The Fortress of the Far South, Fort Bulnes, Chile

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

Fort Bulnes

      

The chapel, Fort Bulnes

           It is as inhospitable a spit of land as you will find anywhere in the world, a place where ocean currents collide …. Where violent tempests rake the land …. Where survival requires tenacity and determination. Yet, for generations nations of the world vied for this spot at the ends of the earth overlooking the strategic navigation route linking east to west! It was thus that Chile lay claim to the Strait of Magellan and, in 1843, built a fort high on a cliff overlooking the

 passageway -- Fort Bulnes.

          This was not the first attempt at establishing a toehold in the area. In 1584, in order to prevent the English explorer, Sir Francis Drake, from returning to the Pacific via the Strait of Magellan, Captain Sarmiento de Gamboa of Spain founded an outpost, the Ciudad de Rey Don Felipe (the City of King Don Felipe), just a mile away from where Fort Bulnes sits today. But nature proved to be a cruel companion – the inhabitants of Ciudad de Rey Don Felipe starved to death within a matter of months – the victims of the extreme weather and the lack of food and water.

Cannons overlooking the Brunswick Peninsula

            The remains of the encampment were discovered some time later by Sir Thomas Cavendish, the English privateer, on his way to circumnavigate the world. He renamed the spot Puerto Del Hambre (Famine Port).

            By 1843 the President of Chile, Manuel Bulnes Prieto realized that if his country was going to maintain control of its southern borders, it would have to command the Strait of Magellan. He ordered Captain Juan Williams of the Chilean Navy to “take possession of the Strait of Magellan for Chile” and prevent the French or British from establishing a presence on the continent.

An expedition was organized from Chiloé on the Schooner “Ancud” (the first warship to be built in Chile). Learning from previous failures, the 21 men and two women included provisions of dried food as well as live chickens and pigs to last until they had established their own means of survival.

Fort Bulnes was established on Santa Ana Point, about a mile south of Puerto Del Hambre. (Ironically, the day after Williams landed at Santa Ana, a French frigate arrived off the coast with the intention of establishing a French port on the same site). The fort was built by hand of tree trunks and peat bricks, surrounded by a log fence.

View from the Watchtower, Fort Bulnes

Although the original intention had been to build a town around the fort, within six years, the inhospitable conditions forced the inhabitants to abandon Fort Bulnes, which was burned to the ground, and to move to Punta Arenas, 40 miles to the north. Nature had won again!

In 1943 the Fort was restored and, today, provides a realistic glimpse of what life might have been like during the age of exploration and conquest.

As you drive along the Strait of Magellan from Punta Arenas, the shores are littered with the skeletons of old ships that have fallen victim to the treachery of the currents. They sit silently on their sides, encrusted with the guano of cormorants, gulls and other seabirds that nest in the nooks and crannies.

The Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego

Near the spot where Puerto Del Hambre once stood is a monument marking the “geographical center of Chile.” A map on the white stele outlines the long, thin ribbon of land from the Peruvian border to the tip of the continent, separated from the area of Antarctica that Chile claims as its own.

The port of Bahia Mansa at the base of the hill is home to the wooden fishing boats which ply these waters in search of Patagonian hake, Chilean Sea bass and eel. We visit on a holiday when the ‘fleet’ is at anchor, a collection of small wooden boats, painted blue, white and red, with fanciful names like “Beagle.”

A short drive up the hill takes you to the reconstructed fort. Surrounded by the same type of log wall, a watch tower looks out over the ocean, facing the Brunswick Peninsula on one side and the Strait of Magellan and Tierra del Fuego Island on the other. Climb up for a panoramic view through the exposed window where the wind howls, even on the warmest summer day. Cannons line the two sides of the bluff, protecting the church, chaplain’s quarters, jail, powder magazine and stables.

The coastline beneath the Fort

A short walk down the hill takes you past the Santa Ana Lighthouse (1944) to the edge of the Strait of Magellan. Enormous tree trunks lie mangled on the rocks as waves pound around them. If you are lucky you might see a seal bobbing around in the waters off shore, periodically diving after food, then quizzically popping up to see if you are still there.

