Adventures in Puerto Varas, Chile

I can't believe we've been here, this tiny town at the entrance to Patagonia for a few days, and haven't gained 10 pounds just in window shopping.

In Puerto Varas and her neighbor, Frutillar, there is ONE food group: Kuchen. Kuchen is the German word for pie/cake. And it's everywhere. For less than $2.00, you get a giant slice of pie that's like sponge cake + fruit/berry + strange creme and strudel on top.

If you don't want Kuchen, your options are: ice cream, gelato, artisanal chocolates or homemade cookies. You'll see empanadas and if you want a meal, there's seafood or fish.

I think this is the first Chilean place where I don't see completos on every corner or sopapillas being fried on street corners.

If you want to experience something else here, there's the incredible Teatro del Lago where you'll find world class orchestra concerts, international speakers, dances and art expositions. All thanks to an extremely wealthy German family here.

Did I mention rolling countryside, cows, the largest lake in Chile, a volcano that looms over the lake and enough hiking, biking and farming to keep a person busy for a lifetime.

Plus - get this. They have COFFEE. Real coffee served in cafes and restaurants, for sale in gourmet shops (plenty of em here).

I could spend a few years here. Easy.

Who wants to visit?

Longest Bus Ride in Chile

Is tomorrow.

We leave at 6:15 AM from Puerto Varas to get to Puerto Montt. Then, our bus from Puerto Montt will leave at 7 AM. The Kemel bus guy who sold me the tickets says we will be the only bus leaving at that time.

We take the bus to Hornopiren, take a ferry across a fjord. Then, bus and ferry two more times.

10 hours later we arrive to Chaiten, around 5 PM. Chaiten is the city that has been buried by a volcanic eruption!

As soon as we get to Chaiten, we get off the bus and onto another one that takes us to Palena. From there, I'm not sure what happens. We get there and find our way to where we are going....

Dogs in Chile

There's 2 types of dogs in Chile. Domo, is the host pup at Paradise Pucon -best hostel in Pucon, Chile - and he's a wild spirit. He was bought in Santiago and took the 9 hour bus ride south to his new home. His puppy smell, paws and little teeth were just so adorable. He doesn't like to swim in the lake without Dave the Dad. He's got a collar, a vet and a water bowl. 

Then, there's Valparaiso. Where 5- 10 dogs per block have a territory to search for food and find tourists to give them love and attention for a few blocks and protect their part of cerro. The street dogs are everywhere. They are well-fed by tourists and locals and don't bother you. In the handful of times I've been to Valpo, they've never been aggressive. More love than anger, even the street dogs know it is a better way to enjoy the day. 

Then, there's this dog. 

This sweetie showed up on a friend's back porch, a lake front cabin on Lago Villarica. He's a sweetie and was so happy to see us! He was waiting for us - and the hot dogs that Kelsea fed him and his little terrier friend. When Kels tried picking up the most beautiful terrier, he was so skittish. They're the street dogs of Pucon. Where the dogs chase the cars down the road and hunt for rabbits (and probably go fishing, too). 

Just like someone can tell the difference between city folk and those that live in the countryside, the dogs have geographically-influenced personalities. I prefer the country dogs of Pucon. They are sweet and joyful with a sense of adventure. You know they are out hunting and at night, watching the moon and stars. Valpo dogs are mysterious and illusive; do they want to protect me when they walk me home from the disco or are they looking for a window of opportunity? 

…I sat with friends on the black volcanic-sand beach to watch the bright orange moon fade beyond Lago Villarica last night and looking forward to another tranquil day in Pucon. I don't have to leave here…  

Travel in Chile: Torres del Paine

God has given us a perfect playground. Yours might be a well-kept landscape with a garden and pool. Or overgrown plants and a trampoline.

This was mine in February. Southern Chile, Patagonia: Torres del Paine.

In 2005, I missed seeing the famous Torres (towers) because of a wild fire started by a Czech Republic guy. Evacuated form the park, my friends and I didn't get to complete the "W" route. 

