Room With A View

Welcome to the town of Cochamo, situated at the eastern end of the Reloncavi Fjord in Northern Chilean Patagonia. We were based here for the day prior to and after a trek into the Rio Cochamo valley, a bit further to the east towards Argentina. I’m always a bit measured in my response to people who return from their travel experiences, spread with superlatives like so much mayonnaisse on a Chilean Completo. Having said that, the town of Cochamo and the river valley are both abso-freakin-lutely amazing and beyond beautiful. I’ll let the pictures, and my forthcoming audio experiments, do the talking because I ain’t so good with the palabras, amigos.
The Cochamo Valley was recently awarded a special protected status by the Chilean government, but it’s neighbor across the fjord the Rio Puelo valley may not be so fortunate. Rio Puelo is currently under study for a hydroelectric dam to support, in the words of a couple locals, industry up in the north. I had the opportunity to speak, with my backwards Spanish, about my work in the states and how gains from efficiency can offset the need for hugely destructive projects like those under consideration in Patagonia. This is a truly special part of the world, and what’s great is that the people here understand and appreciate what they have. Some pictures from Cochamo below, and from our hike on the next post.

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