Standing on this once coveted spit of land, Fort Bulnes is a silent reminder of the extremes that nations would go to reign supreme even over inhospitable lands such as this! Copyright 2012 Diana Russler All Rights Reserved.

IF YOU GO

Fishing boats at Bahia Mansa

Fort Bulnes is about 40 miles south of Punta Arenas on a partially paved road that skirts the edge of the Strait of Magellan. The fort is open from 9 am to 6 am.

Your hotel reception will arrange transportation to the fort which can be visited on a self-guided tour.

The Magallanes Penguins of Punta Arenas, Chile

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

A Magallanes Penguin

Magallanes Penguins emerging from the water

            There is something very endearing about Magallanes Penguins. These curious little creatures, waddling from sea to sand, look almost human as they gaze up at you, tilting their heads from side to side, as if to gain a different perspective. Before long they lose interest and wander off to fish in the waters near Punta Arenas, Chile.

            The Magallanes are the largest of the warm-weather penguins. This means that they migrate south to mate and raise their young and then, when autumn comes to the south, they swim north in search of warmer waters and longer daylight hours.

A tree-trunk burrow

            Named after the explorer Ferdinand Magellan, who discovered them during his first trip around South America in the early 1500s, the Magallanes Penguin has a wide black stripe under its chin and another in the shape of a horseshoe on its stomach. Black spots are scattered on its chest while the back is completely black. As the weather gets warm, the penguins lose the feathers around their eyes where a pink patch of skin is visible. The feathers grow back after the breeding season.

            Standing about two feet high and weighing about 9-10 pounds, the Penguins are very agile, jumping out of the water and racing through the waves in pursuit of small fish or squid for dinner. Their thick feathers help them dive up to 100 feet under the surface, and their short fins help them propel themselves through the water.

            Magallanes penguins, which live about 20 years in the wild, spend their lives in the water except when they come to shore to raise their offspring or take care of their plumage.

Calling for its mate

Starting about November of each year, the male penguins arrive to build their nests, followed a few weeks later by the females. Contrary to what we expected, the nests are constructed under bushes, in sandy burrows or inside tree trunks. Walking through the area, scanning the water’s edge for nests, imagine our surprise when a penguin popped out of its burrow, right at our feet!

Magallanes penguins are monogamous. The female selects the male that mated with her the previous year and lays two eggs. About forty days later, the chicks are born; they stay inside the burrow where they are fed, cared for and guarded until they are ready to go out to sea and hunt for food on their own. The biggest threats to the little chicks are seagulls which try to steal both the eggs and the very young.

During this time both parents share the “chick care” responsibilities. They appear to work in shifts. Every morning about 10 am, one parent waddles out to sea to fish while the other stays to take care of the chicks. At 5 pm the process is reversed. Periodically, you can see the parent at the nest throw back its head and emit a braying sound, as if to say “hurry up and get back here” to its mate (these penguins are also known as ‘jackass’ penguins because of the noise they make).

If you happen to find yourself at the tip of South America, the area around Punta Arenas, Chile has two locations where you can observe the Magallanes penguins. (They can also be found in Argentina and on the Falkland Islands).

Grooming the chicks

Magdalena Island, about 15 miles from Punta Arenas, in the middle of the Straits of Magellan, is home to the Los Pingüinos Natural Monument with over 200,000 penguins. It is located where the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean currents meet which means that the expedition to the island by boat is invariably rough and often delayed or cancelled because of weather conditions. In the middle of the island is a former lighthouse. Climb to the top and you will have an unobstructed view of the island where a mass of black and white ‘spots’ move about all around you. A few minutes away is Marta Island. Your boat doesn’t land here but you can see colonies of sea lions, dolphins and many different types of birds on the rocks.

Seno Otway, or Otway Sound, is the second place to visit the Magallanes penguins. The Pingüinera de Seno Otway is located about 40 miles north of Punta Arenas and is accessible by road. Wooden boardwalks guide you through the nesting area where you will be able to see a few hundred of the 8,000 penguins that live here. The rest are scattered across the area, most of which is closed to the public.

