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Published: September 19th 2006
Cool gato.....
...on the black and white flooring of Cafe Brighton.As our bus dropped into Santiago from the Andes the anguish of the previous hours started to drift away as we made amusing conversation with a large group of travellers at the back of the bus. The group were all from varied countries, Peru, Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, Spain and all joked with each other about who was best. Making aquaintance also gave us an opportunity to drink Mate, the hot and herby drink which Argentinians especially can never leave home without and which tastes rather like extra strong tea but is drunk through a metal straw out of a ornate personalised mug.
After arriving at the terminal and a scare over our luggage which was not in the hold but on the floor, we took a taxi to the Bella Vista hostel which we enjoyed so much on our previous short stop here. Keen to explore Santiago in more depth we walked over the fast flowing Mapocho river and down towards te Plaza de Armas but were surprised to find that even by 11am everything was closed. After walking around the Plaza amid motorcycle police and wild dogs, we decided our best bet was to find the Tourist Information office
which according to our map was a block away. Frustratingly, we followed signs and asked for directions without ever finding the office so after giving up, we slid into the cinema to pass the time watching Pirates of the Carribean!
After emerging, we walked to the nearby Santa Lucia hill from which there is a panoramic view of the city. Unfortunately as is often the case, most of Santiago and sadly the imposing snow capped Andes were completely hidden by a veil of smog as a result of Thermal inversion (a meteorological phenomenon whereby a stable layer of warm air holds down colder air close to the ground). So what should be one of the most spectacular cityscapes in the world with stunning Mountains as a backdrop, was actually a dissapointing sight and one which made you sad to think how such a relatively young city could have so rapidly spoiled their location through pollution.
While flicking through our guide we decided that tomorrow, we would leave Santiago to sample what the rest of Chile had to offer. Our decision was to travel north to the city of La Serena, 7 hours up the coast. In the morning,
"Mano Mano Mano"....
These kids were throughly enjoying performing a dance routine where one step was to hit their partner's finger and sing "Mano, mano, mano" (hand = mano) before moving onto other bodily parts. No serious headbutting though thankfully. as our bus left Santiago behind , the smog turned to haze and gradually, the sun started to illuminate rolling green hills and distant mountains. The journey took us up the rugged blue coastline and past valleys now strewn with vineyards which basked in the midday sun. A brief stop in Coquimba (La Serena's poorer neighbour) and we made our way round the bay to La Serena and a short walk to our beatiful hostel "El Punto". There, we checked into an amazing on-suite room and after loafing on the bed to watch School of Rock we ventured out for some food in an amusing little cafe which played an 80's video compilation DVD at full volume.
Walking around La Serenas main plaza the following day, the sun was blazing as we headed down to the Lighthouse on the beach via the beautiful Japonese Garden and strolled through the pleasant streets. That evening we travelled inland up the Valley de Elqui at sunset and to the Mamalluca observatory set high on the mountain side near Vicuna. As the final light faded on the horizon literally billions of stars began to shimmer in the sky above as our guide Lucio
took us into the domed area to guide us through the night sky through a 30cm telescope. First off was Jupiter, the only planet on display and clearly visible were 4 of its orbiting moons. Armed with a nifty Lazer torch which shot some 2km into the sky, our guide then pointed out the Southern Cross from which it is possible to find true south in this hemisphere as well as a twin star and several satallites which could clearly be seen drifting across the sky with the naked eye.
Downstairs of the dome we were shown a fantastic slideshow and an interactive program in Starrynight which enables you to view the night sky from anywhere in the world and at any point in time. The constellations of course varied depending on which culture you referred to but with most now being of Greek origin, our guide was keen to point out constellations of the Inca civilisation all the while making his talk fascinating and at times very funny. The telescope we used moments before was only 30cm but according to our guide the European space agency is currently planning a 100m telescope which is to be installed in
The Milky Way.
Seen from the Southern Hemisphere, the Milky Way is a bright and visible cloud of hundreds of billions of stars. the Atacama desert just north of us in Chile.
