To Isla Negra

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Wow--Planes, Trains, and Autobuses and we are finally here. The flight went off without a hitch, we even managed to get some sleep on the all night flight from Dallas! We went Minnesota snow and landed in 68 degree midsummer weather with the geraniums blooming and hopes for a wonderful time. We passed customs without any problem, got a bus to take us to the central bus station and that is where our un poco español started to cause problem we buy our tickets, board the bus, ride to the end of the line, and THIS DOES NOT LOOK LIKE A BUS STATION!!!!! So I try to ask the driver as the passengers disperse in all directions where the bus station is and he says 3 blocks, failing to mention the direction. We we find a German couple, one speaks pretty good English and the other pretty good Spanish and they show us where they believe we need to go. So down into the Subway we go change trains at Baquedano and then go almost to the end of the line at Bectavista de la Florida, emerge from the ground to find a shopping center and no bus terminal. After having at least 15 taxi drivers tell us with polite gestures that they have no idea what we were talking about we began to suspect the German Tourist's second hand advice is not so good.... so with a little help from a security guard in the Subway and a lot of gestures, back we go to where we started from, and low and behold we find the TRAIN station, not exactly what we want because there are no trains that go to Valpariso, but not before the TurBus folks sold us tickets and THEN said we should get back on the Metro (subway) and go back one stop to where the BUS station is. Somewhere along the way Kathy decides that her secret wish to be on the reality show The Amazing Race is misguided. and we have the first of what I am sure will be many Pisco Sour's . That that night our friend Karen and Fernando (who live in New York) and we celebrated over another Pisco and such fine conversation!!

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Photos

Kathy on the Streets of Santiago
About now kathy is thinking that her secret dream of being on the Amazing Race TV Show might be a little misguided.

Neruda's Beach
We finally made it to the Pacific.

Cheers
The first of what promises to be many Pisco Sour's on this trip!

Comments

[amy]

you would have stories after day one :) have fun!! good luck with your poco espanol, i'm excited for future updates of your adventures paz

[Linnea]

hahaha... good story :) we miss you already

[Gloria Lindemeier]

Montana
I could go for some 68 degrees. Windy, overcast, 27 degrees. Love the pics! I talked with the 'graandest' children yesterday. Sounded like all was well. Have fun!!! Mom

[anonymous]

Great pictures! Have a great time!