Dec 21-22 DAYS 33-34

Temuco is known as a working class city with a somewhat gritty feel, but I enjoyed its thriving pulse and lack of tourists. The boisterous central market was a place to finally find a gourd for drinking mate tea with the requisite bombilla(drinking straw). The tea has a bitter, acquired taste, but there are those who find it pleasant-even addictive-to drink.  And many swear by the healthful properties the tea allegedly possesses. It is unlikely I will use the gourd often, it requires a seemingly endless supply of hot water for refilling, but I couldn’t resist.

Pastel de choclo(my lunch for the day), a baked dish of sweet corn meal chicken, meat and olives, seafood stew and other regional specialities were offered in the small market restaurants. I ate well.
As I strolled along, the streets were busy with holiday shoppers, and gift wrappers, vendors of cherries, strawberries and other local produce, lottery tickets, and a multitude of wares.

Stray dogs are a part of Chilean life and to see them strolling or more likely sleeping in the streets while often resting their heads on the curb was no different here. A Chilean friend told me,” Argentina has the tango, we have our dogs.”

I inquired about buses to Puerto Saavedra and was met with strange looks. It was in the opinion of at least one ticket seller, an ugly place with nothing to do, but I wasn’t convinced he had been there.