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Published: February 14th 2008
Santiago
View of Santiago from the "Teleferico" view of the Andes in the backround blocked by blanket of smogWell we left Mark and Mary in New Zealand on the Morning of the 5th February to go to the airport in Christchurch. Everything seemed to go swimmingly and we touched down in Auckland at 11.30am to change flights to our 5.30pm flight to Santiago Chile. We had some time to kill, so grabbed some food, checked emails, read papers etc, until at about 4.30pm, our flight disappeared off the board. About 2.5hrs later, after much confusion, we were bussed off to a hotel for night courtesy of Lan Chile. We reckoned they didnt have enough people for the flight, and they had just cancelled it to put us on the flight the next day. Anyway, it all worked out well enough. We had been quite tired, and it was nice to have a big room, free food, and lots of tv channels to relax in, and have some detox time for the evening.
There was some people in our group tho, who had remortaged their houses, and flown from Austrialia via New Zealand to get to Chile, to be part of the last section of the last vovage of the QE2. They were obviously a little more anxious than
Santiagos outdoor Piscinas
High up looking over santiago this is where the locals come to cool off on a hot summers day, lots of stares at Elaines blonde head bobing in and out of the water ourselves. They had all allowed themselves an extra day timewise to get to the boat, so at least it hadnt gone... But we landed at 1pm on the 6th and the ship was due to sail at 3pm I think, from Valparaiso which is about 2hrs from Chile. I dont know at all how they all got on, but I do know, that Austrailians have to pay an arrival tax in Chile, and the queue to pay it was mighty, never mind the queue for immigration..... who knows!
So we arrived into Chile on the 6th, having crossed the international date line, and got a transvip transfer for 7euro each to La Chimba hostel in Barrio Bellavista, Santiago de Chile. Barrio bellavista was a nice area with lots of bars and great nightlife and lots of places to eat!!! It was pricey enough in Santiago for us backpackers, but we´re a bit lazy about our budgeting these days as we are on our last legs.... freudian slip there.... last ´leg´of our trip! Anyway, by pricey I would mean that we may have spent 20 euro on our dinner out in a restaurant including wine between us, and our hostel
Keeping an eye on things
great views over looking the city was 15 euro each.... So its not too bad. Santiago was ´huge´and on first impressions was really really spanish. Nearly more spanish than the spanish themselves. To us, it seems that they talk a bit slower than in spain, and they dont use the th for c etc so we´ve been finding them easier to understand once we relax when we are listening ... i.e we can pick out words and get the jist. We were fairly jet lagged in Santiago but followed the lonely planets walking tour route to take in some sights which was nice, and also took the funicular up the mountain. Up the hill they had a big Virgin Statue up on the peak, and also a cable car and a huge outdoor swimming pool. Lovely jublee! A nice way to relax in Santaigo. We were a little uptight in Santiago, watching our stuff etc, but I would get the impression that its generally ok, once you aren´t flaunting expensive cameras, or money etc. We just had our money and camera in our pockets, not in bags, and didnt have any problem at all. We were probably being overly conscious and paranoid as well. Anyway, on
Barrio Bella Vista
Nice neighbourhood where we stayed, loads of bars and colourful buildings our third night, we got into the spirit of things. The spirit of things being going for food at 9/10pm at night, and staying out with the locals until the wee hours. We were very unsensible and didnt stumble home until 4am, despite the fact that we had to check out the next morning to northwards to Valparaiso.
So the original plan was to get up and at it for 8 am, get to bus station, figure out buses, and get tickets in broken spanish, and get to Valparaiso, where we would blitz the tourist sights for the day, getting up early again then the next day to try get a bus back to Santiago, and then down to Pichelemu in time for our spanish lessons. phew.....
Course the hangovers didnt help, and Paul was particulary uncooperative and unwell.... (did feel tho he had had more than his fair share of wine at dinner), but after trying to opt out altogether and checking for hostel vacancies in our santiago hostel to no avail, we dragged ourselves to the bus station, and impressed ourselves with our mastering of basic spanish... Onto the bus, later than planned and up to
Walk around Santiago
El centro is very nice, lots going on and nice buildings, the metro makes it paricularly easy to get around and the locals are really helpful and friendly we were still on our guard tho due to various warnings about getting robbed Valparaiso in two hours, which we both slept for, into the new hostel and after a half an hour rest and recuperation went out to see the sights by lunchtime! Phew!
