Castro on the Island of Chiloe (2-2-19)

Saturday, February 2 - Castro, Isla Chiloe
Weather:  86º F, Sunny

Founded in 1567 by the Spanish, Castro is Chile’s third-oldest city and home to roughly 29,000 people. Castro is know for it's colorful wooden stilt houses (palafitos) and the yellow San Francisco church on the town square with its distinctive wooden interior.

I was in no rush to get up and as I laid in bed, I could hear the tendering platform being lowered right below our cabin. We had arrived in Castro yesterday afternoon after skipping Puerto Montt. Many people had gone ashore when we arrived, but we stuck to our original plan of visiting today.

Bob and I went to breakfast around 8 am and Kent and Laurel came a little later. By the time we were ready to go ashore, tender tickets were no longer required. Having the tenders loading right below our cabin was convenient...both leaving and returning later in the day. We had no tour booked and no real plans other than to explore the city.

Free wi-fi was available at the port building near the tender dock in Castro. Lots of folks were trying to get on which in turn was making the connection very slow. Kent & Laurel were able to at least check their text messages. No wifi needed for us thanks to T-Mobile service. We picked up a city map and walked to the Plaza de Armas via a very steep hill. On one side of the square was the San Francisco church with its ornate wooden interior.

Kent stopped to buy sunglasses from a street vendor in the plaza...he had left his at the pool yesterday. (They did show up at guest services several days later.) We stopped at the information center in the square and using our very limited Spanish, we asked where we should go to get a good view of the stilt houses.

Model of the church inside the information center.

Taking time to smell the roses. 😉

There was a small craft market next to the church and we walked through the various stalls. I was looking for some yarn for my daughter-in-law who does weaving and was hoping I could find some alpaca yarn. I found some that looked interesting and when I asked if it was alpaca the lady said no, it was oveja. I didn't understand so she picked up a small toy sheep and started baa-ing at me. Ah...oveja means SHEEP! Most of the yarn was very bright colors so I waited hoping to find some that was more neutral in color.

Beautiful hydrangeas...such a treat to see in February!

Wool yarn from oveja (sheep!)

This man was sitting in the plaza weaving a basket.

Using the map we followed the directions to the stilt houses and came to a park on a hill that overlooked the bay where the houses were located. It was low tide at the time and the houses were all surrounded by a large expanse of mud. Directly below the overlook we could see where several boats were being constructed.

Interesting building.

Overlook to palafitos (stilt houses)

Low tide.

Zoomed in view.

Red roofed houses on the hill behind the palafitos.

Boat building

Down below where we stood were artists sketching/painting the view of the stilt houses.

Bob saw there was a cemetery on the map not too far from where we were and thought it would be interesting to see. Earlier we had noticed stands selling flowers near the port and judging from the number of people walking to the cemetery carrying bundles of flowers we assumed that was where they must have purchased them. There was also a flower shop right at the entrance to the cemetery.

Paramedic Bob and the obligatory ambulance photo.

Murals we passed by on the way to the cemetery.

Some of the graves were quite old.

Leaving the cemetery we headed back into the main part of town...Laurel and I were needing to find a restroom. We stopped at a small cafe with only a few tables and each one was occupied by one or more Chilean men. The waitress asked one of the men to move so we could have his table. We each ordered Cokes and Bob also pointed to an empenada in a display case. The waitress kept trying to tell us something about the empenada, but we weren't understanding. She was using hand gestures to try and explain but in the process she knocked over Bob's coke, spilling it all over the table. By this time everyone in the small cafe was laughing at the gringoes. I handed the waitress my phone and indicated that she should write what she was saying on the Google translate app. That didn't make sense either...something about Manzanillo which as far as I knew was a city in Mexico we had visited on our last cruise.

