The flight to SCL boarded on time.  Except for first and business classes, the rest of the plane was packed full.  We had two aisle seats, one behind the other in the central part of the DC-10, now called Boeing 767.  The seating arrangement was 2-5-2 across.  We had to switch one of the seats with someone else so that we may be seated together.  There were whole families of Americans, some young college students on their own, and many chilenos going home.  There was also a pair of young Japanese girls- probably in their 20’s.  After we got to Chile, we noticed many Japanese tourists: families, young couples and pairs of young women.

   We arrived at 9:15 AM on Christmas day.  Americans, Canadians and Australians had to pay an entrance fee (US$ 45 called “reciprocity fee”) before we get to the immigration counter.  This fee is the same as what the US charges Chileans for a visitor’s visa.  The immigration person attached the receipt to the passport and then stamped the visa.  We also got to keep the lose leaf entrance form in the passport.   It was 28°C outside. We noticed a lot of plastic molded kayaks coming out as checked-in luggage.  After we came out, we went straight to the ATM machines and drew out $100,000 each ? the “$” is used for Chilean peso and the american dollar has the sign “US$”.  Then we came out and noticed the “national” terminal about 300 meters to the left.  It was a pretty hot and clear day.  One could see the tall mountains with patches of snow at a distance.  We took some photos.  The large flag outside did not furl and flutter cooperatively for us to video tape it. 

  Since we had a flight south to Puerto Montt at 1:05 PM from the National airport, we decided to take our luggage there, check in and then taken in the effects of the Chilean summer outside the airports.  The counter clerk at the LanChile counter did not speak much English.   Our Spanish ability was sufficient for us to check in and even make sure that our American Airlines frequent flier number was going to be recorded into their system for “kilometraje” frequent flier benefit. 

   After checking in we walked back to the International terminal to have coffee in their lower level café.  A pretty clean place with help that moved with urgency and efficiency: Panaderia Le Fournil. After eight days in Santiago we realized that this is one place where one might get real coffee, while all other restaurants served hot water/milk and a bowl of Nescafe powder.   After coffee we walked in the sun outside.  There were large green buses marked “Centropuerto” ? apparently the transfer buses from the Center of town to the airport.  There were also several minivans providing “transfer service”.  These transfer desks were inside the terminal.  One gets a ticket inside the terminal and the information that you are walking out to the curb is relayed outside by a handheld radio.  The transfer minivan outside picks you up and knows where you are going.  I went to the bus ticket window and asked if there is a bus to the suburb of “Las Condes” ? the place where we need to go after 4 days in the lakes region.  The fellows in the counter wanted to know if we are ready to go right away !!   Eventually we got to know that there were no buses to Las Condes, only minivans. 

    After generally loitering about we went through the xray portal and  into the departure lounge.  There were more shops in the departure lounge.  In one shop we decided to buy some stamps to send out picture post cards.  It cost Chilean Peso ( $ sign used to represent this currrency ) 300.  At about $570 to a US$, this is about the same price one would pay in the US.   We bought many stamps.  Later we bought more cards and stamps in various towns and postoffices and every location seems to suggest different postages for a card to US, Europe or Japan.  The stamp varied from $180 to $300. 

     Then we settled down on a sofa to wait.  The departure gates are all “bus gates”.  These are special gate buses with wide open fronts ? almost like a ferry boat.  After about an hour we were boarded on a LanChile Boeing 737 ( 3 by 3 seating, all economy) and took off for Puerto Montt.  The flight’s final destination was Punta Arenas.  There were many Japanese on board apparently going all the way ? they didn’t get off with us.  The 1.5 hr flight included a nice meal and even alcoholic beverages.  Even though the plane was practically packed, the two stewardesses went through the cabin with efficiency ? once for the meal and once yet again for the cake/coffee and refill of drinks.  Very good service, especially compared to the AA we had flown.  We had two seats (window and center) on the ocean side.  Since Chilean planes fly north or south ( mostly) one has either the ocean side or the cordillera (mountain range) side.  At the city of Concepcion we could see the ocean, but the rest of the way it was slightly cloudy.  Landing in Puerto Montt took the plane into a very low, wide and sweeping 180°  turn over the airport.  The landscape was very green with many cows on the pastures.  Except for the frequent interruptions of border row of trees or fences to mark much smaller farms, the place looked like Pennsylvania or Wisconsin in late spring.  Later we saw big hoardings advertising Puerto Montt Cheese on the roads. 

