We decided to spend a couple of days with nothing else planned in Puerto Varas. More walking about the downtown and surrounding area. Like most towns in this area, Puerto Varas and Puerto Montt to the south were founded by German Immigrants in the mid 1800’s. Their influence is evident in the architecture and orderliness of the towns. Also the buses also run on time!
Puerto Varas is on the southwest shore of Lago Llanquilhue, which receives Andes runoff and drains into the Pacific Ocean 15 miles to the south near Puerto Montt. Lago Llanquilhue is the largest lake in Chile and is 1400 feet deep. To the northeast of the lake is the dormant volcano, Orsono, which reminded us of Mt Fujiyama with its perfect symmetric shape. We changed Argentine pesos ( $3.40 / U.S.$1.00) for Chilean pesos ($640.00 / U.S. $1.00). and walked away from the money changers office with a wad of Chilean pesos.
Chris is writing another email in our hotel room. That’s Lago Llanquilhue in the background with a local boat tied up to a mooring ball What you cant see because of the low marine layer are the two volcanoes that are in the lake background.
Below is a picture of Puerto Varas from high ground. Still hard to see but the volcano Orsono is in the marine
layer background.
In the afternoon we decided to ride the local bus to Puerto Montt, about a 20 minutes to the south. Puerto Montt is a large city, 200,000 + people , much more commercial than Puerto Varas. We wandered around the downtown. Very clean town with a beautiful huge port area. Most everything down low near the waterfront has been rebuilt in the past 40 years. Puerto Montt and the island of Chiloe to the south were devastated by an earthquake and resulting tsunami in 1960. It seemed like every bit of town history included something about that disaster.
Puerto Montt has it all when it comes to Chilean commerce. #1 is Salmon farming followed by dairy production, potatoes and wood pulp for paper products and chipboard. In the countryside, many native trees have been replaced with large stands of eucalyptus for pulp production.
The Navimag ships leave Puerto Montt and head south for Puerto Natales twice a week. Puerto Natales is way south just before Port Arenas and Ushuia. Last stop before Antarctica. The ferry carrys some passengers and cargo and was just leaving when we got to the port. Looks like those lucky enough to be aboard were all on the top deck enjoy the beginning of an exciting voyage. Not us, not this time at least.
Later in the day, we returned to Puerto Varas for the usual glass of whatever and dinner at 11:00pm. We’re used to late dinner and sleeping in in the morning and will probably have quite an adjustment when we get home.
Click on LOCATION below for an aerial view of Puerto Montt.
Ciao from Puerto Varas, Alan & Chris
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