Although it has been a number of days since the ash clouds from Volcano Puyehue had completed a circumference of the earth, it was not until this past Sunday that the wind currents carried the mass to Concepcion. At first,…
Checking the Ugly Tourist at the Curb
Another round of classes in Santiago has me pondering what it is about travel that turns otherwise well-behaved, perhaps even model citizens, into traumatic, “IwantitIwantitIWANTIT!!!” children, demanding attention, not taking no for an answer (probably because they’ve learned that constants…
Rain Without End, Easter in Pucon
The wind was blowing fiercely on the afternoon that we left for Pucon. Winter was beginning to make its presence felt. The skies were grey-white, with clouds forming a heavy blanket over Concepcion. Leaves and trash danced wildly in the…
Trekking to the Top of the Andes
Imagine a place so quiet and peaceful that you can hear your own thoughts or choose to totally disregard them, without the conscious need to meditate. That is what I discovered during a four-day/three-night horseback adventure into the Pehuenche region…
It’s All in the Bag
After almost three years of continuous packing and unpacking, I have finally come to terms with less being more. It wasn’t easy at first, for the temptation to pack my entire wardrobe was great. The “what if’s” long held sway…
Where Oh Where Has Llico Gone?
“… Shovel them under and let me work. Two years, ten years, and passengers ask the conductor: What place is this? Where are we now? I am the grass. Let me work.” – excerpt for “Grass,” Carl Sandberg I wanted…
Mulchen, The Rest of the Pictorial Story
One of the most pleasurable indulges during our stay in Mulchen was the opportunity to photograph nature and to capture otherwise unnoticed gems of farm life. So, rather than carry on with a drawn-out tale of what we did, I…
A Weekend in Mulchen
Dear friends, who own a farm in the rural area of Mulchen, invited us to participate in the cutting of the wheat and to enjoy a little Chilean country living. Although the trip was wrought with mishaps from beginning to…
Traveling to the Top of the World
Summer is almost over in Chile, and to squeeze every last bit of enjoyment from the season, we embarked on two memorable trips. One introduced us to the pleasures and hardships of country living in Mulchen, and the other, to…
A Sunday’s Leisure at Campo Puente Roa
Chile is a country where people really know how to enjoy nature and life itself. This is particularly true on a sunny Sunday. Excursions are taken along the coast to savor the smells, sounds and tastes of the ocean, as…