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Published: September 17th 2014
In the past years when I was in Asia I used to go to a Internet cafe and write my travel blogs, normally with a beer on my side and sweating like a pig. Asia was and still is a hot and humid climate. Now I sit here in a bar in Chile and beside that it is bloody cold it is still the same vibe and experience.
I really don’t have anything exciting to tell you about the last days. Since I left Santiago it was pretty ordinary. The guys and gals picked me up from the hostel in Santiago and gave me a lift to the bus station. And man can I remember bus stations in South America; busy, full of people and a center of activity. And of course a gringo like me sticks out; backpack, white skin and being as tall as I am makes me not invisible. Of course every bloody thieve in these places knows that everything one needs to live is in these bags or on the body. So one has to be constantly be on alert that something can happen. This comes to a point of paranoia were every time somebody bumps
you, you think one is trying to pick your pocket or trying to steal your stuff.
Once the backpack was in the bus and I had my seat I was begging that I had no one, except of course a stunning hot woman (hey I am single now so I can say that), sitting beside me - but no such luck. I had the pleasure of having a woman sitting beside me that had every intention to spend her entire mobile phone plan of the month on that trip to talk to people. Now that mixed with the movies they play her on the buses full tilt in Spanish and English was something I can honestly say I do not want to experience again. But I know I will, such is South America………
On arrival in Conception Sebastian, who went through all the trouble to come up to Santiago to see me and back, was there to give me a lift to my hostel. We took the bus and after a short walk we arrived. Now the hostel was a big disappointment and it didn't get any better, but because the Chilean Independence day is approaching the hostels
are pretty booked out, there wasn't any other choice but take it. It was not only expensive, but the owner was in polite and the rooms were tiny with a wall that was paper thin so you can hear the guy next door snore and all the rest. To top it off the bathroom was so tiny that I have to bend down to have a shower.
After I dropped off my bag Sebastian gave me a basic tour of the city. Now Conception is the 3
rd biggest city in Chile and the capital of the province, but guess what? There is nothing really here to see. Just an administration place with a lot of people in black cloth, which seems to be the fashion right now. But Sebastian was a great tour guide and explained the history of the town to me and he told me about the battles that took place her and the earthquakes that hit this area, the last one was in 2010 and was on a scale of 8.8 and did a lot of damage.
One of the things I did not know how strong the German influence is here in Chile. I
knew that the Chilean army had a strong German look but I never knew why. Turns out that around 1850 there was a huge German immigration wave into the south of Chile and Bismarck made some clever moves to ensure that Chile would embrace Germany.
So I was rather surprised to see the old imperial eagle everywhere as well as a lot of businesses with German names, houses that were build according to German standards. And I was told that the whole wine industry here was started by the Germans as well…… And trust me Chilean wine is a great drop…..
This morning I got up at 6 am and started to walk the city and what a ghost town it was. And then I remembered that it was a town full of public servants. And here in Chile they don’t start working before 9 am so no surprise…. Well, isn't that the same in Canberra?
Sebastian met me just after 9.30 am and we set up to visit some museums and his university. I have to say that I was very impressed with the university and the space they have. We talked for hours about how
the university system works, politics and life in general. Good stuff. It is a real pleasure to have a young guy so interested in what is happening in the world.
Sebastian had to go back to uni so I took off on my own. I ended up at the main plaza just taking in the atmosphere. The music one band played, the smell of the roasted peanuts and watching the people; this reminded me why I love traveling so much and see different places.
So here I am and looking forward what will happened next. I had some e-mails from some Antarctica travel groups and it looks like I will get a spot early November for a 12 day cruise. Now that would be a great adventure and, even it is a lot of money, I will not miss out on that experience of a life time (BTW it will be half price on what they offer this cruise in Australia). Might have to ask for some donation…..
Anyway, this is it for me. Have to go back to the hotel and it is a 10 minute walk through a dead town with some shady characters around.
Part of the fun being in this great country….
Take care and please enjoy life. It’s the only one you have……
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Sebastian Vera
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Detail.
Welf, although the German influence in Chile is indeed very, very strong (specially in the southerns parts of the country) the famous Chilean wine industry was started by the basques inmigrants that arrived during the second half of the 19 century. In fact, the mixture of some of this basques inmigrants with the wealthy descendants of the first Spanish conqueror gave as a result the castilian-basque aristocracy, that has been the traditional Chilean aristocracy, even until now.