We werent that taken with Valparaiso, we didnt feel as comfortable there as in Santiago, and there seemed to be a lot of vandalism there etc. I believe Villa del Mar nearby is supposed to be nicer. Anyway, we had a look around, went up on their funicilar track up to see the sights and look out over the port. And we went down to the Navy headquarters, and also stumbled upon some happenings along the way. There was a guy dressed as a clown literally ´playing´with the traffic.... helping people across road, jumping onto sides of cars, directing traffic, lying down amongst the traffic, chasing buses etc. Had to be there i suppose to see it, but it was hilarious!!! Anyway, we did a mini blitz of Valparaiso, and gladly got back to our hostel - la Rincon Marino at 8pm. After popping out nice and quickly for a bite to eat around the corner, we settled into our room for an evening of tv at about
Plaza de Armas
Nice open plaza with street sellers and a small craft market. The city feels very spanish 9.30pm, both considering the day a success!
So up and at it again at 10am the next morning, hopped on bus to Santiago, arriving in at about 11.45am, and when walking into bus station spotted a bus to Pichelemu, our next destination, in one of the bus bays. So muy rapido, we bought another bus ticket, and found ourselves bustling along southwards. The bus set up here is quite good, with regular departures north and south, and toilets on the buses etc. Nice and comfy seats!!! Our wealthy country should really be asking the irish government why we cant manage things that less advanced countries all over the world seem to do without a blink!!! Really feel that from travelling to all these countries, but I suppose that rant would be for another blog entirely!!!
Anyway, we got down to Pichelemu on Sunday afternoon, popped into the Language school for a quick test to help them with class placement and to make sure they knew we were there, and booked into a hotel for the night, since our ´Cabana´up the hills wasnt available until the next night. Oh, very important point.... the test was to ascertain our ability
in spanish, and obviously had all levels of spanish to test us. We both did it at the same time, and I believe we should all know that I got 46 out of 96, and Paul got 42 out of 96. He was horrified!!! :p hehe! .... altho, I worked on the questions I was only guessing at for longer I have to admit!!!!
Anyway, Pichilemu is what we would deem back home to be a ´honky tonk´town. You all know the type, slot machines, lots of chippers, and a funfair in the park with a circus by the beach. Its where the neighbouring Chileans come for the summer holidays. At the moment its hopping with local tourists, and the nightlife is busy! But we are here to learn Spanish. We had hoped to do a bit of surfing as well, given that some people refer to it as the surfing capitol of Chile etc, but its thursday now as I write this and we still havent had a chance to go. Our classes have been going really well, and we are learning tons of spanish, even learning all the tenses (past, future, present, conditional), which would nearly bring
Valparaiso
Walking around some of the old Quarters, pretty run down but some nice views us up to junior cert level if my memory serves me correctly. Its thought like TEFL (teaching english as a foreign language) in that our Spanish teacher does not speak any english to us, and teaches us spanish through spanish, a feat in itself. We even have to talk in spanish on our tea break... like being in the Gaeltacht perheps. We only have 2 hours in the morning, but its intensive so we have to read over the stuff, and learn it in the evenings for the next day. Our brains are like sponges for it, as we are motivated being here and surrounded by spanish speakers. Its a great way to learn. Our teacher is Chilean and called Maria, and the school is run by a couple from California called Val and Chris. Its all run very well, and the school is a nice place to be. We have been staying up in a cabana - ours is log cabin type building up the hills with a porch, kitchen, bedroom and bathroom about 15mins walk out of town (hill is a killer tho, but only exercise we are getting so who can complain). Its really cosy, and has
Valparaiso, New Vs Old
Interesting approach to combining new and old architecture great views out to the pacific, and its nice to be out of the hustle and bustle of the town. Getting very relaxed here indeed!
There are just 4 of us in the class, the other two being a girl from the Bahamas called Montana, and a guy from Massachuesets (the spelling of that evades me) called Patrick (possibility of irish roots there huge we reckon!!!). If we weren´t under time constraints now, I´d have to say we´d probably end up signing up for another week of classes. They are really good, and we are learning lots. But we´ll probably do more classes now along the way. I believe the lingo is a little different on the Argentinean side so no harm doing further classes once we cross the border.
Anyway, its Valentines day, so Paul and I are going for some vino and grub this afternoon, and then we have our conversation evening, with drinks and games galore this evening to put all our knowledge to practice!!! Its all good here, trying to work out a plan for the rest of our time in South America so the time doesnt run away from us.
Miss yee
all, See you soon!
x
Elaine and Paul
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Jack
non-member comment
Holiday
I reckon you'll need a good long holiday when you come home - to recover.