 Walking through the Pingüinera, you can get to within a few feet of the birds. If you are lucky, a downy gray chick will stick its head out of the burrow or even step outside. One might even stroll across the path in front of you – remember, the penguins have the right of way!!

Whether you visit them on Magdalene Island or on Seno Otway, these enchanting little creatures will become a lasting memory of your trip to Punta Arenas. Copyright 2012 Diana Russler All rights reserved.

IF YOU GO

Penguin season is from October to late 

March. There are several companies

 that organize expeditions by boat to 

Magdalena island including

Waia Expeditions (www.waiapatagoniacom; 

tel 61-222695)

Only Expeditions (www.soloexpediciones.com; tel 61-262281

If you suffer from seasickness, be sure to

 take the appropriate medication. The

 boats are quite small and really bounce

 over the waves. The trip takes about 3 hours.

Dress warmly in layers with a waterproof 

layer on top.

Seno-Otway is 40 miles north of Punta

 Arenas.

Most tour companies in Punta Arenas will

 organize excursions to Otway sound.

The trip takes about 3.5 hours. It can be very windy and cold with rain likely, so dress appropriately. There is a small café at the start of the boardwalk where

 you can warm up with a cup of 

hot chocolate after your walk.

Silent Sentinels of the Far South -- The Cemetery at Punta Arenas, Chile

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent          

Braun Family Mausoleum, Punta Arenas

  

Memorial for the crew of HMS Doterel

          Stroll through the "Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun" (municipal cemetery) in Punta Arenas, and the silent history and “spirits” of the city and southern Chile will be laid out before you!

            An immense portico on Avenue Bulnes marks the main entrance to the graveyard; however, it is permanently sealed. According to legend, Sara Braun (who funded the construction of the graveyard in 1894), expressed the desire to be the only person to cross the entrance of the portico which was then to be shut forever. Whether this is a true story or not, when she died in 1955 in Viña del Mar (Chile), her remains were carried through the huge, central door of the portico which was sealed. If you look closely, you can see how the iron hinges have been corroded over the years which would make opening them nigh impossible.

            Walk through a small door to the left of the main portico, and you come into a large, formal garden where neatly trimmed European cypress trees shade the avenues. Off the paths, enormous mausoleums decorated with marble walls, bronze statues and stained glass windows (belonging to the wealthiest families) stand interspersed with more modest tombs decorated with photographs or candles. The names are a microcosm of the cosmopolitan settlers in Punta Arenas – Blanchards, O’Reillys, Menendez-Montes, Braun, Hamburger, Vrsalovic . . .

            Although the cemetery is said to be divided along national lines, in reality, Punta Arenas was such a melting pot that the same family tomb often lists several different nationalities.

Memorial to Admiral Von Spee

The so-called British section, in the oldest part of the cemetery, includes tombstones belonging to Spaniards, Norwegians and Chileans. It is located near the Braun family mausoleum, a large stone structure with a copper onion dome inside a wrought-iron fence.

            Amongst the graves of early Scottish and Welsh settlers, a large stone plaque lists the 143 sailors and officers who were killed when the HMS Doterel, a 1,320-ton British screw sloop, accidentally exploded whilst at anchor off Punta Arenas on 17 January 1881. The names of those who lost their lives are listed by rank with the “boys” at the bottom.

            Not all the British were buried in this cemetery. About 30 miles south of Punta Arenas, on a hill overlooking the Straits of Magellan,  is a tiny “British” cemetery where the remains of Pringle Stokes, captain of  the "HMS Beagle," was buried after shooting himself. His grave is marked by a small cross which reads “In memory of Captain Pringle Stokes RN, HMS Beagle, who died from the effects of the anxieties and hardships incurred while surveying the western shores of Tierra del Fuego. 12.8.1828.”

            Not far from the British section is the German area of the cemetery where, amongst the tombstones of patients that died at the German hospital of Punta Arenas, a memorial to Vice Admiral Maximilian Reichsgraf von Spee is tucked away under the trees.

