Update:  We are safe and healthy and life during the Coronavirus pandemic seems to be more normal here in South America than in the U.S. We are following the news in the U.S. and plan to continue our travels in South America for the next few months.

ISLAND OF MYSTERY AND LEGEND

Early Saturday morning, we hopped into a van for a 3-hour trip to Isla Grande de Chiloé (The Grand Island of Chiloé). Geographically and culturally, this is one of the most distinctive areas of the country.

Chiloé is the largest island of Chile and is part of the Northern Patagonia region. The Chiloé Islands are actually a cluster of islands (archipelago) that remained independent and isolated from the mainland of Chile for years.

This isolation enabled Chiloé to develop its very unique culture.  In the 1500s, the inhabitants (Huliche people) believed in a form of witchcraft and mythology. Today, the people of Chiloé (Chilotes) still honor some of those beliefs.

The landscape on the Grand Island is green, with rolling hills of grazing sheep and cattle. The main industries are farming and fishing. Over 30 years ago, Chile began developing salmon fish farms on the island and now salmon is one of Chile’s main exports.

Although when we visited, the weather was good, often the island is rainy and windy and the weather so extreme that Darwin wrote, “In winter the climate is detestable, and in summer it is only a little better.”

Castro

Arriving here is a bit of an adventure in its own right. Our journey involved a road trip and a 40-minute ferry crossing just to arrive at Isla Grande. Then it was another hour’s drive to reach the eastern shore and the small capital city of Castro.

Arriving in the Castro was like stepping back in time. We loved the colorful houses and old German colonial churches. All along the waterfront and mudflats, we saw palafitos (houses on stilts). Before roads and streets travel by boat was the main form of transportation. A house on the shoreline made this type of traveling very convenient. Today most of the houses are shops or restaurants catering to the locals and tourists.

Churches

Perhaps one of the things Chiloé is most famous for is its unique churches. Many were constructed from native wood in the Chilote architecture style with each one having its own individual color scheme.

There are 70 Franciscan churches scattered throughout the islands and UNESCO recognizes 16 of them for their unique cultural value.  Everything seems to be connected to the sea in Chiloé and the churches are no exception. Shipbuilders constructed many of the wooden churches and the interiors resemble upside-down boat hulls. The churches were built without nails but with pegs and joints that could withstand earthquakes, essential in a land where earthquakes are common.

The Legends

The mysteries of the lakes and rivers, forests and a temperate rainy climate with fog and strong winds caused the inhabitants to keep the traditional beliefs alive.

When the indigenous peoples couldn’t explain natural phenomena, they believed that superhuman beings created them. These beliefs are still part of daily life. In Chiloé, traditional folk celebrations, handicrafts, and food are part of the culture, making it very different from continental Chile.

One myth told is the ghost ship, El Caleuche, that sails off the coast of the island turns fishermen who look at it into seals and sea lions.

Another is that of the beautiful mermaid, Pincoya, calls the fish so that fishermen’s successful catch depends on her mood.

Finally, there is Trauco who is less than three feet tall with an ugly face and stumps for feet and lives in tree trunks. Despite his ugly appearance, the Trauco is irresistibly seductive and uses his magic to cause anyone he meets to fall instantly in love with him.

Cuisine of Chiloé

We ate lunch in the small seaside town of Dalcahue. The local cuisine of Chiloé was some of the best seafood we ate in Chile.

Curanto

The traditional dish is a rich seafood stew that has been around since the island was settled (perhaps created by the indigenous people). In the past, this meal was made in an earth oven. A hole in the ground was lined with hot stones heated in a bonfire and then seafood, meats, and vegetables were added. The food was covered with nalca leaves (Chilean rhubarb). In restaurants, the ingredients are cooked in a pot and it’s called Pulmay.

Milcao

We ate our Pulmay, and another traditional Chiloén dish called Milcao. Milcao is a potato pancake made with raw and cooked potatoes, stuffed with caramelized onions, fried pork or spicy pork sausage.

Our meal was so huge we could not eat it all. Inside the netting were mussels, clams, potatoes, chicken and a large piece of pork. We have never eaten mussels so large before. The clams and mussels were very tasty, and the meats were juicy and flavorful. It was all very delicious.

Chiloé is so full of character and we were sad to say goodbye. It was the perfect last destination in Chile for us. On to Argentina!