Day 3 - Gathering New Energy!

I wake up in my cozy little room in the hostel, the sun is even shining! And I'm starving! Two days of hiking have really taken their toll, my calves are burning. But we took it easy on Saturday. After a leisurely breakfast, we visited the "Ojos de Carburga". These are waterfalls that flow into brilliantly blue pools. There are many wooden viewing platforms around, which made me feel like I was on an adventure playground. I think the photos say more than my little text ;). On our way back to Pucón, we hitchhiked for the first time. It's apparently typical in the region, and since there were two of us, we had nothing to worry about.

When we arrived in Pucón, we first went to a bakery for some "Berliners" because the hunger is persistent. Then we continued by bus to our well-deserved relaxation. We visited the hot springs "Los Pozones". Four very natural pools heated by the volcanic activity of the underground, with temperatures ranging from 25 to 50 degrees. I liked the coldest pool the best (Agua del Luna) because it wasn't as crowded and deep enough to swim. The other pools were just for sitting and relaxing. It was wonderful to sit in my bikini between the surrounding mountains with an outside temperature of 12 degrees and bright sunshine. I have to admit, you can only stand it in the hottest puddle for 3 minutes, then you turn bright red and have to cool off in the nearby streams. We thought the people who were doing it when we arrived must be crazy. Then we did the same thing ;D. Time flew by.

To end our vacation, we went to a Mapuche restaurant to eat, which is the traditional cuisine here. Especially the grilled beef and pork taste amazing and much more intense than in Germany. I also tried the typical "Pisco Sour" cocktail - a combination of lime, sugar cane, and the liquor that gives it its name.

To be continued...

Frieda (Sept. 26th)