Huerquehue and Kuchen

We spent the day hiking at Huerquehue National Park, about an hour from home.  A luscious green woodsy region reminiscent of Washington State.  Towering old trees, ferns, waterfalls. A magical day surrounded by big nature.  Little did we know that coming home (at 7:30pm) we would encounter a mammoth traffic jam.  Not here, not in the middle of nowhere on a one lane road in central Chile.  Surely there had to be an accident ahead.  20 minutes turned into 30 to 45, to an hour and still we barely inched along.  Several joggers passed us.  We never caught them.  As Achilles grumbled, I started to notice my surroundings.  Everywhere I looked I saw homemade wooden signs advertising kuchen.  What in the world is kuchen?  And why are so many people selling it?  My Spanish is pretty good, but I have never heard of kuchen. 

Well we finally made it home (it took 2 hours!) Our neighbors assured us that there was no accident, just the normal Pucon summer rush hour. Wow!  They also shared with us the meaning of kuchen.  (Pronounced  koohen).  Kuchen is pie.  In German!  There is a big German influence in this part of Chile, and the word stuck.  Well you know the rest, I must make my own kuchen.  Off to pick more blackberries!



HIking in the National Park




Waterfall Nido de Aguila




One of dozens of signs on our journey home





My very first kruchen.  Elijah gave it two thumbs up!