It's one of the last wild places on Earth and so immense and comforting, you feel small. And you feel special that you get to share that space with people from all around the world that come and trek, take photos and brave the extreme weather.

The wind is strong and the sun is just as powerful. Even though Antarctica is close, the summer sun gave me cherry-kissed skin and dried out lips. The clouds look ominous but they stayed up in the mountains. We didn't have any rain!

Where's Waldo...or Mr. Mike? 

We drove through a section of Torres del Paine for 1 whole day. There are trekkers that will do 4 - 10 day camping trips. I recommend that. If you are going to Torres, you go to camp, hike and live off of pasta, apples and granola bars for a week. 

We rented a car in Puerto Natales (not cheap) and drove to the park. Our B&B host, Rodrigo, recommended we start at the south end and drive through the circuit that way because it is opposite the tour buses. These 30-50 people buses that stop to take photos and walk for a bit. Thank goodness we listened to Rodrigo! We spent about 7 hours total in the car that day - from door-to-door. 

What's the route? Waterfall to turquoise lake to waterfall to wildlife hangouts to waterfall.

Dad was a Boy Scout as a kid in small-town Michigan. His skills were tested. Wind-resistance strength. Hearing waterfalls and sensing a shift in wind. Even reading water patterns to guess the distance of a waterfall. Mom's contribution? She's the #1 fan of the campaign, "Hungry? Why wait? Have a Snickers." We had enough Snickers for 3 meals. And she's a fan of double-taking photos. Gotta use her own camera. She doesn't know about iCloud yet...

The massifs are massive. You just don't know until you are there. So, go. Book a trip to the end of the world (or close enough). The energy, air and wind are so pure. Water flows with mystical powers and the wind will blow you 5 meters forward. 

My parents had a blast. My Dad has a fake hip and he was cruising on our small treks. Mom's at the gym almost every day and Dad got a kick out of keeping a brisk pace on our nature walks. 

Patagonia. More than a fancy clothing brand. It is an actual place that has challenging peaks, waterfalls and a harmonizing, peaceful yet powerful force. Just bring a Snickers for your trek, or long drive. 

Travel in Chile: Puerto Natales

Puerto Natales is a small town, and the closest to get to Torres del Paine. With my parents, we will remember 2 experiences in Puerto Natales that were life-changing. 

The food. We ate like KINGS. This tasty pulpo was our appetizer at an empty restaurant overlooking the Lost Hope Sound. Mom did not touch that plate with her fork, which left Dad and I alone to this tasty treat. The seasoning and sauce were perfect with this grilled seafood delight. After the Navimag cafeteria food, this was beyond savory.

Our favorite restaurant? Afrogonia. The restaurant gets its name from its equally interesting owners, a couple that came to live in Chile after meeting in Africa; the Chilean wife and her African husband combine African spices with Patagonia lamb and seafood. The BEST restaurant in Chile and one of the top in my life. 

Go to Puerto Natales, book a flight with Sky Airlines, just for their ceviche. Or try the rack of lamb or the seafood curry. Ever hear of Leave No Trace? We left no trace of food on our plates! 

For a small, tourist town that's almost off the grid, there's some great food. A brewery, stone pizza, fresh shellfish and seafood, Patagonia lamb … and eggs made to order by our B&B host at Keoken Bed & Breakfast. 

Quotes from Mom, "This is the BEST meal ever!" and "I don't ever want to leave here!"

And, "This is the BEST day!"

Why? Our lives were changed. Forever impacted. We felt a shift of energy and were renewed. All with a Reiki massage from the sisters at this Puerto Natales massage place. Reiki massage? Just by placing her hands in chakra spots, my lovely Reiki told me, "You've got a very active mind. Very. And, be patient with your heart." 

To my Mom? Your stomach has to consume all your new experiences, so your energy is low today. You've been having to take in a lot of new experiences so you should be back in harmony. 

Mom was harmonized - and the Energizer Bunny the rest of the night! Dad's going to check it out back in the States, I think he is curious about the promise of a harmonized mind + body. 

