Sunrise

This can only turn out to be a marvelous day, wouldnt you say?

The Black-Necked Swan

(Cygnus melancoryphus)

When you take a walk along the coast near Puerto Natales, you will observe all sorts of aquatic birds like Chilean Flamingos (in winter), Petrels, Shags and a great variety of Ducks and Sea Gulls. But what really stick out is the Black-Necked Swans found only in the south of the South American Continent. This great bird represents tranquility and humbleness as it sits solemnly in the water in couples or in small groups. Sometimes it emits a high whistling sound that is almost supersonic. When you try to get close it simply flows away from you. Untouchable, calm and mysterious. The plumage of its torso is so white it’s almost celestial with a contrasting black neck, head and greyish bill. It has a red knob near the base of the bill calling for attention and a white stripe behind eye.

The Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Pablo Neruda, who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971, wrote in “Art of Birds”

Above the swimming snow

A long black question

Tomorrow is the 40th anniversary of his death. Already a living legend in life he died of tuberculosis less than 2 weeks after the coup d état led by Pinochet. The remaining question is: did the junta have a hand in the death of a declared communist and supporter of Salvador Allende.

The Independence Day celebration, part 2

On the 19th we made it for the second day of sharing in family and eating. Despite the fact that we are celebrating Chile this was also the inauguration of the ampliation which gave us the excuse to wave the danish flag as well. We didnt have any poles so we used some cuts of bark Luis had lying around.

The unfinished windows without glass was an advantage today, as wee could share all of us. Some inside and some outside.

The "Chulengo" with its veggie and meat department

It is posible to have a nutrious and healthy meal on the 18th. There is no way around the beer. Its a celebration. A Chilean would laugh out load of this "asado"

Everyone inside gathered around the wood-burning stove. I have no idea where the 2 smallest children of the family has gone to, but we are all here... Including the dogs!

3 weeks after the fist digging, the ampliatio is hereby inaugurated.

The Independence Day celebration, part 1

On the 18th of September Chile Celebrates its independence day, this year 203 years ago. 2013 is rewarded with 3 days of work, adding the weekend it is 5 days of over-eating, over-drinking, sharing, laughing and dancing.

Traditional food is the empanada and the "asado", chilean barbacue consisting of a variety of meat, bread, the semi-hot salsa "pebre" and maybe a tomato-salat. And not to forget the "Earthquake" and "Chicha". The prior been a strong drink of fernet branca and white wine and the latter a grape-beer that is traditionally mixed with toasted flour. 

We in the Lira family split the celbration in 2 parts. On the 18th we made empanadas in the house of Rosa and the 19th we made tha asado at our house. Both with a vegetarian twist. Sorry to all the meat lovers, bur the enfasis of these photos are on the veggie delights...

The hour-long preparations... The dough is made the evening before and stores in the fridge over-night 

Preparing a veggie empanada with corn and cheese

Home-made empanadas, some fried others oven-heated and chicha with toasted flour.

Getting ready for the celebration....

... Primarily of Chiles independence Day the 18 of September to be able to invite the whole family to the traditional "asado"

Luis works from early morning dressing the ampliation with recycled metal roof and masonite plates on the inside walls.

Then he comes up with this great idea of cutting up 2 other giant thrown-away-gates we had picked up to fit below the windows facing north - where the sun hits and heat up the ampliation during the whole day. That way we can close up the house when we leave and start to inhabit our new living/ kitchen.

Just in time for the inauguration/ celebration with the family

Testing my Helsport Stortinden, pre season check

The national fiesta is coming up this week. Wednesday 18th Chile will be celebrating its 203 years of independence. It’s quite a spectacle including chicha (alcoholic brew on grapes), empanadas, barbecues, meat, folklore music and dance, flags and patriotism all over. 3 days off and fiesta enough to go around. I started going through my gear, starting out with my Helsport Stortinden 2, X-Trem tent.

Mounted saturday at noon

Sunday morning after a frosty night

Sunday at dusk

Tonight we will sleep inside to check out how it performs in winter conditions. I am especially interested to see how much - or little - it condenses.

The housing progress

Fossil Hunting...

Last night we agreed upon go biking along the southern coastal road in search of fossils. Gabi and I had been left with this desire after the lecture of Marcelo Lebbe, from the National Institute of Chilean Antarctis, about the recent fossil findings in our region. For almost 2 hours he entertained us with stories of dinosaur bones found close by. Our region is virgin archeologically speaking as great part of the territory never has been manipulated by anything – at all. At the end he finished off by promoting a stroll/ bike ride along the southern coastal road as if emphasizing the closeness with history.  So we went. The entire month of august I had been recovering and nursing the knee, now it was time to require something in return, and to check out the physical state as I was retaking my fitness regime. The day was spectacular presenting no wind at all, sun and comfortable temperatures.

What a delight. What a treat. I enjoyed been out there, using my body as engine, using my own energy once again. The scenery shifted as the mountains repositioned themselves as we pushed on. The water was still, the wind was still so we could hear the Black Necked Swans, the Chimangos and the Austral Oystercatchers playing and feeding along the shore.

We stopped a few times to check out the washed-over rocks on the shore and the erratic rocks on the side of the road, but nothing like the perfect print we both imagined didn’t show up. Its fair to say that mostly we were chatting or appreciating the surroundings. It wasn’t until the very end we really put in the effort. And by then we were distracted by signs of bird nesting in the exposed and very vertical hill that completely led us off trail to ascent this little formation. I was having serious doubts about it, as it might be a little too mucha t this stage, but I went ahead, searching for a decent accesspoint, not too steep. It was a strange feeling walking up hill, as I needed full extension and strength/ stability around the knee. Definitely a good exercise and preparation for what I am training for. It may have been some 30 meters, or less, but I was thrilled, excited and proud to be standing up there looking out over the Fiordo Monnt towards the different mountain ranges on the other side.

Coming back down didn’t prove to difficult either. The pressure on the knee down hill could make me regret the decision, but cautiousness and  concentration had me down before I knew it. We celebrated with a cup of ginger tee before heading back home. We biked some 25 kms  in about 6 hours out in the pleasant weather.

I am looking forward to the rest of September…

A vertebrae?