After a few relaxing days in
Valdivia, we were ready for another outdoor adventure. So we headed north to the Villarrica/Pucon area, the “adventure capital” of
Chile’s Lakes Region, Araucania. (named after the monkey puzzle tree,
araucaria, that is so abundant in this region)
Pucon and Villarrica are about 30 minutes apart on
Lake Villarrica, with volcano Villarrica in the background. Pucon is kind of like I imagine
Aspen, a luxury resort town with BMWs and Mercedes everywhere, while Villarrica is more residential.
In downtown Pucon there is a tour operator on every corner, offering to take you up the volcano, white water rafting, canyoning, to the hot springs, hiking, fishing, etc… There is also a plethora of good food and cafes. We found the best ice cream at Huerto Azul (we loved frutas del bosque = forest berries, another fav was cinnamon). We also devoured home-made pasta and whole wheat empanadas filled with veggies and cheese as well as Antarctic krill (weird) at Trawen, pictured below.
Pucon and the Volcano Villarrica
Pucon has a beautiful black sand beach on the lake, but during the summer it overflows with Santiaguinos. It looked more like MTV Spring break in Cancun with umbrellas and beach towels covering the extensive waterfront.
What will you watch when you get bored of watching the volcano? A Direct TV ad on the beach.
Jo enjoying a delicious meal at Trawen in Pucon.
Don't panic Margaret! The green light means mild earthquakes, some steam and a little smoke, but a relatively low risk of eruption.
No comments:
Post a Comment