Chiloe, Chile

Woke in our dome, which was a tad chilly this morning. Breakfast of eggs and avocado on toast whilst enjoying the river views on this cloudy day. Today I wanted to see some of the wooden structures that Chiloè is famous for. The churches of Chiloé are unique in style to this archipelago and are Unesco heritage protected sites. They are made entirely in native timber with wood shingles, built from materials to resist the humid and rainy oceanic climate. They date back to the 18th and 19th centuries when Chiloé Archipelago was still a part of Spain so a mix of influences. The island has over 140 churches today, all following this style but decorated in different ways. There are 16 on the heritage list, mainly in the central part of the island, so we set off on our route north back to the mainland via a couple. First was the Church of Nercòn just south of Castro. The Church was constructed around 1890, from cypress and larch wood. It has a tower that stretches 25 metres high which we climbed up into. The arched long roof is constructed as you would a wooden boat and the upright wooden columns are painted to look like marble. We took a road out past the colourful Palafitos, houses on stilts that sit over the water. Then back in central Castro, and getting to grips with paying a street parking attendant, we found the Church of San Francisco located on one side of the Plaza de Armas. This huge wooden structure is really intricately put together inside and then clad on the outside in a kind of embossed tin. It is yellow with different patterns around windows and other details. Further up the island we visited Dalcahue and the Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de los Dolores (Our lady of sorrows) which was built at the end of the 19th century. It has a pretty white and blue facade, and then a sky blue interior ceiling. We strolled around Dalcahue which sits on the river looking at native art stalls, I would have loved a blanket but the rucksack is a tight fit as it is! We headed back north on the island, scooted through Ancud before deciding not to stop and hopping on the ferry to Puerto Montt. The hotel was ok, but I scored mega points on food this evening. I found Cotele restaurant a short walk away, they only served 3 cuts of beef. You chose your size as they cut it off in front of you before cooking to perfection over a central spit fire. The chef actually worked with a torch to ensure it was perfect. It was amazing, a perfect Camere red wine and a ribeye steak you would dream of! The host was South African, so happy to chat and explain some of the Chilean culture.