Day 17: Chiloe

Day 17:  Chiloe

A huge flock of black-necked swans, exceedingly pretty as the sun comes out and makes them glow on the water

Weather:  60s and intermittent rain, heavy at times

Quote of the Day:  Christian, I think it is raining in the van

Department of what to call THB: Somehow in the registration process DB’s middle name, Jean, became THB’s first name. While we corrected this with scratch outs on the registration forms, the daily sheets for the guides still list THB as Jean (pronounced eeeh ahn in Espanol?).

Imported mango slices?

THB is up early, there were birds screeching in the meadow outside which we could hear clearly as we slept with the window open. Breakfast of yoghurt, granola, fruit and a bit of café con leche.

The construction of the new wing

Our guide Christian describing the day

We take two car ferries

At an overlook

Our excursion is a cultural one today, with visits to local Iglesias, small museums, small markets, a farm where a local woman (Sandra) is in the process of turning her 5 hectares organic (and which also is where we are having lunch), and most importantly includes stops for fresh oysters and smoked mussel empanadas.

Smoked mussels

Smoked salmon

giant garlic cloves

Apple turnover

We're in a sound of sorts, protected by Chiloe island, there's no chance of a tsunami...maybe a tidal surge?

Joining us is a Kansas City woman just our age and another woman, an electrical engineer from Sao Paolo, probably in her 40s (maybe older). Our guide today is Christian, a 28 year old from Concepcion, a driver and some guy sitting in the way back of the van who turns out to be the chef, along to cook us lunch at the soon-to-be organic farm.

Santa Maria de Loreto; while we're waiting to get in the sun comes out

All the pillars are set on large stones and then the stones are covered with wood

A visit to a small town that includes oysters

New fire house

A house across the street that burned down, they are hoping to restore

Another house that burned down, this one right next door to the new firehouse, also hoping to restore

The old firehouse, around the corner from the two houses that burned down...they must have burned fast (or, the firefighters slept through the fire?)

A new church, not one on the circuoto de iglesias

THB's fave stop of the day

The chef from Tierra comes with the tour today, and here he's setting out a dozen oysters and pouring the win

THB eats 7 or 8, DB has a few, the other women aren't interested. The oysters are terrific: briny and creamy. If only there had been enough enthusiasm for another dozen....

On the way to the organic farm, it starts raining (not unusual, the whole day was interrupted by showers), this time very very hard:

It is raining so hard, THB takes a pic of the wipers unable to keep up; at this point DB announces it is raining...IN THE VAN! The van is leaking next to her and also in the way back where the chef is scrambling to protect the lunch we're carrying

A few minutes later, we at Sandra's organic farm and the sun is out

The imported lunch 

Quinoa

Potatoes stored for winter, awaiting sorting

Even the lichen is harvested

Pigs and sheep are sharing a meadow, this pig came over to greet us (and expect a treat?)

In the greenhouse

Lunch with many leftovers, Sandra will be eating for several weeks on what the tour doesn't consume

Chicha: the cider made from local apples; bottled and left for 8-12 months ending up dry and around 5% alcohol

Sandra's jam, sold locally

A few more stops:

Another treat: deep fried smoked mussel empanadas. THB has three fresh from the fryer 

Nuestra Senora de los Dolores

We’re back around 5pm, plenty of time for THB to take a short nap and catch up on posting.

Seared ahi just like it's done California style

Apple strudel 

Pisco Sour and G&T before dinner, and THB and DB have the identical meal: green salad, seared tuna, and apple crumble with ice cream, and wine. Very nice!!