justpassingthroughtravel: The world around Pucón, Dec. 29th

POCÓN, Lakes District, Chile, Dec. 28^th 2012Alpes

This is the northernmost area that I feel has a semblance of the Northwest (Western Washington) and, at the same time, the European Alpes. There is something about the deep blue sky, steep hills with lots of trees, open pasture with cows and valleys. Signs offering fresh cow or goat cheese, homemade marmalade and honey, camping by the side of a small lake. It is all here. And it is used. From January 1 tell early March, this place and many more like it are packed to the gills with urban people doing their vacations either at the shore (as in the post on Papudo)or in the mountains of Chile.

One of the spectacular landmarks in the area is the Villarica crater, a cone shaped mountain that only rises to 2840 meters (under 8000feet ) but is snow covered. People love to climb it in a day then go to the many thermal bathes that abound throughout the area. I’ve never seen so many camping sites, big and small, set off in remote areas as well as within the city limits of Pucón.

So the town, though a dead berg for 8 months a year, starts waking up before the first of the year and it is non-stop tell March. That is how they make their money. I’m fortunate enough to be camping amid trees in a large open pasture area with new showers, a swimming pool, plenty of room to spread out and relax, do day trips and plan the next leg. Here are some photos of the area. Doesn’t it look like parts of the PNW?

This reminded me of the northwest

My campsite for several days-everything I need- a pool, warm sun, new showers. Won't you come join me?

The houses in the rural area around here are hard to define. Try and capture a picture of the 'typical house' in Seattle. Impossible to do. Same here. There are some definite styles like low incline roofs and since it doesn't really get very cold here in the winter, the houses lack insulation.