Posted in Chile, Videoblog on Mar 7th, 2009
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Ferdinand Magellan
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A Portuguese entrepreneur – A Sindhi industrialist – In Punta Arenas – A Hindu temple – Indian food – Being Indian. (Map this!)
In 1505, a young man from an relatively unknown family undertook a long voyage from Portugal to India, on a route pioneered by Vasco da Gama. The Portuguese were at their height of their maritime prowess and controlled a significant portion of asian trade. Having gained valuable experience the young man proposed a daring expedition to his king; a westerly route to the Spice Islands.
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Posted in Chile, Food, Videoblog on Feb 20th, 2009
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Curanto
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What to do with a mountain of seafood? (Map this!)
What do you do with a “mountain” of “mariscos”? You dig a hole in the ground, heat up some stones and dump the shellfish on top, add spicy sausage or longaniza, chicken and pork for good measure and potatoes just because you grow a hundred different varieties, then cover it all up with the local Nalca leaves and steam it for a couple of hours. The “Curanto” is now ready to be enjoyed with a class of Chilean wine.
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Chaitén
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Eruption – Destruction – Disturbance. (Map this!)
“You haven’t heard about the eruption in Chaitén? The Carretera Austral is closed.” , said the man in Temuco. That was the first time we heard about Chaitén; with relief we found that the ferry was still running and we could still do the Carretera Austral.
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Posted in Chile on Feb 5th, 2009
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At the museum
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Music concert – German influence – Ruth – When the US is good. (Map this!)
The guitar quintet is playing against the deep blue of Lake Llanquihue. And as notes from Vivaldi envelop us, the almost perfect, snow-covered cone of Volcán Osorno can be seen majestically framed by Volcán Puntiagudo to the left and Tronador to the right. A sailboat glides serenely by.
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Posted in Chile on Jan 31st, 2009
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At church
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Chiloé – Working for penguins – Heating water – Wooden churches – Tranquility. (Map this!)
I first heard of Chiloé in 2001, when we were in Chile briefly visiting the Torres del Paine National Park. The more I heard about it, the more intrigued I became; Chiloé: the island of wooden churches, of a mix of the native Mapuche traditions and that of immigrant germanic ones, of self imposed isolation (they oppose the building of a bridge linking Chiloé to the mainland), of fabulously fresh seafood. When our friend Vinay decided to visit us for a few days, we decided it would be nice to spend them in Chiloé.
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