Who: Mark Peters of Westminster.
Where: Osorno Volcano, near Puerto Varas, in the “Chilean Lake District.”
Best meal: At La Olla restaurant, a fish place in Puerto Varas about 1 mile from the downtown area. La Olla was full of fun-loving locals and helpful, friendly waiters. I had chupa, a thick king crab casserole covered with melted cheese, for the appetizer, which was a meal in itself. The entrée was a Chilean sea bass (called corvina) dish and covered with a wonderful king crab sauce called margarita. The amount of food was overwhelming, but we managed. We were the only English-speaking patrons in the restaurant, and the waiters spoke mostly Spanish, but we felt very at home. We had a very good Chilean white wine, Santa Rita from the Aconcagua district of Chile. The reds and whites throughout Chile were of excellent quality.
Best deal: Chile and Argentina are inexpensive. A good bottle of wine in a restaurant was typically $10, and an excellent steak was also $10; a full meal was normally $25-$30 per person at a very good restaurant. In Puerto Varas, Hotel Licarayen was on the lake next to the downtown area and cost only $75 per night including free parking. One could see the Osorno volcano from the lobby of the hotel and most of the rooms; ours even had a balcony. The hotel staff was friendly and helpful.
Best time to go: In their spring, which is late October through November for us, it’s not crowded, and the temperature is pleasant. In summer, December through February, it can be very crowded with higher prices.
Best travel tip: Book your own itinerary on the Internet; we traveled extensively throughout Patagonia without any problems. And if you go early, you can book as you go. Chile is a very beautiful part of the world; it has great diversity. Consider the all-day bus/boat trip through the Andes from Bariloche, Argentina, to Puerto Varas, beautiful and somewhat adventuresome, or do the four-day cruise from Puerto Montt through the Chilean fjords to Puerto Natales in the south of Chile, which puts you in a position to easily visit the gem of Chile, Torres del Paine National Park.
