Home sweet home.. kind of

So, we're still on the island of Chiloe, steeped in mysticism and rain...

It is green, it is pleasant, it is rural, and you can't get decent coffee... it reminds us of home! There are lovely coasts, deserted, windswept beaches, rolling hills, little villages made out of wood and corrugated iron... and seafood to die for.

Yesterday we went to the local market, bought some veg, 1kg of salmon (for 1.50 - we can't find a pound sign), and made fish stew. Fish and seafood are the thing to eat here. You can also get something that is like English fish and chips (fish in batter and chips) although we can't pronounce the name of the fish and it was fresh, not been in a freezer for 3 weeks. They even had ketchup and while we were eating our dinner it was chucking it down with rain - home sickness not a problem.

To expand our modes of transport, we did a taxi tour, with another couple (2 medical students from the US). We went to remote beaches, a deserted 18th century Spanish fort, saw dolphins in the sea... all very very pleasant. Pleasant is the word round here - there's nothing spectacular, nothing you must see, but it is all very very pleasant.

Tomorrow we head back to the mainland to the Volcanic National Park near Punta Varas, for a little bit more hiking. Our lazy days on Chiloe are over!

Stuff about Chile

• the first thing a Chilean who speaks English will tell you, is how much better than Argentina it is...
• the next thing is how Chilean Spanish is incomprehensible to anyone outside Chile. They ain't kidding. Lots of slang, swallowing consonants and LOTS of mumbling
• Apparently women are revered much more in Chilean culture, one man we spoke to claimed their current president was voted for because "She's a woman. She'll do better than a man" with little regard for her policies. His exact words were "I was going to scream at the next person that told me that!".
• Fish and seafood. You might have gathered that already...
• They only get 400,000 foreign tourists a year. There isn't really a tourist infrastructure hence the taxi tour. The Chilean government doesn't promote the country as a place to visit. This makes it less easy to do stuff (you have to find your own thing or ask locals)...
• ... and less hiking trails to follow, which is a shame as the countryside is STUNNING.
• ...this has led to a lot of drinking wine or beer in front of beautiful views. No great hardship.

Anyway, when we have seen more, we'll share more of our views on it all.