The Cast of Characters

Still at the Termas -- it's still raining.  This morning, we figured the rain couldn't get any worse and convinced ourselves to stay another night in Paradise.  Good thing as it gives me time to describe a few characters.

Daniel Little: The Gringo owner of the Termas says, after a few beers last night, that he once had a dream about hot springs surrounded by thousand year-old trees.  Ten years later, he was looking to buy some land in Chile and his real estate agent would show him parcel after parcel but nothing caught his fancy.  As things were starting to look down, the agent mentioned "hot springs."  Daniel describes it as a siren's songs off in the back of his head.  Over the last nine to ten years he's rebuilt the main building (kitchen and dining room and my main hangout during our stay here) and secondary building (now used as the hotel), built up three pools with a series of pipes from the hot springs and cold river water, and is in the process of adding showers and some additional gardens.  There are a few basic outdoor showers using the same water that fills the pools, but his future showers would be in the hotel rooms.

Daniel wants to make the Termas a reservation-only system to reduce the number of day-trippers who "ruin the energy when they pull up mid-soak in their Land Rovers."  Can't help but agree with him.

Rikeyan: a Mapuche woman whose name means "moon flower" is a truly gifted cook.  She has served us three veggie meals a day, with dessert, while tending to the kids whose exact lineage I am unsure of.  She is the significant other, of one of Daniel's helpers.  It was quite a while before I was able to get any of the women to talk as the Mapuche tend to keep to themselves, the women even more so than the men.

Victor: A short, slender man, who's last name is unknown to me, seems to be of Mapuche decent.  He teaches yoga every morning at eight; Tai Chi, Mapuche dance and oriental breathing therapies upon request.  He is the father of the younger of two kids who live here.  His wife, again, name unknown, helps Daniel's wife with the cooking and housekeeping duties while Victor helps Daniel with the ongoing construction outside.  Victor has the mellow, centered energy of a meditation master, as one might expect.  Oh, did I mention he sings, plays guitar and the pan pipes?

On paper, this place sounds like a overboard New Age disaster, but it's not.  Essentials -- the food, hot pools and location -- are excellent while the rest is natural and rustic.  I asked for chamomile tea last night.  Daniel's wife ran out and picked the herbs fresh from their garden and steeped them in hot water.  I want to return here sometime with Joanna.  I can't fathom exactly when, but sometime...

Scott, the owner of a cheap hostel in Santiago, talked about looking at satellite infra-red photos to try and find thermal springs in the mountains around here.  I can see the appeal.  A small spring would be plenty to run a decent sized house.  Add solar or gas for lights and appliances and you'd have a truly amazing retreat!