     We arrived on time.  Very few people got off and it seemed like the plane was to take off in the next 10 or so minutes enroute to P.Arenas.  The luggage was out on the belt even before we came out to it.  We got the luggage and looked out through the big glass double doors.  There was a middle aged guy holding my name on a placard.  We went out and greeted him.  He is the car rental company !!  Mr. José Molinas took us out to the white Nissan-Sentra on the curb.  It looked slightly worn-out, not washed but otherwise OK.  After I understood that we are driving José back to town with us, we put the luggage in the trunk, got in.  I adjusted the rear view mirror, started the car and conked it out a couple of times by releasing the clutch too soon or perhaps not soon enough.  Somehow I trusted that all rented cars would have automatic shift, eventhough I drive manual shift at home in the USA.  So we were off. 

     The airport road took us to route 5, the pan american highway that runs north-south.  We turned north towards Puerto Varas, the town where we had hotel reservation.  It was a 30 min. drive.  There was one confusing roundabout at the intersection of the airport road with route 5, that was all.   The town of Puerto Varas was on the lake Llanquihue ( pr. yankee-way).  The down town seemed geared toward tourists.  José worked ( or ran ) a Eco Tourist outfitter with compelete service.  He pointed out his office in the down town area ( Travelsur.com is even mentioned in the Lonely Planet guide). 

      We arrived at the hotel, José had me fill out the car rental agreement.   The hostess lady ( Ana ) in a checkered house frock explained something to José which he relayed in slower Spanish to us.  “The room is far away from the hotwater heater and therefore we ought to run the hotwater a while before we could actually get it warm in the shower” was it !!  She then took us one flight up into the room and handed us the key.  There seem to be no “registering” business.  However when we checked out we found out that Ana must have been remiss in her duties or she was simply ogling the unusual pair that we were and simply forgot.  Throughout the trip Ebi was the subject of much curiosity from teenage school girls.  We were in the room at 5:30 PM local time (2:30 PM in St.Paul).  The temperature was a cool 12°C and a space heater was on in a corner.  From the window we can see the lake and a large wooden sailboat moored in the bay.  The hotel was located on a hill overlooking the center of town and the lake front at the center of town.

    After a little bit of just letting the long travel sink in, we unpacked and went into the town for  gasoline.  The car was also handed to us with pretty close to an empty tank.  So we thought we could ready the car for the morrow as well.  Near the gas station we found a grocery store open.  So we thought that we should get some water and ready to eat munchies.  The gas station attendant was very friendly.  He commented on the how the rains of the past few days have gone and the sun is out, asked me where I was from etc..  LasBrisas Grocery store was clean and modern.  However what Ebi had heard about from her email friend in Chile about the fruits was disappointing.  The fruits variety was not large, the selection was not very appealing as well.  We bought water, Crystal Beer and some munchies.  We had parked in a small parking area in front of the grocery that belonged to ¨La Gordita¨ restaurant.  This restaurant has the review ¨disappointingly varying¨ (Lonely Planet) in their food quality.  We also noticed another restaurant on top of this place called El Mercado.  After we went back to the hotel, we  came back down to the El Mercado restaurant for dinner.  It turned out to be an excellent decision.  On Christmas day this place was full and the staff were very active. 

     We were seated right away in a corner seat.  We had a waiter who seemed very eager.  They served excellent bread and butter ? softened and rolled up for easy smearing.  Ebi ordered Erizo ( sea urchin in English and Uni in Japanese ).  It came in  a large wine glass in cold cocktail sauce.  Santa Emiliana Chardonnay (1999) was the accidental choice.  We liked it so much we brought a couple of bottles back.  The bread, erizo and the wine were a great combination.   After sharing this appetiser we were sated and quite pleased with the experience.  The rest of the meal (salmon in a spicy sauce for me and whitefish in seafood sauce for Ebi) turned out to be too much to eat.   It was about 10 pm by the time we got back to the hotel.  We had to ring the bell for Ana to let us in and hand over the room key.  Either Ana or her mother ? also in a checkered frock of the same pattern ? did this throughout our stay.  We noticed that no other guests were there in the hotel.   We came in and took a shower and went to sleep.