Rainy Days and Hot Springs

Dec 1st & 2nd, 2010

It was gray and drizzly when we pulled ourselves out of bed. The plan was to take a local bus to the National Park nearby and go for a hike. A couple of other people from the hostel had the same idea and we all set off together in the afternoon. It was a lovely walk, though the views were hazy with mist. We saw a few lakes and a good waterfall, got muddy and wet and waited for construction on a minor bridge to be complete so we could take the bus across it. As you do.

Patrick had a friend of a friend who's family friend was in town, and was under explicit instructions to call this man because he would be very entertaining. So we did, and he was.

We met up with Marcelo and his local friend Paolina for dinner and drinks. Marcelo wanted to take us to this place- he didn't know the name of it, but he said it served "the weirdest food ever". It was "gringo food" and he wanted us to go and tell him if we thought it was weird, too. He had apparently been there the day before and sent something back to the kitchen in a rage because it had meat in it when he was promised it did not, and stormed out. So he warned us "I hope they don't spit in our food or something". We asked why he wanted to go back and he said "you will love it. It will feel like home. And they have good beer". We were not too sure about the first points, but were sold on the third.

As it turned out, they did not still have the special beer they were serving the other day, it was pretty standard gringo fare (the owners had transplanted from Southern California), and what he had ordered before were chili fries, which was way beyond the scope of his imagination or understanding.

The place was closing early, so after eating we walked over to Mamas and Tapas, the place we had been the night before for happy hour. Apparently it is the hot spot in town, but was pretty quiet since it wasn't quite high season yet. We had an entertaining evening where Paolina showed us her trompe, a Mapuche Indian musical instrument like a mouth harp. Marcelo nearly lost his teeth trying it.
They invited us to go to the hot springs with them the following day since it was supposed to rain again. When we left the bar Marcelo insisted on giving us a ride back to the hostel so he would know where to pick us up in the morning. We explained it was literally only a block away, it would be faster for us to just walk, but he persisted and we were surrounded by a pack of dogs, so we all got in the car. The dogs played their car chasing game as we drove off- though these upped the ante by surrounding the car on different sides. Marcelo stopped after half a block to jump out and yell at them. They were actually taken aback and ran off. He got back in, we started off again, and he promptly got pulled over. Turns out they are all one way streets, but with the town dark and quiet, who would have known? Probably someone who has visited twice a year for the past 8 years, or the girl who lives there, but no matter. He ended up getting off with a ticket, drove another 20 feet to let us out by our door, and promised to pick us up in the morning.

The next day was even grayer and rainier, and was perfect for Termas Los Pozones. We got stuff for sandwiches, beers, cigarettes for the Chileans (all of which are forbidden) and after about an hours drive were at a beautiful spot along the river with natural-looking rock and sand pools full of scorching hot water. We spent most of the day soaking in the pools, and when the rain would hit the hot water it would sizzle and steam. It was a wonderful, relaxing day.