Bob bit into the empenada and discovered it was filled with apples. At that point we realized that was what the waitress had tried to tell us...it was an empenada de manzanita (apple)!  Most of the men in the cafe were drinking very large bottles of beer but our cokes were teeny tiny...less than 300 ml. The cost of our two tiny Cokes and one empenada was 3300 pesos or about $5 USD. My guess is the prices might have been inflated for tourists but it was worth it to use the banos.

Walking back towards the waterfront, we passed a small booth where a woman was selling yarn and many knitted items. I found exactly the type of yarn I was looking for and purchased a large bundle for my daughter in law for 4000 pesos (~$6).

Headed back down the hill to near the tender dock.

Very typical...the wiring looked like a pile of spaghetti!

Not far from the tender docks was a large...very large...craft market. Walking through the maze of stalls, Laurel and I managed to get separated from Bob and Kent. They both were carrying cell phones but our attempts to text didn't help...neither one even checked their phone. After a long time we did find them...and neither one even realized we had been looking. (Men! 😠)

I would have been more interested in the woolen ponchos if it hadn't been so hot!

We debated about getting something to eat at one of the food stands near the craft market, but we were so hot and tired we agreed to just go back to the ship for lunch. During the afternoon I spent some time backing up photos and taking a nap...Bob played pickleball (do you sense a pattern?)

An interesting food stand getting set up.

The Zaandam left Castro while we were having dinner and it was amazing to watch as the scenery slowly changed from rolling hills and fish farms to snow covered mountains. It was almost like watching a video as the view from our window changed from one scene to another.

What a view!

An interesting wave pattern as the ship turns.

More empanadas! These short rib empanadas were the "regionally inspired" appetizer on the dinner menu.

The four of us decided to skip the evening show to stay outside and enjoy the beautiful views until sunset. (We did manage to catch the last few minutes of the flutist, Andrea Amat in the main theater when we went inside however.)

It was hard to believe how hot it had been during the day but yet so chilly on the moving ship. 

A golden glow as the sun sets.

Andrea Amat...the "virtuoso de Valencia"

No Puerto Montt...On to Castro (2-1-19)

Friday, February 1 - Puerto Montt (Or it SHOULD have been)

During the night I noticed the rocking of the ship had stopped...well almost. I had two alarms set and was startled awake when the backup alarm went off on my phone at 6:35 am. Bob informed me that the travel alarm had also gone off at 6:30 am but I had slept through it. (He got a good scolding for not waking me!) Puerto Montt was our first port and I wanted to get an early start.

We dressed and went to breakfast in the Lido buffet. I stepped outside by the aft pool and took some photos of Puerto Montt as we approached. Tender tickets were to be handed out beginning at 8 am but at 7:30 there was an announcement that the ship had been cleared and tickets were already available at the Ocean Bar.

The four of us plus another couple from Australia were booked on an all day tour with Denis Purtov from Puerto Montt Excrusiones. I had met the other couple, Peter and Paula, at the Cruise Critic meet and greet and we had made plans to meet at the Ocean Bar to get tender tickets so we could go ashore on the same tender. Here is a description of the tour we had booked online:

Your tour begins in the port and industrial city of Puerto Montt. This city is also known as the "northern door to Patagonia", because many trips through the south of Chile to Patagonia start here. The first settlers came to Puerto Montt and neighboring areas from Germany more than 150 years ago. Here we'll visit the main square, the cathedral and the scenic lookout Manuel Montt, which has a panoramic view of Reloncavi Bay and the city. From there we'll visit the city of Puerto Varas. At this time Puerto Varas is the most popular tourist center in the south of Chile, with German-influenced architecture and summer activities. It's located on the shore of Lake Llanquihue, one of the largest natural lakes in South America. Next we'll follow the shoreline of Lake Llanquihue past the foot of Osorno volcano to Vicente Perez Rosales National Park, where we'll visit Todos los Santos Lake and the Pertohue rapids. These rapids were formed when the lava from volcanic eruptions blocked the river's course. Then we will continue our journey to the Laguna Verde (Green Lagoon), where we will stop to take pictures. Next stop we'll make in a restaurant on the shore of Lake Llanquihue to have lunch. After it we begin our return to Puerto Montt. Passengers may ride directly to the port or remain at the Angelmo Handicraft Fair. This market is famous for local handicrafts and fresh seafood, and is a five minute walk from the port.*In good weather there's an optional trip up the slope of Osorno volcano to a ski base located 1300 meters above sea level. From there you'll have a panoramic view of the whole region, including Calbuco volcano and all of Lake Llanquihue. (Extra charge applies)

