Category: travel

why I don’t like Chile

On By Rick McIn ethics, gymnastics, travelLeave a comment

I originally wrote a post on this topic 2 years ago.

why I don’t like Chile

This is an update after my 2018 trip.

Chile is a lousy travel destination, in general. It’s expensive yet quality is comparatively poor for what tourists get. Low value. ☹️

To expand, I’m disappointed in Chile, Argentina and many other nations for their national priorities.

I can’t recommend any destination that has not figured out trash collection.

Ancud, Chile

I can’t recommend any nation that in 2018 still tolerates feral dogs. Why aren’t they spayed or neutered? Why hasn’t the SPCA come to Chile?

I can’t recommend any destination that doesn’t provide enough public toilets.

Every time you turn around in Chile something is broken or closed. Not much money is spent on maintenance. ☹️

closed overhead walkway in Valparaiso

Most buildings are made of wood. They have a lot of fires, needless to say, due to crappy fire prevention.

Street art is great. But there are far too many vandals and taggers in Chile. Nobody seems to do anything about them.

BEST empanadas in Valpo

New Zealand or Australia are far better tourist travel destinations than Chile, by comparison.

farewell Chile

On By Rick McIn cycling, hiking, travel2 Comments

Last couple of days I spent on the coast in Vina del Mar / Valparaiso. Tourists love this colourful town.

I’d love to get to Easter Island one day.

And I’m already planning a future trip. Bike touring north to south on the Carretera Austral.

Palafito Cucao Hostel, Chiloé, Chile

On By Rick McIn hiking, travelLeave a comment

It’s worth traveling to the end of the world to enjoy Palafito Cucao Hostel.

An architectural dream, this hostel is 300m away from the Parque Nacional Chiloé entrance. I enjoyed the hiking there.

Click PLAY or watch a promo video on YouTube.

 

Ancud, Chile with an iPhone X

On By Rick McIn cycling, photos, travelLeave a comment

I rented a bike and rode out of Ancud, Chile in search of the best empanada.

Screen shot from Maps.me

boring empanadas cost $1. This EXCELLENT version was $5.

Since I’m carrying a dedicated camera (Elf) and dedicated camcorder (Vixia) I don’t often use my iPhone X.

As an experiment, all my photos on this post are from the iPhone.

seaweed drying

On my computer the iPhone original photos look better than the Elf pics. But do they look better once reduced in size for the web?

I’m not sure.

Churches of Chiloé

On By Rick McIn travelLeave a comment

The Churches of Chiloé in Chile‘s Chiloé Archipelago are a unique architectural phenomenon in the Americas …

Unlike classical Spanish colonial architecture, the churches of Chiloé are made entirely in native timber with extensive use of wood shingles. The churches were built from materials to resist the Chiloé Archipelago’s humid and rainy oceanic climate. …

The Churches of Chiloé were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites since 2000 …

There’s an excellent museum in Ancud.

Chiloé, Chile

On By Rick McIn food, travelLeave a comment

Tourists in Chile historically did not want to visit the island of Chiloé (place of seagulls). It rains there 10 months of the year.

Darwin was here for 6 months in 1834. Hated the rain. But did name the Darwin’s fox.

But when the sun shines, it’s beautiful. A bit like Vancouver Island. Both are temperate rain forests.

Castro

In many bleak climates people use bright colours. After a few winters they fade and chip. Everything is made of wood.

I’d been interested in Chiloe only because it’s so weird. I hopped on a bus (south) on a whim, actually. And was really happy I did. It’s a very cool and unusual place. And I got good weather.

Castro is the largest city. Fishing — especially salmon farming — is an important industry.

Palafito hostel in Castro opened 2008 putting this city on the backpacker radar for the first time. Comparatively expensive at CAD $34 for a dorm bed, it’s well worth it.

An excellent breakfast, for example.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

A proposed multi-million dollar bridge which would increase tourism is still opposed by many on the island. They value their unique heritage and culture.

The Chacao Channel bridge, also known as Chiloé Bicentennial Bridge, is a planned bridge that is to link the island of Chiloé with mainland Chile crossing the Chacao Channel. …

A new airport was inaugurated in November 2012, 15 km north of provincial capital Castro …

bus Bariloche > Osorno > Puerto Montt

On By Rick McIn travelLeave a comment

One of the great things about Chile and Argentina is bus service. Inexpensive and high quality.

Earlier I’d crossed the high Andes Santiago to Mendoza. I crossed back from Bariloche via the lakes. High volcanos are highlights.

It really is an amazing part of the world. Similar in ways to the lakes of central British Colombia and the volcanoes northern New Zealand.

economy of Argentina sucks

On By Rick McIn economics, travelLeave a comment

If it wasn’t for wonderful outdoors adventure, I’d have no reason to travel to Argentina.

It’s a hassle.

Once the 5th richest nation by GDP / person, today Argentina is #55.

It’s a huge, rich, fertile land … yet government mismanagement continues to ruin the economy.

Inflation for 2017 was 24.8%. Almost every financial transaction here is a hassle due to that instability. ATM machines don’t work consistently. Supplementary fees are added unexpectedly. Tourist are frustrated that credit cards aren’t accepted. Chile and Uruguay are far easier.

Despite the world’s current BOOM economy, here’s a recent headline.

Bloomberg – Argentina Goes From Market Darling to Dud

ciou Bariloche, Argentina

On By Rick McIn hiking, travel2 Comments

When you hear Argentinians speak, it sounds like Italian.

Immigrants from Italy have had a big influence on the culture.

In the outdoor sports mecca of Bariloche you are just as likely to hear ciao as adios, for example.

Some final photos.

pizza is one of the best value dinner choices in Argentina

Llao Llao Hotel – perhaps the most famous in the nation

El Bolsón, Argentina

On By Rick McIn hiking, travelLeave a comment

Pretty much everyone likes this little mountain town. I spent a week in and around.

It’s not hard to see why the hippies started flocking to El Bolsón back in the ’70s. It’s a mellow little village for most of the year, nestled in between two mountain ranges. When summer comes, it packs out with Argentine tourists who drop big wads of cash and disappear quietly to whence they came. … 
What’s indisputable is that just out of town are some excellent, easily accessible hikes and mountain-bike rides that take in some of the country’s most gorgeous landscapes.
The town welcomes backpackers, who find themselves stuffing their bellies with natural and vegetarian foods, as well the excellent beer, sweets, jams and honey made from the local harvest.

There are plenty of important things El Bolsón should be working towards … but instead they have been banning nuclear weapons and building a pretty bridge to nowhere.


I spent a week hiking out of one of the best hostels in the country – La Casona de Odile.

Tranquil and green.