Tomb of Adolfo Amadeus Andresen

 At the start of World War I, Admiral Von Spree was in command of a squadron of four armored cruisers in the waters around China. Anxious to avoid being trapped by hostilities, he attempted to sail back to Germany via Cape Horn. According to information discovered after the war, the British, who had broken the German naval codes, sent a fake telegram which lured Von Spee to the Falkland Islands. It was here that the Battle of the Falkland Islands took place and the British ships, HMS Inflexible and HMS Invincible, attacked and sank the German squadron, including Spee’s flagship, the “Sharnhorst,” together with the “Gneisenau,” “Nurnberg” and “SMS Leipzig.” All 2,200 sailors aboard the ships, including Von Spee and his two sons, were killed. (It is ironic that in World War II, the German cruiser named after the Admiral, was scuttled after the Battle of the River Plate, a few hundred miles north of where Von Spee lost his life.)

            In the middle of the cemetery, decorated with an enormous iron anchor, is the tomb of Norwegian captain, Adolfo Amadeus Andresen, the founder of the Magallanes Whaling Society. Andresen, who hunted whales into the waters of the Antarctic, is credited with claiming large parts of the continent and surrounding seas for Chile. He was accompanied by Wilhelmina Schroder, the first woman to live in the Antarctic.

            In a corner of the cemetery is the tomb of the last Selk’nam Indian of Tierra del Fuego, the “Indio Desconocido. He died and was buried on the island of Diego de Almagro in 1930. By the 1960s, the tomb had become a site of pilgrimage,with visitors leaving coins and candles, hoping to benefit from its rumored miraculous powers.

           With the coins that were left as offerings, the tomb was moved to the cemetery in Punta Arenas where you can see it today – a bronze statue surrounded by three walls. The walls are now entirely covered with plaques and messages given in thanks for “favors granted.” The hand of the statue of the Indio Desconocido has been rubbed to a shiny patina by visitors.

            The cemetery in Punta Arenas is one of the most fascinating you will find in South America. As you walk through the silent sentinels, each will tell a story about the people who lived and died in and around this southern-most city. Copyright 2012 Diana Russler All rights reserved.

IF YOU GO

The Cementerio Municipal Sara Braun is located on Bulnes Avenue. It is open from 7:30 am to 8 pm October to March and 8 am to 6:30 pm from April to September. There are three entrances with the main one located on Bulnes Avenue, about a 20 minute walk from the Plaza de Armas.

Punta Arenas, Chile -- At the Ends of the Earth

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

            A quirk of fate has us standing at the harbor in Punta Arenas, Chile, at midnight on New Year’s Eve. As fireworks explode over the Straits of Magellan, we welcome in 2012 together with thousands of townspeople of all ages, bopping to the foot-tapping music of a Chilean rock group . . .  at the ends of the earth!

Statue of Hernando de Magallanes

            The largest southern-most city of South America, Punta Arenas (named Sandy Point in the 17^th century by its founder, the Englishman, J. Byron) sits on the edge of the windswept Patagonian pampas across the waters from the great frozen continent of Antarctica!  

 Used as a penal colony by the Government of Chile in the mid-1800s, it soon lured thousands of immigrants from England, Scotland, Germany, Croatia and elsewhere, with dreams of finding gold or hopes of finding employment in the burgeoning sheep industry.

 Until the Panama Canal was built in 1914, its strategic position on the only navigable route around Cape Horn made Punta Arenas an important coaling station for steamships sailing between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. It was also a center for explorers following in the footsteps of Ferdinand Magellan (the first man to sail from the Atlantic into the Pacific Oceans through the straits named after him), Sir Francis Drake (whose ship, the “Golden Hind”, may or may not have sailed through the Passage that bears his name) and Charles Darwin, (whose ship, the “Beagle” gave its name to the Beagle Channel).

