Boat at Chonchi harbor
Monday, December 21, 2009
The archipelago of Chiloe consists of a main island and numerous islets, covered with rolling hills, rural fields, and forest. It has two main towns, Ancud and Castro. We made our way to Castro from Puerto Montt by bus, crossing the channel on a vehicle ferry. From the ferry we saw sea lions and penguins.
Chiloe is famous for its legends and mythology, apparently, although we didn’t really notice. It’s also known for its fascinating wooden churches, based on Jesuit designs. In Castro we found a family-run hospedaje, then hit the supermarket and took a quick stroll around the Plaza de Armas, where we ducked into the wooden cathedral (built in 1906). Our cozy room had a great view of the port, the harbor, and peninsula. At dinner, we shared the kitchen with the family that owned the hospedaje, which proved to be slightly awkward.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
It rained most of the day on Tuesday, so we didn’t venture very far. We ate a leisurely breakfast, read, did some blogging, and watched a few movies – Dirty Dancing, Elizabeth, and The Fast and the Furious.
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
On Wednesday we headed to the fishing village of Chonchi, south of Castro. In Chonchi we checked out the cathedral (built in 1880), then strolled around the harbor to admire the fishing boats. The island of Lemuy sits across the bay from Chonchi, but it turns out the ferry actually leaves from Puerto Huicha, 4 km south of Chonchi. For lunch we had good seafood at La Quila restaurant. Returning to Castro, we got off the bus early to check out several areas of palafitos – restaurants and houses built on stilts above the water. Before dinner, we walked to the mirador for a beautiful view of the town.
Lodging: Hostal Bellavista