Puerto Montt is a small town perched on a series of hills overlooking an interior bay. In the distance, on a clear day, you can see right across to the Andes on the other side. The Andes are the backbone of South America and they run right across this continent falling abruptly into the ocean at Tierra Del Fuego.
The town of Puerto Montt has a busy port and bus terminal and is the main transport hub for the south. I must admit that when you first look at it, it does give the impression of being a little seedy and disreputable β like a wench or prostitute who looks at you alluringly but only wants to take your money.
Most travelers heading south will end up in Puerto Montt at some point. Most will however, take one look at the aspect of this town, wince their eyes, crease their foreheads, and decide to head on. So what does Puerto Montt have to recommend it?
Not much from a cursory glance β but once you stay here a while your eyes relax and you begin to notice that it is not so bad after all. There is a respectable shopping mall, a cinema and various other outlets. It even has a theatre, some half-decent coffee shops and a McDonalds. It has a lively fish market and an open air market that rings with the cacophony of medieval commerce. For most of its denizens it is home sweet home. Not many tourists come here.
Those that stay beyond a couple of days, start seeing hints of pleasures that lurk in the shadows. Like a women you first see and are not attracted to, but after a day or two in her company, you start noticing the black lace underwear. Perhaps it is the dodgy looking bars and pubs, or the rubbishy market stalls, or the garages, or the shops selling Chinese goods, or the fast food joints. As I said not many foreigners venture here, and as such, I am a thing of curiosity attracting puzzled glances.