Foremost amongst these explorers was Ernest Shackleton, the hero of Antarctic Exploration, who lived in Punta Arenas in 1916 while attempting to rescue his men, marooned on their ship off Elephant Island in the Antarctic when it became trapped in pack ice. It was at the Punta Arenas Naval Institute that Shackleton announced his plans to explore Antarctica.

"Palace" of Sara Braun

The Plaza de Armas with its imposing statue of Hernando de Magallanes (Ferdinand Magellan) serves as the center of the city. Look closely at the monument and you will notice the statue of another man with a shiny toe, touched by thousands of visitors. This is Ona, a native inhabitant of the area. According to legend, if you rub his toe, you will return to Patagonia.

Around the edges of the tree-lined square stand the most important buildings of Punta Arenas (built in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries) including  the cathedral, governor’s palace,  residence of José Braun Menéndez (one of the most successful pioneers in the region), and the “Palace” of Sara Braun. Look closely and you can glimpse a statue of Sara peering out the window of the turret overlooking the square.

Sara Braun is a legendary figure in Punta Arenas. Of Latvian descent, she married a Portuguese businessman (José Nogueira), one of the founders of the Sociedad Explotadora de Tierra del Fuego and one of the area’s most successful sheep/cattle ranchers/businessmen. When he died of TB at an early age, Sara Braun took up the helm of the company and together with her brother, José, effectively epitomized Patagonia’s history.

Headquarters of 'La Polar' company

The Braun house, built by a French architect with material and furniture shipped from Europe, is one of Punta Arenas’ most imposing structures with its two-storied façade, wrought iron work and winter garden greenhouse. Today it is both a Museum and a hotel (the José Nogueira Hotel with its Bar Shackleton).

As you walk around Punta Arenas you will note that, other than the homes of the very wealthy, the city is built of corrugated iron, painted in vivid colors (much like Siberia, which this part of the world resembles in many ways). There are multiple nooks and crannies to explore, marked with the Blue plaque of the Circuíto Turístico Antártico outlining the historical importance of buildings and people.

Punta Arenas was an unexpected stop on our journey. From here we were able to explore a number of places that we will write about in future blogs. Suffice to say that sometimes quirks of fate lead you to serendipitous discoveries that you would not want to have missed for the world. Copyright 2012 Diana Russler All Rights Reserved.

IF YOU GO

There are daily direct flights on LAN (www.lan.com) from Santiago to Punta Arenas. SKY Airlines (www.skyairline.cl; 600-600-2828) also flies to Punta Arenas via Puerto Mont or other smaller towns.

There are frequent buses from Ushuaia, Argentina, about 11 hours away.

TO STAY

Plaque commemorating Sir Ernest Shackleton

The Hotel Rey Don Felipe (965 Armando Sanhueza, Punta Arenas; www.hotelreydonfelipe.com), a very friendly, family-run hotel.

Hotel Jose Nogueira (Bories 959, Punta Arenas 56-61-711000) is located in the Sara Braun Palace.

Hotel Cabo de Hornos (1025 Plaza Muñoz Gamero, Punta Arenas56-61-715000 www.hotelcabodehornos.com )

TO EAT

Seafood and lamb are two of the dishes you must try.

Sotitos (1138 O’Higgins St, Punta Arenas; 56-61-243565; www.chileaustral.com/sotitos). The place to try king crab, scallops with parmesan, eel cooked in a variety of ways or lamb.

Jekus (1021 O’Higgins Street, Punta Arenas, 245851)

                                                                                                                            

Patagonia – Trails of Discovery for All Ages

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

Torres del Paine mountains 

The Condoreras Ridgeline

            If you are looking to get away, there are few places as remote as Chile’s Patagonia! Stretching almost 1,000 miles off the horizon across the tip of South America, it is a land of soaring, snow-covered peaks, howling winds, turquoise lakes and green forests, just waiting to be explored by adventurers of all ages!

