Left Aluminé after a leisurely breakfast, driving slowly up to Villa Pehuenia. The name comes from the Mapudungdun word ‘pehuén’, denoting the araucaria (monkey-puzzle) tree. As I got closer to Villa Penuenia these were increasingly in evidence.
The seeds of the pehuén tree. known as ‘piñones’, are a staple food for the indigenous people of the area, who grind them into flour and use it to make many food forms.
It was a very short and relaxing day’s driving, also taking in a side trip to Moquehué, a small town som twenty km from Pehuenia. Lots of lakes around here, and the tourist season just beginning to wake up.
Tomorrow I cross into Chile, through a new pass (Icalma, a crossing that I don’t know). I’ll be aiming for Temuco, a big city and quite a change after these idyllic little settlements.
For this short trip I decided I was not going to write a blog. This is it. The map shows my intended route as I set out: from SM north to Villa Pehuenia, West to Temuco, south to Quellón (on the island Chiloe) and back to SM through Puerto Montt and Villa Angostura.
Left San Martín de los Andes about 07.30, driving first to Lake Tromen in search of Pehuén pine cones. Easily found but needn’t have bothered as later in the day I saw lots on my route.
Drive from June to Pio Lil good, fast tarmac if a little twisty. From Pio Lil to the turn for Quillen the road was worse than ever, but still a beautiful drive. Thenceforth twenty km of broken tarmac and lunch in Aluminé – a tasty lamb stew.
Sadly my favourite pasta restaurant (Posta del Rey) had closed down – seems the owner died, but the food under the new owners was good, if not meeting my dreams.
After lunch drove out to Ruca Choroi – another familiar road, where I found more and better piñones. Then to my hotel for the night, impressive to look at and above my usual standard but only £25 or so for the night.
Skipped evening meal (huge lunch) but found bowls of (pehuén) pine kernels which I ‘stole’ with permission, so my collection is now complete.
Tomorrow I’ll be doing the short drive to Villa Pehuenia.
I am writing this entry some days later. Sadly events (work, basically) took over and I had to make a beeline home to San Martin de los Andes, via Esquel, where I spent the night in the same lovely hotel as before.
Had an early breakfast and got on the road to see the Caves of the Painted Hands. Good light, good road (mostly) and got there by 09.40. Nice to be on fast flat roads instead of twisty mountain gravel.
Very different scenery to Chile: dry, and more desert-like.
I did well to leave early, as there was no one else there and I got the guide all to myself. She was excellent, and the whole tour was fascinating. As we finished I saw the next tour assembling – there must have been at least twenty-five people waiting.
The wall paintings are in a long cañadon (canyon) providing some protection from the elements.
As expected there were many painted hands, in a variety of natural pigments from different periods. dating back as early as 7350 BC. This figure has been arrived at through radio carbon dating, and is challenging earlier theories of migration times and patterns.
But more than hands: there were scenes of hunting guanaco and other animals. The guanaco provided the nomadic peoples with food, protective clothing, sinews and tendons, bones and grease. They also ate tuco-tuco, choique (lesser rhea), puma and other small animals.
And there are glyphs and artwork whose meaning we can only guess at.
I saw a lot of birds on the road: ducks, geese and swans in the many creeks the road crossed. But I had decided not to include wild life this time, so I’ll limit this to a couple of elegant black-necked swans.
And the road was littered with guanaco, hundreds of them.
Then back to Perito Moreno, where I stopped for Lunch. Then I watched the big football game (in Brazil, Boca against Fluminense). Sadly Boca lost 1-2, in extra time.
Tomorrow I drive back northwards, towards Esquel, breaking the journey in Gobernador Costa.
Up early and away, first stop Chile Chico. Which was only 111 km on the map but took almost four hours. Very, very steep and twisty and parts extremely potholed – some lakeside descents quite frightening and I did most of it in 4WD. But compensated for by some of the most spectacular scenery I’ve ever seen: the snowcapped Andes in all their glory and the sun reflected in gorgeous lakes.
The view leaving Puerto Guadal …
….. along the way ….
… until arriving at Chile Chico, where I had a coffee, bought some pisco and filled the tank (crazy thing to do with Chilean prices and so near the border, but petrol was scarce when I left Argentina).
Immigration and customs a breeze both sides, though the young gendarme seemed keen to have explanations for every item I was carrying. But it didn’t take long, he was friendly and chatty and keen to visit SM de los Andes and I wasn’t in a hurry.
Then through to Los Antiguos, where I was not tempted by the Ruta 41 where Tiso and I had such fun a few years back (see here). No desire to learn more about menucos.
I would have liked to drive along RP 41 a little but lunch seemed a more sensible option.
On to Perito Moreno, on some good (straight and flat) tarmac, and arrived in time for lunch and to check in at my best hotel so far. Yes, a proper hotel, and a comfy one – the favourable dollar exchange encouraged me to splash out a bit.
The name of the hotel refers to the Cave of the Painted Hands, a UNESCO world Heritage site which I hope to visit tomorrow. More here.
Left Coyhaique very early, hoping to get to the Cerro Castillo Reserve at dawn to see the huemules comedown to the water. Left at 04.30, grabbing a Copec coffee on the way. I kept my end of the bargain but the huemules failed me. Never mind.
I did see three rabbits, a fox and a skunk. And picked up a French ski instructor who kept me company on some very indifferent roads. After Coyhaique there are few stretches of tarmac, but the gravel is mostly good, with a few bad patches. But twisty, so slow driving.
Got to Puerto Guadal, quite near the border with Argentina, at midday and down to exam reviewing. Can’t complain – the work pays for these trips.. Still finding Chile expensive, but that ends tomorrow, and my dollars will go further in Argentina.
I was tired last night and went to bed reasonably early, but not before celebrating my arrival in Coyhaique with a refreshing mojito. As I took my first sip I realised it should have been a Pisco Sour, but that can wait for the next one.
The streets were full of bizarrely dressed kids trick or treating, what with itt being Halloween. Strange [to me] to see this Irish American tradition in southern Chile, but guess it’s all over the world now. Including the women who served me my [unexpectedly expensive] supper.
This is the hostel I stayed in last night and will stay in tonight. Friendly and comfortable but only powdered instant coffee. Like all travellers I carry essentials, so broke out some Cabrales coffee bags and peace was restored.
It was a working day for me. Fortified by coffee and sweet breads (not sweetbreads) I worked till lunchtime reviewing exam questions and then went out to find sustenance. Which I found in then shape of, what else, a Peruvian restaurant.
Rather than beer or wine I opted for a jug of chicha, refreshing and nostalgic. The menu was extensive (you can check with the optical code) – I had bird and surf, chopped slices of chicken with assorted shellfish served with rice and chips. Good, filling stuff, as my lunches are tending to be.
So I needed to walk it off a bit. Coyhaique is a beautiful little town, and no doubt because of tourists doing the Carretera Austral has developed more sophisticated infrastructure than other neighbouring community centres. It even has a casino, which –even if they had let me in in my dishevelled travelling gear– I was able to resist.
Above is the street corner of my hotel, a quiet area with the mountains in the background. Below, part of the Plaza de Armas, central square, where they were getting together for celebrations at the weekend. Lots of artesania there, which I did succumb to, including a nice hand-woven mat for my new house.
Back to the hotel for a short siesta and some more item reviewing, and out for my promised Pisco sour with supper.
Tomorrow an early start and south down Ruta 7 as far as Puerto Guadal. If I’m lucky I may see some huemules along the way, but I dare not hope.
