15th of Feb until 20th of Feb – Castro, Chiloe island
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After five and a half hours on the ferry we arrived around 7:30 pm in Castro. Crowds of backpackers on the bustling streets. We were lucky and found a Hostal with estacionamiento for the moto somewhere in the backstreet.
Backpackers everywhere and first we couldn’t believe that some of them were begging for money to finance their vacation. But quite a common practice of the young Chileans we found out later. Strange culture, to beg for money for your vacation?! When we were young we also didn’t have much money but begging for money for booze?? For sleeping they don’t spend money because most of them sleep in the park, on the street or on the beach.
Worse is what I saw two days later on the street: Two guys entertaining the car drivers with juggling at a traffic stop light. One of the car drivers didn’t want to give money and the one guy spit on the side window of the car. What is this???
We packed our things and drove to Chiloe’s National Park at Cucao on the west coast. A nice tour through forests and along lakes, a shock when we arrived at the National Park. The beach was clean because it was too windy. Sand flew over the ground; great scenery. After taking pictures we looked for a campground close to the hike we wanted to do the next day. A disaster, everywhere garbage. When I started to take photos of this catastrophe a native Mapuche guy came over and explained visibly embarrassed about the Lunar festival a couple of days ago which attracted too many tourists and that normally it doesn’t look like this…Hmm. If they cannot make the tourists “function correctly” the community has to clean up the mess…at least my opinion.
A look back to Chaiten from the ferry. Approx. 400 inhabitants. Those ones we met and talked to look with a positive spirit into the future.
Backpackers everywhere
The "pop art church" of Castro. Actually built with wood like all the other churches on Chiloe but this one got a "metal wrap" which they painted with these happy colors. Unique.
Castro with its steep streets
The mussels have an amazing size. Chiloe is famous for this big sized seafood and its kitchen. This pot here is called Curanto.
Typical wooden houses
Palafitos (wooden stilt houses), also typical for Chiloe
Not that old these wooden churches (built around the 18th/19th century change) but cosy and warm. This one we saw on our day trip in Achao, actually the oldest of all wooden churches on Chiloe.
And of course artesana shops at the seaside market
All kinds off seaweed...still not clear to us for what pupose: Chemical, pharmaceutical, food, animal food...maybe for all of them. Also I read about a project letting seaweed grow in farms compensating the negative effects of the salmon farms which are everywhere down here.
Our ride to Cucao National Park
Astronaut Y on the moon
And after our foto shooting the shock in the backcountry. According to the map this part belongs to the National Park.
Backpackers everywhere and first we couldn’t believe that some of them were begging for money to finance their vacation. But quite a common practice of the young Chileans we found out later. Strange culture, to beg for money for your vacation?! When we were young we also didn’t have much money but begging for money for booze?? For sleeping they don’t spend money because most of them sleep in the park, on the street or on the beach.
Worse is what I saw two days later on the street: Two guys entertaining the car drivers with juggling at a traffic stop light. One of the car drivers didn’t want to give money and the one guy spit on the side window of the car. What is this???
We packed our things and drove to Chiloe’s National Park at Cucao on the west coast. A nice tour through forests and along lakes, a shock when we arrived at the National Park. The beach was clean because it was too windy. Sand flew over the ground; great scenery. After taking pictures we looked for a campground close to the hike we wanted to do the next day. A disaster, everywhere garbage. When I started to take photos of this catastrophe a native Mapuche guy came over and explained visibly embarrassed about the Lunar festival a couple of days ago which attracted too many tourists and that normally it doesn’t look like this…Hmm. If they cannot make the tourists “function correctly” the community has to clean up the mess…at least my opinion.
A look back to Chaiten from the ferry. Approx. 400 inhabitants. Those ones we met and talked to look with a positive spirit into the future.
Backpackers everywhere
The "pop art church" of Castro. Actually built with wood like all the other churches on Chiloe but this one got a "metal wrap" which they painted with these happy colors. Unique.
Castro with its steep streets
The mussels have an amazing size. Chiloe is famous for this big sized seafood and its kitchen. This pot here is called Curanto.
Typical wooden houses
Palafitos (wooden stilt houses), also typical for Chiloe
Not that old these wooden churches (built around the 18th/19th century change) but cosy and warm. This one we saw on our day trip in Achao, actually the oldest of all wooden churches on Chiloe.
And of course artesana shops at the seaside market
All kinds off seaweed...still not clear to us for what pupose: Chemical, pharmaceutical, food, animal food...maybe for all of them. Also I read about a project letting seaweed grow in farms compensating the negative effects of the salmon farms which are everywhere down here.
Our ride to Cucao National Park
Astronaut Y on the moon
And after our foto shooting the shock in the backcountry. According to the map this part belongs to the National Park.