            We base ourselves at the newly-opened Tierra Patagonia Hotel and Spa, where multiple excursions of every description are organized on a daily basis. If you like to hike, there are numerous trails, both inside and outside Torres del Paine National Park to explore; if you are a photographer, the opportunities to capture wildlife and birds as well as magnificent vistas are endless; if you are a rider, you can explore the pampas accompanied by a local gaucho. Your difficulty will be fitting everything into your schedule. Fortunately, with 16 hours of sunlight a day during the summer months, you have ample time to play.

Condor in flight

            It goes without saying that the most striking attraction in the Torres del Paine National Park is the imposing granite massif that soars above the pampas. The highest point is Cerro Paine Grande with its ice mushroom cap, a unique feature of Patagonia, formed by the fierce winds and precipitation; nearby are the Cuernos de Paine (the Horns of Paine), whose multihued black shale over a granite base provide a canvas for the light; finally, at the eastern end of the range are the three granite towers – the Torres Del Paine.

            Two of the most well-known treks in the park are the Paine Circuit Trek (7-8 days of hard-core trekking) and the Paine “W” Trek (5 days if you want to hike the entire trail but you can also break it down and only hike portions in single-day excursions). There are numerous other day hikes including the French Valley, Hunter’s Glen or the Sendero Mirador Cuernos that take you into the core of the park.

Horses waiting at the estancia

            The possibilities for exploring the rest of the park and its surroundings are unlimited. Take a walk along Condoreras Ridgeline where you will see more South American condors than humans. The birds build their nests in the craggy cliffs and ride the thermals looking for small prey.

Hike through the trees and lupines to reach a crag above Laguna Azul or walk through meadows sprinkled with tiny orchids along the edges of Lago Verde; imagine that you are a bird and throw yourself into the fierce wind above Lago Pehoe – for a split second it will seem as if you are really flying!

The Torres del Paine National Park is home to the Patagonian Ice Field.  We use a zodiac for a quick trip to board a small fishing boat on Lago Grey, sitting amidst the icebergs which have broken off from the main glacier. An hour’s sail later we are beneath Grey’s glacier, its blue ice pinnacles soaring above us. The shapes and colors of the pockmarked snowfield are mesmerizing in the late afternoon light. To celebrate, the boat’s mate passes around a tray of Pisco sours and whiskey poured over chunks of the ancient ice.

A celebratory drink under the glacier

The Torres del Paine Park is surrounded by estancias – the massive, million acre ranches – where gauchos herd sheep and cows over the arid terrain. A horseback ride on one of these estancias will take you over the pampas with its sweeping views of the mountains.

Stop at one of the shearing huts to watch as hundreds of sheep are relieved of their massive winter coats before being set free to graze under the watchful eyes of the sheepdogs.

If you are lucky, you can quench your thirst with a bottle of artisanal beer brewed by the estancia owner using the local calafate berry. According to legend, if you eat (or drink) calafate, you will return to Patagonia.

Sheep on the estancia

            As a photographer, the opportunities are endless – apart from the sweeping landscapes and spectacular sunrises/sunsets, the wildlife and birdlife are everywhere, seemingly fearless of humans. Herds of dainty guanacos graze around river banks . . . a small grey fox lies in the grass by the side of the road . . . birds of prey soar and swoop over your head . . . black-necked swans glide across the azure waters.

            At the end of the day, return to the Tierra Patagonia where a blazing fire and a drink for all ages, whether a glass of fine Chilean wine or passion fruit juice awaits you. You may not be able to see everything you want to on your first visit – reason enough to return time and again to this captivating part of our planet. Copyright 2012 Diana Russler All rights reserved.

Soaring on the wind

IF YOU GO

The Tierra Patagonia Hotel and spa is located on the shores of Lake Sarmiento just outside the Torres del Paine National Park (www.tierrapatagonia.com; +56-2-263-0606).

 It is open from September to April (Patagonia’s

 spring and summer).

The Torres del Paine National Park 

(A UNESCO World Biosphere reserve) is located

 between the Los Andes Mountain Range and the

 Patagonian steppes in the south of Chile.

 It is open year-round. To reach Torres del Paine you can fly from Santiago

 to Punta Arenas (LAN Chile has several daily flights
year-round). During the summer months, you can also
 fly into Puerto Natales (the closest town to the park) on SKY Airlines.

