Villarrica and Nacional Parque Huerquehue

We got to see and feel the essence of spring in the south recently with a quick weekend trip to Villarrica and Pucon.  Blue skies are bluer in Pucon and the water there does more than quench your thirst. It fully and deeply nourishes you. Take a big slurp from any river or waterfall - you may just feel 10 years younger.

I'm alive! And I miss my blog. Life has been a bit busy ever since our epic 4 week vacation to the States. We got back in late September and ever since then, day to day life has been full of joy and gratitude. Unfortunately, I didn't set aside time to write. 

Back to Villarica! I love it for so many reasons: views of the volcano from any angle are stunning, the prehistoric Araucaria trees, the crisp air, and yummy bread. Plus, I've got history here. I was here as a college student with my study abroad friends and we went rafting, hiking, horseback riding, dancing until 4 am and I loved it then and not surprisingly, I am doing the same things ten years later and still loving it! And then a fabulous fruit friend lived here so she gave me the best excuse to come down and visit and play. besos Kels. 

We - Pablo and me, Shaggy and Magda - took the Friday night bus (better than business class in any commercial flight) from Santiago to Villarrica. Shaggy - aka Gustavo - is one of Pablo's friends from high school and he invited us to his family's place. How could we say no to a weekend outside of Santiago and in my all-time favorite place in Chile?

Not a bad breakfast view, right? It was even better with our maté.

No rain in the spring? Sunny, fresh air and so.green.

I felt younger, healthier and smarter all before 8:00 and without coffee. Must be the mythical energy of the volcano.






After renting a car in Pucon we kicked off our Saturday adventures with a Pisco Sour, fresh sopaipillas and then headed out to the Huife hot springs.

The hot springs resort sits along an ice-cold river with lush jungle on both banks. You can move between three different pools that are all kept at different temperatures. Give me HOT! Do you know how great that hot mineral-rich water is for your health? Good. Pablo was asleep within minutes, or seconds, on a lounge chair and I was happily moving from pool to pool with Magda and Shaggy.

Of course we almost lost Magda to the current when we dipped into the river and the current started to push her down and away from us! That stallion of a fiance saved his princess and we happily plunged into the ice cold river again. This place is a slice of heaven. Massages, little treks along the river, a restaurant, the lounge chairs in the grass and lots of wooden benches under big trees for lovers, of course.

 Sunday we woke up to another bluebird sky and it was already warm while we filled up on eggs, coffee and toast. Dreamy, right?

Sunday's adventure: Parque Nacional Huerquehue. This place is special for me. It was my first adventure in Chile ten years ago and I had been dreaming of the day I would get to go back. That first trek was life changing for me. I came from a small town where there are more trees than cars and houses but pulling weeds from the garden was as close as I got to outdoor hiking. So that hike opened the floodgates and I've been hiking and camping ever since. This time, I got to go with a real Chilean Boy Scout!

A mid hike mist? lovely! 

Getting there is no joke. The road is dirt and winding and you climb, climb, climb before descending into a valley and arriving at the park entrance. Not for the folks that freak out about heights and close ledges. 

Once you arrive, pay your park fee and even though there is parking right at the entrance, you can save about 45 minutes of road walking by driving a bit further into the park to another parking area. The park is massive with a handful of trails. There is a 6 hour hike in to get to some hot springs and they say the overnight is magical. Yup, it's on my to-do list for next time.

We wandered through forests with trees taller than most apartment buildings in Santiago and every once in a while, popped out of the thick jungle growth for a spectacular view of the volcano.  The trails are well marked and for Chile, very well maintained. I wonder how so many massive trees that are thousands of years old have survived the consequences of so many volcanic eruptions and earthquakes?

The many shades of green and chatter of the birds kept me fascinated. Want to know me? Being on a muddy trail with a water bottle and trail mix is the easiest way for me to disconnect, feel at home and be myself. At one point I even did some uphill trail running under the shade of the dinosaur trees. A few months ago I had that same urge to run - but up the road to the volcano. Pablo parked the car and read his book while I run up and down the road to the volcano. It's a sexy place, Pucon. 

We got misted as we watched the thundering waterfalls. Trees and vines grew a little bit more. We snacked at a laguna with the rhythmic noise of a giant woodpecker. Something magical happens in Huerquehue. I feel at home in a place that couldn't be farther than the place I say I'm from.