"j": start of construction 1975, finished 1976 … and still running

There is not much going on these days. It’s just three weeks and about 2,500 km to Punta Arenas. A stone’s throw away. The route and the intermediate stops are fixed, so I have time. I stay one more night in Pucón.

25.11., 26.11.
I wanted to leave today. But sometimes other creatures ensure that I won’t get bored on my trip. Every day in the morning I check my bank account. And that is a good idea as can be seen today. Somewhere on my journey my bank card got copied. At the weekend someone in the Dominican Republic withdrawed the equivalent of 750 EUR. Money that is withdrawed at the weekend, is visible on Monday on the bank account. So today all about was blocking the card and communicating with the bank.

The next morning I get the positive message, that I almost certainly will get my money back. Since it is a skimming case, I’m in Chile and still in possession of my ATM card and the money was withdrawed in the Dominican Republic,  there is an insurance by the company which issues the ATM card. So it will be just a few EUR fees for blocking the card. In about three weeks I will know it.

I do not know where I’m driving, but the landscape is beautiful. On the roadside are sometimes signs “Ruta de siete Lagos”. I realize why all the Europeans came to live in this part of Chile. It almost looks like in my country and the climate is a bit similar as well. Beeing homesick is much easier to bear. Every few kilometers you can see german street names, signs with “Zimmer frei“ and “Cafe y Kuchen” and in some restaurants there are german menus. Approximately after three hours, I arrive in Valdivia.

 

27.11., 28.11.

Valdivia is not directly on the sea, but a few miles inland where the rivers Río Calle Calle Río and Cau Cau come together. There is a daily fish market on the waterfront, where you can watch the fishermen at work.

Along the water front there are also South American sea lions hanging out in the sun. Wikipedia says, the animals can get 2 1/2 meters tall and can weigh around 300 kg. Yup, I can confirm that. They are arguing quite constantly. The large animals only seem tame when they sit close to the fish market workers, who throw the fish heads directly in their mouth. The residues are eaten by gulls, vultures and other birds.

There is an Irish pub in town. Hurrah!

I work. Seriously, I worked for about two hours. The router – for laymen, it is a device through which you can connect to the Internet with mobile phone, tablet or laptop – on the second floor of the hostel does not work. I will solve the problem and get a free night.

29.11.
Yesterday we had BBQ Argentinian style, on a wood fire in the hostel. The night was long, there was plenty of meat and a lot of wine. Although I got up early, I can’t drive today. And the distance of about 350km including a border crossing is too far for me to start at noon. After breakfast I go back to bed for a another couple of hours.

It is really comfy in the hostel, but I hopefully will make it out of here tomorrow. Argentina is waiting.

Thank your for reading, Juergen.

Photos Album Flickr

 


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