Termas de Puyuhuapi



Feliz Navidad. It is only in the heart of darkness, when to despair is the only road, all inner strength has gone and progress is hopeless, that you truly start to learn about yourself. It´s fair to say I´m learning nothing about myself just now. Thermal baths, masaje, fitted wardrobes, Pisco sour, as much as you can eat breakfast; Welcome to Puyuhuapi Lodge and Spa. The brochure says ´A Secret South of Silence´. The bedroom menu offers Balneotherapy, Talaterm Algae treatment, Pressotherapy, Lympathic drainage and Wine Therapy. Wine Therapy! I´ve been on Wine Therapy for twenty years and it hasn´t brought ´young and vital elasticity´to anything, I can tell you. I´ll give it a go.

Met the Chilean Rich in the thirty seven degree volcanic pool. He left for Australia in 1970 before Allende got in and gave all his money to the poor. He´s back to visit the glaciers. I call him Él Colonel´.

You can only get here by boat as we´re across the fjord from the Carretera, in an inlet. A truly sumptuous place. Last night´s Christmas Dinner was a four-course affair followed by guitar and songs in Spanish. A red flare lit up the bay as four of the staff approached in a boat, dressed up as Tehuelche indians. They dished out presents. Then the dancing started.

Its going to be hard leaving this afternoon, from the comfort and warmth of our inlet, reborn onto the Carretera. Oh well. Must go. Off to the forty degree pool with the Colonel. The horror, the horror!