We were given a poncho and a life jacket. We got into the boat and sailed across General Carrera Lake.
Chile 2023
Day 16: October 17
Puerto Rio Tranquilo - Chile Chico - Perito Moreno
Chile 2023
Itinerary
Today is a very busy day (and lots of photos ahead!)
By 9 a.m. we were already standing on a small pier, ready to set off on a boat tour to the Marble Caves.
The shoreline of the lake. Water has washed away the marble for more than six thousand years. That is how these caves were formed.
There is a very strong wind on the lake. It’s cloudy, but sometimes the sun still appears from behind the clouds.
Water has created incredible shapes...
The water is a very beautiful color, emerald-turquoise.
The marble is also of different colors. There are caves where it was almost white.
Mostly striped marble, grayish.
Some caves are quite large; the boat goes a little deeper so you can get a closer look at the marble.
Marble up close. A very interesting surface; Serzhyk said it looks like dragon skin :)
One of the landmarks of this place is the Marble Cathedral. A huge block of marble in the middle of the lake.
Another landmark, the Marble Chapel.
The tour lasted two and a half hours. It was a very beautiful and unusual place.
I’m very glad that we did go on this tour.
We returned to the village. We stopped by a small local bakery shop that we had found yesterday.
We bought warm buns there (yesterday we came late and all the buns had been sold out).
We’re heading on.
Gravel road again...
We made a stop on the shore of the lake. We’re eating fresh buns with honey and butter. Sitting on an incredible rock, very much like a huge tree...
Then we drove into an abandoned mine. Serzhyk found it by chance on the map.
It was about five kilometers to the mine along a narrow country road.
Old faded signs began to appear: "Private property. No entry."
Serzhyk drove on confidently. He didn’t even blink.
Main building of the mine
I asked Serzhyk what this is called, and he said, "A rusty piece of metal" :)
Serzhyk is standing on a huge flywheel. The engine is on the left.
I found the entrance to the mine. We only peeked inside. It was very dark and cold in the mine. And there was a lot of water.
There are many beautiful pebbles underfoot. The photo doesn’t show how colorful they are — golden layers, bright green, and even a little purple.
After the mine, we continue on. Along the same General Carrera Lake.
We’re already tired of driving. Today the gravel road is not easy. It shakes us hard.
But the road is very scenic, no matter how you look at it
There are a lot of cows in Chile.
There are many green meadows here, and cows are grazing everywhere. I’ve never seen so many cows anywhere.
We drink milk here.
It’s interesting that I haven’t drunk milk for a very, very long time.
But for some reason, I want it here.
It’s tasty, even the store-bought kind.
Sometimes we make cocoa. Sometimes coffee with milk.
Free-range Chilean cows :)
Another short stop. Judging by the information boards, something was once mined here. And now there is a very beautiful reservoir here.
Today we are heading to Argentina.
We crossed the border near the town of Chile Chico. The border crossing was very quick.
They checked the car documents; we had specifically arranged in advance for permission to take our rental car from Chile into Argentina.
Our first night in Argentina
Inside, the cottage isn’t very nice, but it’ll do for one night.
Our route for today: Puerto Rio Tranquilo (Marble Caves) → Chile Chico (border with Argentina) → Perito Moreno (overnight stay)