Barilochi

From Chile we traveled to Patagonia in Southern Argentina to the finest hotel I have ever been to, the Llao Llao. The hotel has the finest views in the world, it is simply unmatched. It sits on a bluff overlooking the most beautiful large lake that is at the base of the most awe-inspiring mountains in the world- grander than even Europe. The sky above is dark blue and the air is fresh and clean, the sun warms the heart and refreshes the soul. Eagles and hawks soar all around and their squelch carries through the mountains.

Top hotel in the world

Their tops are covered in pure white snow with dark green conifers blanketing their slopes. Birds sing a song of a happy life and fish abound in the lake and streams below our hotel. The wind blows the birds about the sky and tosses the kites on high and all around me here the wind pass like ladies skirts across the grass. RLS

Every need is taken care of here to insure ones well being, from the library and study rooms to the world class spa sauna and steam, infinity pool, exercise facilities, fishing and boating center to the finest European dining I have been to.

I sit by the pool and order some of the finest fresh Salmon and drink pineapple shakes and at night I have the finest tenderloin with fine red wine and appetizers and our waiters patiently dote on our every need. Our rooms are cared for by young ladies dressed in pressed French maid uniforms and the waiters our defined by their European styled jackets and manners- yes we have now become lazy.

How is this for cocktails

I was going to go repelling on a near vertical granite rock face on the Mountain across the lake from our majestic hotel that sits on a bluff over looking the lake as well as fly-fishing along the way. We left in a small skiff from the dock outside our hotel. The wind was blowing hard and the waves were white capped as they rolled across the tourmaline colored lake. As we pulled away from the safety of our home, our tiny boat was battered and tossed about, cold water washed the boat and our faces, and it was good to be alive. The lake was 2,000 feet deep at parts and dropped off to 450 feet deep only 30 yards from shore.

The Mountains are alive and full of life.

Horseback riding and fly fishing every day or golf if you want.

We traveled between Mammoth Mountains that leaped to the sky over about an eighth of a mile, think of the steepness of the magnificent granite peaks.
As we pulled to the safety of a protected cove, the waves were lapping the shoreline in a steady syncopation, it was hypnotic. We walked upon a small stone and pebble beach and our feet rolled in the softness of the loose pebbles and they spoke to us in languages not understood, they were soothing as they gently massaged our feet before entering the deepness of the dark green forest. We had a half hour walk through this dense forest before landing the granite peak from which we were going rappelling.
The heavy forest was comprised of conifers, cedars and other trees unknown to me. They were tall dense and they blocked the sun that shined brightly above all. There was also a large concentration of very dense bamboo that formed tunnels we had to negotiate on our way to the summit. Their shedding of bark and limbs made the ground soft and quiet, it was eerily quiet. We navigated the tunnels of strong bamboo and our feet made forms in the softness of the thick mulch of deadened waste that blanketed the forest floor.
The boulder I was standing on was warm from the rays of the sun, so I lay down on its razor thin edge that fell away into infinity and my guides offered caution, I told them I could fly- they were nervous. But I knew I could fly and sail with the wind into eternity at that moment and nothing could hurt me, it was so awe-inspiring my words do not do it justice.

Good Friends.  Wow more “Hot Chicks”

There was a younger girl that was afraid to rappel, she had tears of fright. I asked her mother to entrust her with me (Her mother did not know I was so crazy), so she let her go with me in tandem and together we made the travel down the sheer face of a 150 foot wall. I even got that young girl to look at the surrounding and appreciate God’s creation. She was so happy that she had tears of joy even though she was shaking. I told here it was good to know fear and embrace it.
One Day I went Fly Fishing and it was incredible

My parting prayer: One day in Barilochi, I went to church to give thanks and praise for all I have: my family and friends. The church was a small Bavarian looking church that overlooked the most beautiful sapphire lake and green forested mountains all capped in white. It was bathed in the golden waters of the sun and the wind sang a happy song as the wind passed through the trees. The sky was translucent and inviting and the air inside the church was pregnant with rainbow colors from the stained glass windows that lined the sides of the church. The service was a baptism, how wonderful, I saw part of the circle of life. Music flowed form the guitar and flute and the voices of the attendees sang out it brought tears to my eyes so this is the prayer I said in my heart.

Dear God, I humbly come before you and even though I am unworthy, only say the word and I shall be healed. Today I see Your greatness in all that surrounds me and the Heavens proclaim Your glory. The majestic white capped mountains beneath the clear blue skies with the sun covering the earth in golden rays display Your handiwork. The rolling hills and the green valleys cut by gushing streams and the sapphire colored lake disclose Your presence. Your divine voice sings through all of creation as it blows sweet harmonies through the evergreens and it is Your creation alone.
You have given me the ability to hear the music of the world on this special day and it proclaims You are in our midst and I am most grateful and thankful for the opportunity to witness these incredible things.You are the most gracious and merciful and all praises and thanks we give to You. You that are all infinite and the creator of all life, both seen and unseen, known and unknown, I humbly come before You on this special day to ask You to bath those that have gone before us in Your warm light and grant them peace. In silent thoughts, we remember fondly and are thankful for the time we were able to share together . We also pray that we can better serve You each day by helping those that are sick, the poor and the those that are less fortunate than we.

There ends my story ad One must see it, to believe it, one must believe it, to feel it and one must embrace it, so one’s heart may become a ringing bell tower ringing out with joy.

The cedar and bamboo bark perfumed the air in a pleasantness not found anywhere. Musty earthen flavors permeated the dense forest along with the cedar perfumed air making a most favorable walk along the streams that formed tiny pools. We passed waterfalls that fell from the mountains tops and they cascaded hundreds of yards over tough granite rock face boulders whose birth began with time, ancient rock outcroppings and through the forest floor itself. Rainbow trout frolicked in these pristine streams as they had for millennium and small flies and birds darted in and out of the rays of sunshine that managed to escape the gravity of the darkness of this forest.

As I cast my line it was reflected in the mirrored like surface of the meandering pristine stream and pristine is an understatement. My fly landed and I saw a rainbow come to it (even with my adolescent casting capabilities).

fly fishing Llao Llao

For me seeing this beautiful creature come to my line was enough, I did not want to disturb this wilderness with blood sport. However, the line went tight and my fish fought a brave and courageous battle. I have his photograph and I said a prayer for his safety and watched him swim away, wishing him luck and happiness. From here we went on to rappel.

Higher and higher we went until I finally summated first and saw the large granite boulder that we would rappel from into the depths below. As I bounded to its top, I froze, my breath was taken away and I could not speak. It was like (for a single man) a woman of your dreams that comes over to embrace you for the first time) it takes your breath away.

This place was stunning and God had given me at this instant a look at Heaven and it was God’s creation.

The omnificent Sun was brightly shinning in all of its glory sending rays of golden beams onto the forest and pristine lake below. The sky was alive in hues of baby blue and clouds like silent ghost ships slipped away to the horizon. An eagle or hawk glided on the wind and its squelch traveled through space, it owned the sky above and the Puma owned the forest floor here. The exquisite mountains tops were blanketed white pristine snow and glaciers traveled ever so slowly down the mountain sides. The mountain sides were covered in a dense and dark green covering all the way to the shore line and the wind sang a happy song of life as it passed through the verdant forest which was transported through the firmament above. The crystalline deep sapphire blue waters of the lake were alive, well and happy and all sorts of animals joyfully played in them. I saw a condor sail on the thermals, he and I exchanged looks and then he disappeared into the horizon.