Today is National Barros Luco day in Chile.This Chilean version of a steak and cheese sandwich dates from the early 1900s, when President Ramon Barros Luco lunched regularly at the Confiteria Torres…
Pichi Newen
El Peral, Araucania El Peral, Araucania One night several years ago Luz Celia Lienqueo Castillo had a peuma…a type of dream the Mapuche believe is not just a vision but a type…
Dichato and Jessica’s Mussels
Dichato, as seen from Pingueral Dichato, as seen from Pingueral About a year ago Pilar, the psychologist I met in Dichato where she is involved in community recovery programs with the most…
It’s What Chile Wants
There is no more spectacular air flight than the one from Buenos Aires, Argentina to Santiago, Chile, a two-hour journey that begins over the muddy Rio de la Plata, continues over the…
Bachelet; Two more weeks to the “Big Show”!
Chilean President Michelle Bachelet Chilean President Michelle Bachelet So, the last time we talked about Chilean politics, Michelle Bachelet had just won handily the first election for president (November) and was campaigning…
Chilean Artisans
IMG_20131130_125106_897 Wool, clay, wood, metal, stone, and horse hair, all materials that are readily available in Chile, and hence they are the basis for most of traditional Chilean artisan products. Late last…
Carretera Austral Day Six….Cochrane to Chile Chico and Argentine Border
Breakfast on Day six again at the Military Hotel, and we were off on the last stretch of our trip in Chile, for today we were to drive along the south side…
Carretera Austral Day Five….Villa O’Higgins to Caleta Tortel to Cochrane
Day five started early for us, since we had to reach the RÍo Bravo landing, three hours away, to take the morning barcaza back across to Puerto Yungay, and on to Caleta…
Carretera Austral Day Four….Cochrane to Villa O’Higgins
We were awakened early on Day four, 4:30 to be precise, by a trio of frustrated roosters who, sitting right below our windows but out of reach of the rocks we threw…
Carretera Austral Day Three…..Coyhaique to Cochrane
Cerro Castillo Our destination on day three was Cochrane, a city about 360 kilometers south of Coyhaique. We had been told the road was really bad, and that we would not make…