Waterfalls and Rainbows

The Laja river is one of the main rivers of this region of Chile. It ends in and contributes to the Bio Bio river, the widest and second longest river of Chile. It is born in the Andean range, in a gorgeous National Park called Laguna del Laja. Here a big lagoon is formed between snowed volcanoes. This lagoon gives birth to the river, that crosses almost the entire width of Chile to join the Bio Bio close to the ocean. We crossed the park by car, taking the time to enjoy the big forests and rock formations and the snow that still endured throughout the park. We just managed to reach one edge of the lagoon, before the snow sent us back. In a short couple-of-hour walk we crossed part of the forest to see some waterfalls and even a small rainbow, in a shy and short visit from the sun.


The day after, the last day of the long weekend, we went to see the biggest waterfalls in Chile, further down the Laja river and on the way back to Santiago. The scenery is indeed impressive, as the water flying from the falls covers a wide area and soaks you in few seconds. There are in fact four waterfalls. The most impressive is open to the public and is a tourist attraction. There are two more close together inside private property, where an exclusive hotel was built. We asked to get in just to see the falls and we were allowed to go and take some pictures. Again, a beautiful rainbow formed just below us, providing us with unique pictures! On the way back to Santiago we still had time to go to Cobquecura, a coastal town with a big beach and volcanic sand, where we met a friend for lunch. What else could we ask for?...

Laguna del Laja and Saltos del Laja Photo Album

The World of Narnia

In a not so touristy region of Chile, a not so visited National Park holds one of Chile's biggest treasures: it is one of the last places where there still is native forest and where millenarian Araucaria trees, Chile's symbol, can be seen. The park is named Nahuelbuta and is part of the coastal range in the Araucania region. Together with two friends, I went for a large weekend, in another successful attempt to run away from Santiago. In a five-hour car trip from Santiago we reached the hostal we chose to stay. Run by a friendly German family, we were welcomed at their house, in the middle of the woods, full of Nature and peacefulness. A wonderful place indeed and very central to the major attractions of the region.

The first day was dedicated to explore the Nahuelbuta Park. We went for a 4-hour trek across the park, that reaches one of its highest points, Piedra de Aguila. It was windy and cloudy, but not so cold, tough some snow was still around. In the beginning, the huge Araucarias were astonishing and looking up to the treetops would simply make you feel dizzy. There were other endemic species as well, most of them covered in lichens, giving it an even older and special look. We saw nobody along the way, a full native forest just for ourselves. Suddenly, to complete the surreal picture, it started to snow! It was very light as it was not so cold, but the landscape turned white and the bushes were now covered in snow on top, in what recalled the world of Narnia or the Lord of the Rings. It was just perfect, we were just waiting to see a faun or a hobbit popping up from the bushes. The drawback of this was that it was foggy up in the viewpoint of Piedra de Aguila. We couldn't see the famous views that go from the Pacific ocean to the Andes, where several volcanoes can be spotted, but it was a fair compromise. On the way back to the hostal, we stopped at Angol to see Chile qualify for the World Cup and then joined the people on the streets and celebrated the event. Wooohooooo!

Nahuelbuta National Park Photo Album

Countryside

The typical Chilean countryside lies just south of Santiago, in a region which is also home of the most famous vineyards. This is the place were you can find huasos, the typical peasant, riding his horse with his hat. From this region comes the most famous Chilean folklore, specially the cueca, already mentioned in the previous post. One good example is Santa Cruz, were I had been before for a wine festival. Another example is Buin, just south from Santiago, where a very good friend of mine comes from and where her family is. Buin is not more than a small town, but you can still find bars, discos and a lot of entertainment. However, the grace of it is that it keeps the same family standards and habits that I left in Portugal. I went a couple of times to visit her and her family and the feeling is so familiar that for some moments there, I went back to the family reunions in my grandparents' house. First of all, they are excellent hosts, food and wine on the table, they make you feel comfortable and part of their home. Then comes the atmosphere, quite a big family, the cold outside and the fireplace inside, the smell of burning wood, the unlit nights. Also, the neighbours and the ease for them to drop by, come and visit, talk to you and make you feel comfortable as well, even though it is not their home. Finally, the conversations that last hours and never die and even the bad habit that people have to create couples and make them blush in shame. All this was part of my childhood, but I live it now in a different way, more as a participant than as a spectator that would use these reunions to play until later because nobody would go to bed. These are the moments that are really special and that you can only reach by living for a while in a certain place, as you go deeper and deeper into Chile's roots and traditions.