and before they return home we took the opportunity to get basic kayaking lessons from expert instructors.  We  started learning how to paddle in Lake Villarica and then progressed to the Rio Liucura for some authentic river experience.

No photos got taken of the actual rapids, but each of us got a little upside-down time before being hauled upright by Kenneth or Tren or Tom.  Eventually, by Tuesday, we started to get the hang of it and were able to brace against the currents, turn into eddys, peel out into the stream and ferry back and forth across reliably enough to thread around the rocks through the Class II rapids at the Schoolhouse area on the Rio Liucura.

Tren Long with his baby daughter, Olivia, after a tiring day.

More Saltos in the Neighborhood

Each weekend we want to further explore the amazing territory we are living in.  Volcanic peaks  and ridges rise to the skies all around us and dramatic rivers flow down their slopes. Our last excursion took us to the hot spring spa at Termas Palquien.

Along the way, we stopped to see the Saltos, or waterfalls, descending along the river valley. Our first stop was at Salto Leon, the Lion Waterfall. Unlike the other falls we have visited here, today's saltos descend in a ribbon from a dizzying height to flow in a pool of spray and mist.  And this is the summer dry season!  I can only imagine the forces when the river flows with spring runoff.

After a dip in the hot springs at the head of the valley, we stopped at the Salto de China for another short hike to the foot of the falls, before returning home to our casa.  Tomorrow, we have big plans to learn to river kayak.

Cutting The Lawn Makes A Difference

Our neighbors from Idaho have made a difference here in Pucon. They have been working with the foundation of a local orphanage to improve the buildings and grounds that house about 40 young girls. Five years ago when they started there was no hot water for showers, the yard was overgrown with weeds and the buildings unpainted and dreary. They hired a grounds keeper and he mowed down the weeds. When they returned the following year the people who work at the home were most happy that the rats were gone. Now the children were not infected with the lice that the rats were carrying. The orphanage is sparsely furnished but clean and bright. The girls were delighted to have company and they followed us around while we toured the property. Their lives have been greatly improved by one simple act.

Our Road Trip

This weekend we traveled to the end of the highway. The south of Chile is connected by ferries, much like the coast of British Columbia where Richard and I traveled to the end of the highway in 1982. We brought our new used truck and a guide named Jose who had accompanied Henry and Richard when they were skiing here in Chile a year and a half ago. He facilitated everything for us and made the trip memorable with his knowledge of the trees and the ecology. His Spanish was useful too as we are still wondering around in the land of the clueless. 

.The names of the towns were especially difficult to pronounce as they come from the Mapuche language. Once we turned off the Pan American highway the signs were not there so you had to ask which way. We could not have managed without Jose. We visited the less tony resorts where people were enjoying their summer vacation. Each lake had its own unique characteristics, spectacular scenery and undeveloped small town feeling of that quaint time known as the 1950's. In some of these towns you feel like you are on the edge of a time warp. There are still phone booths and specialty shops. People were going about their business on foot and children were playing on every available structure. This country still has a healthy supply of children, probably much like the USA in the 1950's. The recession has not come to this part of the world yet and at least for the summer months these places look prosperous. All the hotels were full and the restaurants were turning people away at lunch time. 

Last night we were treated to a very special night out. Our landlord invited us to a barbeque. What a host he is too. Unbelievable.

His camp is in the mountains outside of town about 40 miles away. The view was stunning. There were three rooms for entertaining, one for cooking, one for dancing and one for eating. The buildings were the silver gray of New England barns but with rustic characteristics but all the conveniences of a stereo, electricity, running water and a charming collection of signs, saddles and the paraphernalia of life in the country. We rode horses, played games, drank some and carried on with gusto. What a great night.

Back to school this week. I really confused my teacher today with a made up homework assignment about a conference call I had with the Dali Lama. I was just practicing my past tense. Her eyes got wider and wider. 

Henry and I are clicking away on the computer and Richard is working in the kitchen. Guess I better get a glass of wine and join him. 

 

Pan American Highway

The Pan American Highway starts in Alaska and runs south all the way through Chile to end on the coastal island of Chiloé. For our first excursion we determined to travel the highway as far as the port town of Castro, near the end of the road, and see the sights along the way.




















In the resort town of Panguipulli we visited the lattice towered parish church with a statue of the Virgin donated by the town's Arab community, and saw the beach frequented by a summer crowd of Chilean touristas.

One refreshing beach treat is a drink called a mote con huesillo which is widely available and consists of peach nectar with a helping of softened triticale wheat kernals.

Some local sculpture at
Llanquihue

We hope to see real black-necked swans during our journey.

Salmon hatcheries provide a significant industry in this part of Chile. We saw dozens of trucks like this one loaded with oxygen-fed tanks full of salmon hatchlings being transported from the crystaline streams of the region to coastal fish farms where they will grow to maturity.

