Chile sits on the shore of the Pacific like a child on a rickety swing set. No one knows how long before the next earthquake will disrupt its smooth ride. Like other Pacific Rim regions, Chile has volcanoes and seismic activity that are both its nemesis and its glory. Stunning volcanic mountains generate fertile soil and reflect in serene lakes while great tremors, the last big one in 2010 reaching more than 8 on the Richter scale, can turn homes to rubble. We tour the picturesque lake district, heading to Vicente Perez Rosales National Park for a boat ride on Lake Todos Los Santos. Osorno Volcanoe looks down on us like a doting grandfather: the view is stunning! We stop at Puerto Varas, a lakeside resort. When Wolf came about 25 years ago, it was a lazy hamlet. Now with chalet-like hotels and shops like Patagonia, Helly Hanson, and North Face, it is clearly a getaway for Chile’s upper crust.