We loved the tranquility, peace and natural beauty of this Southern Chile city. Mom just wasn't a fan of the wind. I was afraid we'd lose her into the chilly Patagonian waters.

The serenity and peace here was one of our favorite places on our wild trip throughout Chile! We didn't even do all that we wanted to do! Maybe I'll go back...

Navimag Adventure

The Navimag. I choose to take my fearless parents to Southern Chile via a cargo ferry. These same parents are usually taking in the Florida February sun or relaxing on a leisure pontoon boat ride during Michigan summers. To call them South American backpackers…ha. Never. 

We boarded the ferry in Puerto Montt after quite a morning. Someone leaving the W Hotel in Santiago hit our rental car so I had to fill out a police accident report in Puerto Montt, not in Santiago because we had a flight from Santiago to P. Montt at 7AM. 

Want to take the Navimag ferry to Patagonia? Arrive in Puerto Montt the same day you are leaving. There is nothing to do there but wait for the Navimag. Unless run-down hostels are your idea of a getaway weekend. Our flight got us in at 8:30AM and I had time to go to the police station, fill out the report and then head to the docks. 

You check in your bags around 11AM but don't actually board the ferry until around 3PM. Good thing they've built up a touristy dock with hats, scarves, penguin gifts for your friends back home and a few places to eat. There is wireless at the Navimag office but I'm pretty sure they have a cap on the number of connections. I never got to connect but my dad did. Lucky! 

There are some 300 passengers who have 2 places to hang out: the outside upper deck or the inside bar.  We were lucky with sunny, warm weather so sitting outside was breath-taking. We saw dolphins, penguins, lots of different birds, sea lions, seals and whales on our trip! It was like a coastal safari! If watching the fjords, water and islands go by isn't your thing, there's drinking, chess or reading a book.

Seasickness. Yes, I felt a little nausea when we headed out to open sea. But, my Mom had seasickness patches so I stuck it behind my ear and sat in the open air for a while. My dad went white as a ghost. 

Mom braved the chilly winds for a photo-op the morning that we saw the glacier. How many people get to do that? 

Do we look happy? We were! My parents, although outside their normal vacation comfort zone, had fun! Dad and I saw a HUGE piece of the glacier break off and a new iceberg floating around. As a result, a new waterfall is crashing into the fjords of Patagonia. 

What do you do on the Navimag? Take amazing photos of sunsets and play games. The Navimag staff planned Karoake, Bingo, and a showing of March of the Penguins at night. The first night was Karoake - ask any of my friends, I should be paid not to do Karoake. But I did it. With a girl from Switzerland and Australia. 

And, I won at BINGO.

I met fantastic people from Switzerland, Australia, Germany (even learned some German!), the US, and Chile. The common language? English.

Overall, the food didn't kill us. The people we met at the bar, on the decks and in the cafeteria were wonderful. Lots of people in their 20s traveling the world. The world. Around the world ticket. I'm starting to save for that trip today…I'll let you know when I have $20.000 to travel the world. 

For now, I'll stick to traveling within South America (and the US). 

Best part about the Navimag? Getting off in Puerto Natales… according to my Dad. Seeing the glacier, the whales, the sunsets and meeting other travelers! 

Why Is Education Important?

Sure, I taught some kid some math for a few years. But, did I ever stop to think about my role as a global educator?

No. Maybe that's where I went "wrong" and felt lost. Why is education important? I'm a mentor to kids that want the opportunity to freely be themselves. Literacy + problem-solving skills (sciences) = increased knowledge, refined communication skills, experience collaborating and so much more! We've got to share our food, land, water with 7 billion people. How do we do that peacefully? How do we create a shared vision across continents, for liberty, happiness and health?

My friend Ken is asking a similar question and even better, he's got a solution.

Read and be part of a global project that will bring LITERACY to more kids!

And - maybe you'll win a free round-trip airline ticket or have your name on a golden plaque in Cambodia.

You're reading this because... Someone gave you a book, someone taught you to read, someone supported your curiosity. Shouldn't each kid be given that opportunity?