justpassingthroughtravel: Chochi, a small town in the middle of an Island

Chonchi, one of many towns on Chiloé Island, Chile January 3, 2013

A late afternoon warranted a search for somewhere to put the tent, get settled, have dinner and to bed. We settled on Chonchi since that was the closest berg in the otherwise expansive pasture and salt water inlets. The guide books indicated that camping was around. An old man painting the roof of the tourist information house (closed for the season) responded that “Yes, Mrs. Andrade had camping and you can find her house up by the cemetery. We headed in that direction confident that the old man knew something others didn’t. We came upon Cabañas and not camping and talking with a young lad were led to believe “No, there is no camping up here only Cabañas” Asking another person led us in another direction but we did find camping, in someone’s back yard. Hardly a flat spot to be found and no hot shower but… we were starting to get tired. When I mentioned I’d love a hot shower he said “You can get one at Sra. Andrade’s house” “ What, Sra. Andrade?”” She lives around here”? No, she lives up on the hill by the cemetery” . Befuddled, we headed back in that direction asking around as we went. “Yes, No”, a litany of responses. Turning around in a small dilapidated street I spotted a small faded sign in a house window, “Camping”. I rang the bell and yes…it was Mrs. Andrade who quickly took us around back for a beautiful view and a place to put tents. She only had cold water showers outside but when I told her who sent us, she quickly offered her hot shower inside.

Sra. Andrade must be in her late 70’s. She had a great grandson living with her and I met at least three workers who boarded with her. That meant she cooked two large meals a day because the life style here still demands that everything shuts down for two hours mid day.

The house was old though she claimed it was built 50 years ago. The floors swooped and swayed, give under the weight of my feet and I felt as if the house was kept together by the linoleum on the floors. Definitely old and harkening to a different era as well.

At the turn of the 20^th Century, Chonchi was the largest and most vibrant economic center on Chiloé Island, mostly due to the fishing industry and the greatly protected harbors. Now it is ram shackled as are many communities on Chiloé. Tilting buildings, shingled siding with designs from another European era curled and twisted, faintly stained. New houses are small, very small, and duplicate designs make development look ‘ticky tacky’. Here are some homes in a 'typical' zone (whatever typical means! Do you know a typical Vashon house?)

A house on piers.

Sra. Andrade of Welsh/Brazilian heritage from an immigrant family back in the early 20's

A typical 50 year old home on the street

Sra. Andrade has moved up from wood though most houses on the whole island still heat with wood. It is so plentiful and free and even in the summer the thin whisper of smoke rises from the tin chimney.