We hadn't even finished eating breakfast when another announcement was made that the tendering was being suspended due to large swells. When the captain's voice came over the speaker a short time later we knew the news would not be good. The swells were already washing over the tender platforms and the weather was to get worse later in the day. Puerto Montt was going to be skipped.

The shoreline as we sail away from Puerto Montt.

Paula called our cabin and said she had an internet connection and would let Denis know that we would not be able to take the tour. Since we did not pay for the tour in advance, no money was lost...at least on our part. I feel bad that the tour operators suffer a great loss on days when the ships miss a port. I did hear others talking later who had not gotten refunds from private tours booked through agencies such as Viator. 

The cruise director scrambled and got activities planned to fill up the day and a new "When & Where" was to be delivered to our cabins later in the morning. A lecture on seals by EXC Guide Scott was added at 11 am which we attended.

The captain was making his noon announcements as we were walking out of the theater following Scott's lecture. We just caught the tail end of his comments but learned that the Zaandam was proceeding directly to Castro and we would be able to tender ashore until 9 pm that night. The ship would stay docked in Castro overnight and we would still have our planned day there tomorrow.

Laurel was very disappointment that we had to miss Puerto Montt, but an unplanned sea day was OK by me. I took a nap in the afternoon while Bob and Kent worked hard to finish the daily crossword puzzle available at guest services each day. Later the three of them played pickleball.

A disappointed Laurel. She was looking forward to a much closer view of the Osorno Volcano.

I was up from my nap in time to watch as the ship sailed into Castro.. I thought the hills and shoreline coming into Castro was so scenic. The ship passed by many shellfish and salmon farms in the water. Checking my phone, I had a signal (yay T-Mobile!) so I sat in a lounger by the aft pool enjoying the warm afternoon and did some texting and emailing.

Castro on the island of Chiloe. 

A zoomed in view of the church in Castro. Yellow and purple...the colors of the Minnesota Vikings football team!

I met Bob back in the cabin close to 5 pm and I suggested a swim on the ship rather than going ashore. Kent and Laurel also decided to join us but there was a little miscommunication and they ended up at the mid-ship pool instead. Eventually we all got together and had a nice time enjoying the warm water in the pool.

After showers it was definitely too late to make it to the dining room so we ate at the buffet. I had short rib and mushroom lasagna with a delicious salad from the salad station.

We cut it close, but were able to get to the theater by 8 pm for the production show, Variations, which had been postponed from the previous night when the ship was rocking so much. It was a show that had been performed on our last Zaandam cruise and I quickly recognized the music and costumes although it was a new set of singers and dancers.

It was a bit cool, but after the show we sat out on the promenade deck watching the sunset over Castro.

Bob wanted some ice cream, but between 8:30 and 10:30 pm there is no food to be found on the ship. We each had gotten a $25 beverage card as a promotion when we booked the cruise so I suggested he go to a bar and get a smoothie. He also stopped by guest services and picked up a couple of DVD's. (Each cabin has a DVD player and the ship has a library of hundreds of DVD's that are free to watch.) The berrie smoothie Bob got was delicious but neither of the DVDs worked (which was pretty common.) Instead he watched the ending of the movie "The 33" about Chilean miners who had been trapped underground. The movie had been shown in the Wajang Theater the day before and then played on TV today. That seemed to be the pattern throughout the cruise.

A bedtime smoothie!