A jetboat approaches the Saltos de Petrohué for a spectacular close-up view of the waters pouring out of the Lago Todos Los Santos.

Susan at the overlook.

The Volcan Orsono overlooks the lakeside port of Petrohué with it's amazingly blue waters from the dissolved minerals.

The Lago Todos Los Santos provides one of the ways east through the cordierra to Argentina and the resort area of San Carlos de Bariloche, famed for the five lakes and the winter ski center of Cerro Catedral.

Henry and Jose wish you a Happy Valentine's Day as we get back on the road to continue our journey to the south.

A "Southern Cross" ferry loads a "Southern Cross" tour bus.

Henry cheers aboard our ferry crossing the Chacao Channel. We watch the many pelicans, sea lions, and cormorants active alongside the boat. The water is clear and cold.

We finally get to see the famous black-necked swans as we approach the Grande Isle of Chiloé.

A spectacular view from the road going down the west coast south of Ancud on the way to see the penguin colony on the wonderfully wild Pacific beach of Mar Brava.

Some more wood sculptures in a schoolyard overlooking the Chiloé coast.

Susan shows the seaweed that decorates the beach. Then it's our turn to go out to see the penguinos.

This contraption that got us out to the launch was supposed to keep our shoes dry, but a series of big waves crashed over the platform and soaked us up to our knees. Once offshore the excitement of seeing both Magellanic and Humboldt penguins nesting together on the Islotes de Punihuil made the whole effort worthwhile.

Sea ducks apparently don't migrate.



























After another typical Chilean breakfast at our hotel in Ancud we got back in the truck under ominous gray skies.

We celebrated the excitement of seeing the penguin rookery by posing as a penguin family on vacation.

Then we were off again to travel the coastal road on the east side of the island to spend our last night in Castro, Chile's third oldest city.








Along the eastern coast of Chiloé are numerous salmon farms that provide many jobs here.















After checking into our hotel, we got totally soaked walking through the rain to eat lunch at Octavio's, a very good seafood restaurant on the harbor where Richard enjoyed his first time eating eel, the house specialty.

The Castro Cathedral is on UNESCO's World Heritage list and is beautifully constructed of wood with a corrugated metal exterior and molded shingles on the front.




It was rebuilt in 1912 after being damaged by a cyclone the year before.




Castro is known for its palafitos, houses on stilts over the water, which have become a national monument even though they have been mostly rebuilt with proper sewer connections since the 1960 earthquake.

The rainy weekend suddenly brightened for our return trip back up the Pan American Highway by a glorious arcoiris, or rainbow, over the Castro fjord.

This Country Is AMAZING

I am incredibly glad that we have fast internet. We went on a hike a few days ago and it was beautiful up there. There is everything to do down here. People say that this is the best place in the world to go fly fishing, and 2 days ago we went on the lake just near my house. People where sailing and having a great time. I miss Utah but i have been playing world of warcraft a lot lately. Just a few miles away from my house here there is the ocean. There is fun things to do out there like fish and sail and windsurf and regular surf. 

My bike will arrive soon and i cant wait to try out the local indoor skatepark. There is one within' biking distance from my house, and the city is FILLED with good places to bike or skate. we have a hot-spring just outside the city. 2 of them to be precise, we visited one and i visited the other one the last time i visited. the area around where i live is like New Hampshire. Its like living in NH! We have gigantic flowers around our house and city.

our neighbors are really really cool. they live in Idaho and here. They own a rafting and kayaking company and they have 7 little kids between the 3 brothers that own the rafting company. They are all Skaters and really nice.

This is a shout out to all my friends in Waterford! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!

Words

Some words are similar. Our housekeeper and I had a cheerful discussion about the only thing missing in this beautiful house. She said she would be happy to buy a colander for us on her way home from work. Great, I said, that would be perfect. The next morning she appeared with a calendar. We had a good laugh. We are going to be each other's teachers. 

There is nothing missing from this house. There were three colanders in the cabinet.

The house is immaculate and well loved. Everything is so tastefully decorated. The mixture of antiques, art and eclectic coffee mugs are just like a home should be. We are so fortunate. 

Ojos de Caburgua

About 25km west of Pucón the paved road ends at Lake Caburgua, a small, but exclusive resort where the current President of Chile, Michelle Bachelet, has a vacation home. Unlike most lakes in the region which were gouged out by glacial action, Lago Caburgua was formed behind a huge landslide that blocked the valley in ancient times. A few kilometers south, water, leaving the lake in underground passages through the volcanic rock, bursts out in two dramatic waterfalls called the Ojos de Caburgua. We made a morning excursion, along with hundreds of Chilean tourists, to view the falls. Returning home by an unpaved road that followed the Rio Trancura, we got to see some of the rapids that the popular whitewater rafting trips experience. We were able to cross the river back to Pucón over a narrow suspension bridge just in time for the wonderful lunch prepared for us by our housekeeper, Louisa. Life is good!