Pilgrimage to Valdivia

A brief bus ride from Pucón found me in Valdivia, a "German" port town that lies at the confluence of three rivers near the coast in southern Chile. With few activities and fewer sites (though there is quite a bit of history) one might ask why I decided to stop here, and the answer is quite simple: Kuntsmann. (I should clarify for some that Kuntsmann is a beer; shame if you thought different.)

Due to growing up in the north-west, the micro-brew region of the world, and having lived in England, I am an unabashed, unashamed beer-snob. Much to my dismay, upon arriving in Chile I discovered that most beers left more than a little to be desired. Most, that is, except for Kuntsmann and Austral, fruits of the German immigration and instustrialization of southern Chile that took place in the late 19th century. The Kuntsmann Brewery is in Valdivia, ergo I was obliged to make a pilgrimage and pay homage to one of the beers that got me through the year. I intend to visit Austral when in the extreme south.

Unfortunately, after making the trip to the brewery in hopes of touring the facilities I learned that they only allow large, prearranged, guided tours to go into the back and see where the magic happens. Strike one. After being caught trying to sneak in the back (strike two) I decided to just have lunch and sample the extra beers - unfiltered blonde, unfiltered torobayo, and the high-octane (7.5%) Gran Torobayo.... soooo delicious - that I believe you can only get at the brewery itself. Right then the trip was worth it in my mind.

As I was finishing up with my food and getting ready to leave two Chilean girls sitting at the next table invited me over, and after another drink they invited me to go with them to visit the military forts on the islands surrounding the area. The forts date back to the Wars of Independence between Chile and Spain and are only accessible by ferry, which in itself was pretty cool. You pretty much have free access to wander around the forts, climbing the walls, the turrets, where ever. And at one there was even a re-enactment of a battle that took place between the Chileans and the Spanish (note: I have never seen a people so proud and so engaged in a battle re-enactment as the Chileans were this day. There were cheers, whistles, and very forceful applause, and afterward people had the opportunity to get their picture taken with "dead" Spanish soldiers. Several, adults and children, delighted in the opportunity).

After the forts I went out with a group from the hostel for, famous words of mine, "one or two drinks and an early night". After the party got rolling with the group, the two girls that I spent the afternoon with also came out to the bars. I expect not to get home until the wee hours of the morning in Santiago or Valpo, but didn’t think that it happened in Valdivia. Suffice it to say I was wrong. And needless to say, I ended up being out very late, missed my bus in the morning, and spent an extra day in the city.

J.A.F.A., no?