A delicate mountain flower

The best times to visit are between October 
and April (spring and summer in the southern
 hemisphere). This is when there is the least
 amount of rain, although the weather in Patagonia is ever-changing and you might experience the four
 seasons in a matter of hours. This is also when there
 are over 16 hours of daylight, providing ample time
 for exploration.The park entrance fee is 15,000
 Chilean pesos (US$28) for foreigners. This is a
 one-time fee regardless of how long you stay. There
 are a number of campsites around the park, which
 must be reserved in advance. Camping outside these
 specific areas is strictly forbidden –with good reason.
 While we were there, an individual who camped
 outside the authorized areas sparked a ferocious forest
 fire which destroyed over 13,000 hectares of this fantastic
 place.

The Tierra Patagonia Hotel and Spa, Chile

By Diana Russler and Bill Gent

Sunrise at the Tierra Patagonia Hotel and Spa

Torres del Paine massif from the Great Room

            Crystal blue lakes and glaciers . . . endless pampas.  . .  soaring mountain pinnacles …This is Chile’s Patagonia!  It is one of the wildest, most remote places on earth that, in the words of Charles Darwin, will “possess (your) mind and enhance the horizons of (your) imagination.” Early settlers, many from Germany, Scotland, Wales and Croatia, struggled mightily to survive in this harsh land, but if you travel to Patagonia today, you don’t have to suffer such privations – the newly opened Tierra Patagonia Hotel and Spa, on the outskirts of the Torres del Paine National Park, will provide you with all the comforts of home – and much more!

            After almost 30 hours of travel from North America, including 10 take-offs and landings, we finally arrive at the miniscule airstrip of Puerto Natales, Chile, the closest town to the Torres del Paine National Park. It is still another 90-minute drive to reach the hotel – truly, we are at the ends of the earth!

Rooms with a view, Torres del Paine

            As we drive over the pampas on a rough, washboard dirt road, there is no sign of human habitation, only the sun setting behind the majestic granite mountains and herds of guanacos and sheep munching the straw-colored grass. Suddenly, over the rise, an anomaly – a large, flat surface, barely visible, peeks out from behind the edge of a bluff – the roof of the Tierra Patagonia Hotel!

            As you walk into the great room that serves as the centerpiece of the hotel, you are riveted by the view outside the floor-to-ceiling windows – sparkling, blue Lake Sarmiento and the towering granite pinnacles of the Torres del Paine massif.

            Each of the 40 guest rooms has the same view. As you lie in your ultra-comfortable king-size bed with the blinds open, you can watch the interplay of light and clouds, stars and moonlight, wind and waves on the landscape outside. With almost 16 hours of sunlight a day, the variety is endless!

The Great Room with dining area and bar

            Everything inside the hotel is designed to accentuate the local environment – the building is constructed from the local lenga wood and blends in perfectly with the landscape, the furniture is locally handcrafted, and Patagonian textiles and wool provide the accents. Dining room chairs are covered in sheepskin as are the comfortable armchairs scattered around the dramatic central fireplace near the oval bar. It is the perfect place to sit and read after an exciting day of exploring.

            Nearby, a large map of the area covers a wall of the great room. This is where the guides gather to outline the daily excursions that are organized to the Torres del Paine Park and its surroundings. Regrettably, while we are there, a forest fire consumes many hectares of the park resulting in the temporary closure of some of the more iconic hikes. However, the Torres del Paine National Park is massive and the guides have developed an entirely new set of hikes and excursions to areas unaffected by the flames.

Swimming pool at the UMA Spa

            Returning from an all-day hike in the mountains (which will be described in future blogs), we enjoy a massage at the UMA Spa followed by time in the steam room and sauna, as well as the pool with its invigorating jets. Outside the window, a small grey fox scampers across the pampas while rheas (desert ostriches) wander sedately towards the lake. A caracara hunts for its dinner, swooping, unafraid, across the windows of the hotel.

