Hello all from Valdivia, Chile! I arrived to a cloudy, but warm day on the Pacific coast. It has been a time warp. That is the only way I can explain traveling over 10,000 miles to the other side of the world in a hemisphere celebrating the glories of summer by enjoying long daylight hours, shorts (the shear pleasure of wind on bare legs), and hopefully by also keeping the sunscreen and sunglasses close at hand. I already got sunburned.
Luckily, I have no dramatic travel stories to share with you this time. Thank goodness I didn't have to battle through that turmoil again. Although, I do have some airport improvements in mind for LAX and the airport in Santiago. All my flights were on time and arrived safely. Not much more I could ask for! I even got to watch nine episodes of Mad Men on the plane in addition to counting at least ten volcanoes from my window seat on the flight between Santiago and Valdivia. The Andes Mountains are a site to see! I had a ten volcano day. My best record yet.
I spent the afternoon settling into my hotel situated by a lovely river boardwalk that goes into the central district of the town. Valdivia has about 240,000 residents, which makes its quaint charm that much more appealing. A coworker and I walked all throughout the town, including the university where about 10,000 students study. It has wonderful gardens and an arboretum next to the river. It was a lovely walk and a lovely day.
Tomorrow I will venture off to the Valdivian Coastal Reserve, a 150,000 acre coastal rainforest bordering the Pacific Ocean. I can't wait to tell you more about my adventures there. Until then, here are a few more pictures from my day!
Above: A Picture of the river in Valdivia taken from the Pedro de Valdivia Bridge.
Above: Kayaks ready to be rented by eager people ready to get out on the river!
Above: Sea Lions basking on warm rocks by the river.
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