Chile Christmas

If Santa is going to gift you the stomach flu, Peurto Varas Chile is a great place to unwrap it. Yes, I’ve been sick, my ailments beginning in Santiago and following me all the way to the lake district, specifically, Peurto Varas, where I’ve been nestled under a thick down blanket for three days.

Life is good….even when it’s not.

So exactly where is Peurto Varas?

It’s in the lake district is about a thirteen hour all-night bus ride straight south from Santiago to Puerto Montt, which sounds worse than it is. The hard part was getting to the central bus stop in Santiago, as the taxi dropped me off at Santiago’s central train station. Even though the two terminals are just a five-minute walk apart, a police officer warned it was too dangerous. He escorted me to the metro station and even paid for my fare.

But thirteen hours later, I was in Puerto Montte,the gateway to the Chilean Lake District. The city has a chill vibe and cool breeze causing everyone to bundle up, even though it’s summer. Before I leap-frogged on local buses to my hotel, I gave my gut a test drive with a plate of eggs. Not so good. That’s when my hibernation began.

And even not so gooder, I left my credit card at the restaurant.

Three days later, when I finally felt good enough to retrieve my credit card, a magic travel moment happened. While waiting for the bus back to my hotel (credit card zipped up in my wallet) a woman carrying a huge orange backpack approached me.
“Is this where I wait for a bus toward the Ensenada?”

“That’s where I’m going,” I replied.

Funny enough, we were staying at the same cozy place!

After resting up another day and checking the weather report, and then thanking God I wasn’t teaching spelling in Germany, we celebrated Christmas Eve with a short hiking adventure.

Peurto Varas is the doppelganger of Charlevoix, Michigan-minus the fudge shops.

We trekked the El Solitario Trail in the Vicente Perez Rosales National Park. Three million shades of beautiful, the trails being crumbles of lava from the still active Orsono Volcano Afterwards, we indulged in a Christmas meal at the only place open.

I ate like a bird…a pelican…swooping down salmon tartar and more.

Speaking of birds…this is a Chimingo cara cara, more common to the area than a backpacker. Im more amazed at my phone’s ability to capture this bird in motion than I am about the photo’s artistic composure.

I am still under the weather, but the world of travelers I’ve met over the past few days have offered me an assortment of remedies. Cho de Boldo tea leaves from the Amazon, stomach flu pills from Germany, and holiday wishes from everywhere, and a snow-covered volcano.

Here’s a few more stocking stuffers…

Goodbye…a new adventure begins tomorrow. And next year? I’ll put a flu shot on my Christmas list.