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"Region X": Los Lagos   1 | 2 | 3 

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Note: For more information on the first set of pictures here, see our journal entry on driving through the Lakes Region.

Volcan Osorno — A field of red flowers lights up the foreground as we get a little closer to the volcano, heading northeast along the lake.
Up a Tree — Keith chooses an unusual resting place while waiting for the museum in Puerto Octay to open. (Turned out it was open all along — the posted hours were actually old. So much for that German efficiency.)
Attack of the Tavanos — Driving from Entre Lagos toward the nearby national park, we pause to take a picture of the lake, and get brutally assaulted by a tavano. This is a humungous biting fly — up to an inch in size — that buzzes around, dive bombing people, and sounds like an entire bee hive. They're all over the place here, and they're viciously relentless: the one that found me here literally followed me as I ran down the street to get away from it for at least 50 yards. When I finally reached the car, I sat there squealing like Ned Flanders, refusing to get out. (In my defense, I thought it was a whole hive of bees at the time.)
Termas de Puyehue — Our main reason for visiting Parque Nacional Puyehue was not the scenery, not the hiking, and certainly not the bugs. No, it was all about the thermal mineral baths. For just a few dollars, you get a locker in a changing room, showers, a mandatory hairnet, and all-day access to the double-Olympic-sized thermal pool inside this building, with all the soothing minerals your body can take in. The only downside is the strict rules posted on the wall, including rule number 6: "No public displays of affection." We wouldn't have thought that was so much of a problem they'd have to post a sign prohibiting it, but given the average size of the person in there (three times ours), we're glad they did.
Cabins at Puyehue — For those with very little patience, it's possible to stay in any of these four-person cabins in the park itself, directly across the street from the baths. However, at over US$100 a night (in the off-season, no less) and about two dozen screaming children, we preferred our plan of US$15 and a 20-minute drive from Entre Lagos.
Rio Frio — After enjoying the baths, we drove further into the park, along its single 18-km road, toward Antillanca, on the side of Volcan Casablanca. On the way, we stopped to enjoy several of the waterfalls right off the road.
Lily Pads — A short hike from the road to the edge of Lago El Encanto turned out to be somewhat disappointing for all the mud, although the vast expanse of lily pads were quite picturesque.
Volcan Puyehue — The park's eponymous volcano, photographed in about three seconds from Mirador Los Mallines (Smelly Rock Viewpoint), before the giant flies started attacking again.

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Last updated: 19 May 2002 21:05:31