Half way Across the Andes

Sowell Family's Travels on Gijima
Skipper: Tim Sowell Admiral Tracy Crew Sean & Alex
Sat 22 May 2010 23:19
Location: Puella (Chile) (41:5.161N 72:1.183W)
Picked up before day break, in a light drizzle we left Puerto Montt on a bus
that took us to Varas and then around Lake LLanquihue with a volcanoes on
the right and left covered in snow, and peaking through the ever rising
clouds. The rising cone shape and snow tops is always a great site, and we
then entered vast gorges and then further lakes, left over from glaciers. We
then jumped on a ferry boat and did the 36nM ride up Todos Los Santos Lake
to a small town of Peulla (with a population of 120) not sure where they all
sleep. This ride along the lake reminded me of the lakes in Northern Italy
and the times I have sailed along them, with the steep sides, the isolated
houses, and the snow caps on either side. We are in a national park and the
houses we saw dotted along the lake shore are originals left from before the
park formation and these people have some of the best real estate.
The cloud hung high up but started to let sun through as we pulled into
Peulla, and we checked into our hotel more like what we expect or had in
Alaska lodge, very nice and great view. The boys spent the afternoon running
around with make shift boats out side, and we went for walks. On these walks
over the last 3 weeks we keep seeing old abandoned steam engines used either
as trains, or farm engines, initially we thought nice, but we continue to
see many of them outside in gardens, parks etc (boys love them).
I am now sitting in front of an open fire with the mountains rising above
me, we are half way, and looking forward to tomorrow.