On the Carreter Austral (Southern Highway) of Chile, on my way to Cochrane. Most of the Carretera Austral is unpaved, gravel bumpiness. But it passes through some absolutely gorgeous scenery, looping around clear-blue lakes and weaving through glacier-crested mountains.
At the ¡Sin Represas! (Without Dams) protest on the Baker River. For more info on the situation go to: http://sinrepresas.com/ or http://www.patagoniasinrepresas.cl/final/ or http://vimeo.com/5612779
Closeup of some of the sign.
At the protest I met both people sincere about protecting the Patagonia and its people, and others who were along (unfortunately) only for the party and to make some noise. This woman, from Coyhaique, has been coming to the protest for the last 5 years and is sincerely motivated to protect Southern Chile.
A land owner who is considering selling his land to Hydroaysen (the company behind the dams in this area). He came out to see the protest...to gauge, I would assume, the strength of the movement, as he considers selling his land to foreigners. Why the suit? Hmmm.
"Our Father. Mother Earth. Robbed Water." Patagonian mountains in the distance.
Back to camping, this time near Puerto Guadal. Morning sunshine hitting my tent, as I camp at a new "eco-camping" in the area.
On the property of "Un Destino No Turistico" - the new eco-camping and hostel in Guadal. The stable, the building to the left, is about to become the hostel. Rocio and Marcelo were really great people who picked me up from the protest and let me camp for free for a few days. Check out: www.destino-noturistico.com
A solar oven, imported from Spain, cooks many many homemade loaves of bread with zero environmental impact for Rocio and Marcelo.
Gazing down at the very small town of Puerto Guadal (population ~150), Chile. The town is located off of a branch of the Carretera Austral, and did not have a road until 1990. Before the road, a boat would arrive weekly on the lake. However, with the Patagonian winds, sometimes the boat ride would take 1 day, other times 2 or 3 days to arrive. Apparently there were a few times when a woman gave birth on the boat!
Unbelievably clear water in Lago General Carrera on the shores of Guadal.
Enjoying the sunshine and the lake. The water actually acts as a mirror, and creates a warmer micro-climate than areas that don´t receive the warm rays that bounce off of the water. I had gone to town to use the internet, and then buy a bus ticket. But everything in Chile closes between about 1:00pm-3:30pm...and so I was "stuck" reading a book and staring at the lake for a few hours before I could buy my bus ticket.
More views of the Lake and the sorrounding mountains.
In Guadal, where baqueanos (Patagonian cowboys) still ride through town on their way back from working in the hills.
Saying goodbye to Marcelo and Rocio after a few delightful days of good conversation and beautiful scenery.
Another view of Lago General Carrera, on a 2.5 hour bus ride between Guadal and Chile Chico (on the Chile-Argentine border).
Back on the road...in Argentina, on bus number 3 of 6, in my attempt to arrive back to Puerto Natales and Torres del Paine.
This is the scenery in the Argentine pampa (desert). Don´t worry. If you forget to look out the window, the view doesn´t change for the next 16 hours. I almost got left behind at a quick bus stop. Oops! I´d gone to the bathroom when I heard the bus start moving. I opened the bathroom door only to see the bus, and all of my things, (and also my way out of the pampa!), pulling away. I ran (you can imagine) after the bus...needless to say...I did get back on...ha!
