Saint Roger - patron saint of travellers

Monday 21st

We stock up. 9 days of cyclist food weighs about the same as a small horse and we debate about hiring one to carry it. We decide we need food to gain energy to carry the food. I see a rather problematic viscious circle developing here....

So to Roger´s place. Express Restaurant on the main street.



Michael and I have already eaten today (several times), but maybe a last snack for the evening.... The burgers are 4000 pesos (about #4.50), but Roger wants to talk and learn some English and he´s a really nice guy. So after a while we haggle a takeout price of 1000 pesos. A bargain and we order 2 and a beer while we wait.

Roger still wants to talk and next thing - like a magician he produces 2 steak dinner plates from under the bar and invites us to sit. Somewhat confused we agree and eat what I think was probably his and the waitresses dinner.... I feel guilty.
Well almost - it´s delicious.

Roger is a catholic missionary and uses a sea plane to reach people in remote areas around Brazil. He´s in Coyhaique at his father´s restaurant trying to get another sea plane to reach remote islands off the Chilean coast.

After food he insists on praying over our travels and we huddle in the middle of the restaurant while he invokes strange powers. It´s quite a scene....

And he won´t take money for the food. God it seems does indeed move in strange ways....

We leave full, happy, and blessed (with 2 burgers). To celebrate we spend the money on a litre of ice cream each.

I put this down as a good day and many thanks go to Roger.