When you move to a new town, for even a short while, everything you need must be re-established. I need a few things to really thrive in this world day by day. Love, time to think, deep friendships, and fresh air all go without saying. I also need dogs, decent wine, good coffee, cultural experiences, interesting running routes, and favorite haunts.
I don’t expect to create a perfect life here in Concepcion, but I do hope to embrace this place and find favorites–special moments that stand out. In the past week here is what I’ve explored…
This past weekend, Bill and I decided to finally brave the busses. First, we hoped on the bus in the direction of San Remo because we understood there was a lake there–Laguna Grande–that had some trails surrounding it. We hoped we might find a place to do a nice long run….
Laguna Grande, it turns out, is indeed a beautiful lake with some trails and pathways along the shore, but there isn’t a path encircling the whole lake. We went as far as we could in the direction I was walking in the above video, and then turned around to find the trail that traces the water’s edge out to the peninsula.
While it looks dry and fairly clearly marked in the above photos, the trail turned muddy not far in–which of course didn’t stop us. We ran/mucked our way through about five miles of forest beside the shore before catching the bus back to Concepcion.
A quick turn around (you know, spit shower, change of clothes, and a little deodorant) saw us walking out the door to catch another bus to a coastal town north of us called Dichato. Apparently Dichato was completely wiped out by the 2010 earthquake/tsunami tragedy, so everything we encountered is a new version of what used to be there. We’d heard that Dichato was a good place to get some excellent seafood. This turned out to be true. OMG, we ate until we were completely stuffed.
And then took a lovely walk on the beach, partly along the newly constructed seaside walkway.
Little by little, we’re finding what we love and making memories in our temporary home.
