The beauty in the ugly: how Puerto Montt can be a nice place too

Anyone from the Argentine side of the Andes will be puzzled if you told them you are visiting Puerto Montt. “Why?” they would ask, and add: “it’s such a horrible city”. Yes, Puerto Montt is not traditionally a tourist city but, as I said about Osorno, its raw look poses a challenge to discover its beauty.

Oath before God and the Nation: Chile’s 10th of July

The new conscripts at the military base stationed in Coyhaique (Chile) have taken the oath to the nation today. Technically speaking, it was before the nation (the patria or fatherland) and to the flag.

#Themiddleofnowhere and happy

In Patagonia, the Andes mountains get lower and the valleys wider. You wouldn’t believe me if you flew from Puerto Montt because all you see during the flight is rocky peaks loaded with snow. I mean, loads of snow in a never-ending sight of white. During the 1-hour journey you wonder two things:

Sea lions up river: welcome to Valdivia

Valdivia is a city up river, it has the seaside smell -only a couple of miles to the east- and the promenades along the river banks. Even the University there, Universidad Austral de Chile, has a privileged campus with river access.

The Osorno foggy way of selling you stuff or more about southern Chile.

Every morning for the last four days a thick fog lay outside my window. I had seen this in Temuco, but it would be up and out of the way by midday. In Osorno, however, the low clouds stay down and around.

Two days in Temuco (Chile)

“Follow me, you are my love” (photo by me)

“People think here we are all mapuche* still wearing typical outfits”

The (new) normal

“Have you slept well?” people ask me when I stay in their homes during my research weeks in Buenos Aires. I usually sleep on couches or futons, sometimes I am lucky enough to get an actual bed with a very old mattress. I have always responded I slept well, that I woke in middle of the night because of a bad dream (and hence I conceal my backache).

On being foreign

In the United States, I am a foreigner.

I was not born there, my parents are not US American* and my mother tongue is not English. When I first got to Georgia, I observed everything because I wanted to stop being a foreigner, at least in little practices.