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.