It`s Chilly eating Chillies in Chile with Chulie. Chill eh?

So, winter´s setting in here in Chilé. A time to find a cosy place to stay. A place boasting a roaring log fire and luxuriant fluffy rugs. A place to spend our days supping brandy, wearing cosy slippers and reading Mills and Boon novels as large snowflakes drift to earth forming a luscious, thick white blanket.

So, what do we go and do? Gaily head off on a mission to find the most out-of-the-way, off-the-grid, heat-deficient accommodations in the country:

Ejamplo numero uno - Forgoing the cosy, touristic comforts of Pucon in the North of the Chilean Lake District, we jump on a bus towards Parque Nacional Huerquehue (a chocolate teapot to anyone who can pronounce this word properly). Bus proceeds to get stuck in the ice, leaving us (and the other women, children and llamas) to continue the journey on foot. 9k later we arrive at a remote refugio who haven´t seen a tourist for months and where all the water supplies are frozen. Nonetheless, we enjoyed a couple of magical days yomping about in waist-high snow (or jowl-high if you´re Jools) and feasting on whole cows for dinner.

Ejamplo numero dos - Tracing the spine of the Andes further south, again we chose to bypass the inviting, centrally heated hostels in Puerto Varas. Our destination-the minuscule, one-dog town of Petrohue, on the western shores of Lago Todos los Santos (allegedly the most beautiful lake in Chile(when it´s visible through the storm-force wind, snow and rain)). The initially heaving minibus slowly emptied, until only ourselves and one wee wizened old man(70-90) remained. In the gathering gloom, we pulled up at Petrohue. Lacking any other options we blindly agreed to follow said wizened character down a scree slope to the banks of a river and a sorry looking rowboat. After 5 minutes of bailing-out, we´re duly chauffeured across to the coldest, darkest little farmhouse in the world. Again though, it all turned out good, if somewhat baltic - 2 days of eating tasty, freshly-caught trout and listening to the rain battering down on the fragile tin roof.

Cribbage Update: Jools 29 Kev 24

Spanish Update: Un poco conocimiento es una cosa peligrosa. Do not ask for "un botella de vino tonto" in a restaurant. Whilst you may be wanting a bottle of red wine you have however just asked for a bottle of stupid wine. Also, do not confuse the words ojos and oyos. You may be wishing to say how so-and-so has lovely brown eyes but actually end up communicating that said so-and-so has a lovely brown ...ahem... hole. One of my personal favourites was a conversation about profiteroles (typical subject matter in Latin America) where it transpired I was talking about chocolate breasts. "Tetas chocolate" for anyone in need of a good conversation starter in Spanish!