            Soon it will be time for a glass of wine and dinner as the sun sets over the lake, turning the sky into a canvas of riotous colors, indicative of the “Spirit of the Far South!”

            The brainchild of the Purcell family, (who also own the Tierra Atacama Hotel in San Pedro de Atacama and the ski resort of Portillo), the Tierra Patagonia Hotel and Spa is a welcome addition to the harsh lands of Patagonia. Once you have visited, the Darwinian prediction will have been realized! Copyright 2012 Diana Russler All rights reserved.

IF YOU GO

Lake Sarmiento and Torres del Paine massif

The Tierra Patagonia Hotel and spa is located on the shores of Lake Sarmiento just outside the Torres del Paine National Park (www.tierrapatagonia.com; +56-2-263-0606). It is open from September to April (Patagonia’s spring and summer).

To reach the Tierra Patagonia Hotel you can either fly to Punta Arenas from where it is approximately a 4 hour drive to the hotel or you can fly to Puerto Natales followed by a 90-minute drive. LAN has regular flights to Punta Arenas while Sky Airlines flies to both Punta Arenas as well as, seasonally, to Puerto Natales. While it is possible to fly direct from Santiago to Punta Arenas, there are no direct flights

Sunset over the Tierra Patagonia Hotel

 to Puerto Natales. The hotel will arrange transfers

 from the airport(s) to the Hotel and back.

There is no cell phone coverage in most of 

Patagonia. If you feel the need to stay in touch,

you may wish to rent a satellite phone to take

with you. There is WiFi coverage is the great

room of the hotel.

The weather in Patagonia is completely unpredictable – as the local residents will tell you, you can

experience all four seasons in a matter of 

hours. And the wind almost never stops blowing! You therefore need to pack layers of clothing and rain gear as well as good hiking shoes, sunscreen (the ozone hole over the South Pole makes the sun particularly strong), chap stick, and a hat with a strap (we spend a lot of time chasing baseball caps over the pampas!). The hotel is very informal.

Rebuilding the Cinque Terre, Italy

By Diana Russler

Vernazza as it once was

  

Once upon a time in Vernazza

            As any of you who have walked along the Sentiero del’Amore (the Path of Love) which connects the five medieval villages of the Cinque Terre, or dined at one of the tiny restaurants perched along the port front, will know, there are few places as picturesque or charming. Yet charm does not stave off disaster.

           On October 25, 2011, after 20 inches of rain fell in the space of a few hours, the villages of the Cinque Terre were hit by massive flash floods and mudslides, 14 feet deep,  that have all but destroyed the towns of Vernazza and Monterosso al Mare. (See links below for video of the flooding).

           The raging muddy water swept away cars, boats, the railway line and the lives of three people. In the process, it destroyed the livelihood of so many who had lived in these villages all their lives. Although some villages escaped relatively unscathed, the inhabitants of Vernazza have been evacuated and will not be allowed to return for some time to come.                

Monterosso al Mare in happier days

            As of this writing, the villages of Riomaggiore, Manarola and Corneglia are intact. The more modern neighborhoods of Monterosso al Mare appear to be somewhat back to normal but the old town will require extensive repairs.

            The situation in Vernazza continues to be dire. Valiant efforts have been made to dig out the delightful old village. During the month of November alone, one million square feet of mud was removed. Underneath it the damage is extensive, and the cost of repairs has been estimated at over 100 million euros.

            You can help. The town of Vernazza has established a non-profit organization (Una Pietra per Vernazza, which translates as “a Stone for Vernazza”) to channel donations for the rebuilding (www.unapietrapervernazza.blogspot.com). The names of all contributors will be listed on a ‘wall of thanks’ to be erected in the village. American expatriates living in Italy have also established a nonprofit organization – Save Vernazza (www.savevernazza.com) which is collecting donations.

            Until Vernazza is rebuilt, those of us who have been captivated by it will only have our memories. Please help.

Links for videos of the floods

·         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wVtGHvq6X1A

·         http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x658rAEWPQ

·         www.youtube.com/watch?v=mFnoT0WEdoI