After a 35 hour journey from Zurich to Puerto Montt I finally arrived at my starting point in Patragonia at 9 o'clock in the morning. After a quick strole along the Shore I made my way up the steap roads of the small city to Casa Perla, where I booked my first two nights. I was greated by Perla, her sons Family. As I hadn't slept for more than a couple of hours on the journey I wasn't much of a conversationist but they all understood and left me to sort out my things an take a warm shower. As I wasn't in the mood for cooking I took back to the city for a hot meal. I found a nice pizzaria near the center of town where I enjoyed the first real meal since I left the pervious morning. Afterwards I went back to the hostel and went to bed around 7pm. Apart from myself there was only one other couple accomodating the hostel and I had a whole three bed dorm to myself.
The next morning I awoke well rested and in a much better mood than when I had arrived.
The city of Puerto Montt isn't much for the eyes at first when coming from Europe, but once you get used to the pothole filled roads, low hanging cables and broken things lying around you can appreciate the markets and small establishments that can be found at every corner. Fresh vegetables and fruits, colorful clothes and a nice fish market at the port make up Puerto Montt. The people are friendly and willing to help a stranger speaking only very basic Spanish.
That morning I went to check out the fish market and took the ferry to Isla Tenglo, a small island right across the kanal from Puerto montt. the fee is 500 pesos for a ride not even 2 minutes but even the locals seem to pay that fee. The eastern part of the island has a settlment of fischermen and in a 20min walk you can climb up to the mirador (a big cross on top of the hill) where you can enjoy a panorama view of whole Puerto Montt. Unfortunately the sky was covered with clouds so I couldn't see the snow covered Volcanos behind the City. From the cross I headed west along a gravel road. The west part of the island is occupied by farmers hearing cettle and planting corn. Having spent a day in urban Puerto Montt, seing this part of the island was a treat. The Flora found there is incredible. Flowers, trees of all sorts. Berry busches and edible plants everywhere you look and the houses are better maintened than most of the villas found in Puerto Montt. They pick up the trash lying around and hang up signs stating "No botar por favor" meaning "no littering, please". You can walk around the island up until after the school, where you have to turn right, back to the road you started from. I tried to walk around the whole island but was forced to turn around about 2km from where I initially arrived with the ferry because the road ended and I couldn't walk along the shore. The forest was to think and steap to walk comfortably and there were barbwires everywhere marking private property. The detour cost me about an hour. I passed some more time reading underneath a huge pine tree about 1.5 meters in diameter giving me shade from the wind. If you are thinking of staying in Puerto Montt and have a tent with you, I recommend taking it to Isla Tenglo. I found two nice official camping grounds on the island.
In the late afternoon I took the ferry back to Puerto Montt and tried my luck at finding a fitting wind and rain jacket as the clouds were thickaning and I didn't bring along a jacket to South America. Unfortunately they didn't have my size anywhere. I got some groceries for dinner and headed back to the hostel. Along the way I found a nice place and had a lomo sandwich for a late afternoon snack.
That was pretty much it for the day. Tomorrow I will be taking the bus to Puerto Varas. Supposedly they have a lot of stores selling camping gear and equipment, where I can gear up befor trying to climb a part of the Volcano Osorno and starting my hitchhike towards the town of Osorno.
My Spanish is already improving, maybe I'll right my blog entries en espaniol a couple of weeks from now ;).