As we left the building again, the dizzying display of stars above us was breathtaking. The Milky Way, far more visible in the Southern Hemisphere streaked across the sky like a band of clouds and we could also clearly see the Magellan Nebulae as two large patches of star cloud and our nearest points of star creation. Through a 60cm telescope outside we looked first at a cluster of two hundred stars, then a half million, then 1 million stars which when looked on with the naked eye was a simple dot and through the telescope an incredible explosion of lights. Remarkably as I peered through the telescope at this sight, a shooting star screamed across the lens. Something which Lucio had not witness in 8 years of working there!
Dazzled by the awesome spectacle, we returned to our hostel and in the morning took another tour into the Valley de Elqui and stopping off at a huge dam which was only recently built and enabled 30 thousand hectars of farmland to be managably irrigated. From the dam we stopped again at the Capel Pisco Factory, a large and
industrial setup which lacked interest having already visited a Peruvian family business. It being in it for the money they were also extremely tight with their one thimble of Picso to sample before being led into their disney land style gift shop where claire had to hold me back from buying a Capel bumbag!
It is a convenient time to mention that a fierce rivalry exists between Chile and Peru over the origins of the drink "Pisco". In Peru we were told that the drink originated in Pisco (the place we visited) many years ago and that Chile in recent times has changed the name of one of their towns to back up their claim as well as buying the official International rights to the drink. When I probed our Chilean guide on the matter he was a little too quick to badmouth the Peruvians for our liking and with a reddening fluster kept referring to the ownership of international documentation as proof. For whatever reason, Claire and I secretly sided with the Peruvians whilst nodding in agreement with our Agitated guide!
Deep inland and past Vicuna we then stopped at the point where two rivers meet. The
point, supposedly an Ashram or high spiritual energy area was beautiful and it was amazing to see the two rivers, one, murky and sandy from Argentina and one crystal clear from chile merge but not mix for a good kilometer downstream.
From there we followed the clear river into the Valley itself all the way flanked on either side by huge dusty and sparse rocky mountains and in the flat plains between these seemingly lifeless peaks lay vast vineyards and row upon row of Mandarin and Olive trees. Although it appeared unwelcoming to growth, the soil all around was rich in minerals enabling farmers to produce the finest of wines, fruit and vegetables. On one section of the mountainside a huge triangular shaped plot of Avocados grew at a 45 degree angle on the steep slopes.
Up through the valley we stopped at the town of Pisco I mentioned earlier where we ate a tasty lunch on a baking hot patio before visiting a beautiful and colourfully stained glass church and the untouched childhood home of Gabriella Mistral, a chilean nobel prize winning poet. On the tour we became friends with a couple of really nice sisters from
the Netherlands who we met for an amusing meal later that evening in the centre of La Serena. Amusing because the bar restaraunt had virtually nothing on the menu including beer of any kind despite being plastered with neon beer logos.
The following morning it was time to leave the sunny and peaceful La Serena and head down the coast to Valparaiso a fascinating historic port one hour north of Santiago. On arrival we caught a cab up the steep streets to a hostel we'd picked out of our guide only to find it was fully booked. Thankfully the owner called a nearby hostel who had a spare room but it required a quarter mile hike with all our gear up the 40 degree cobbled hill. When we arrived at the door and soaked the owner in sweat, we were pleased but apologetic to find he was actually the author of the Rough Guide to Chile and his hostel "Lunar" was a absolute gem. It being dark by the time we'd picked his brains, we just about had time to dump out bags and head out for a walk around the steep bohemian streets and a beer at Cafe
Brighton overlooking the twining lights of the port.
In the morning under cloudy skies we stepped out for a days wandering around the city which oused character on every street. Every single victorian house or tin abode was painted in vivid colours and many adorned with incredible vibrant murals. The steet hillsides all around the bay are connected from top to bottom by Ascencors (kind of B&Q sheds on a cable car) which juddered us up and down by means of original mechanisms from the 60's. Sadly it being a Sunday, the streets were quiet and the city was extremely slow to awake from its hangover. In the most bohemian part up in the hill district of San Luis many places were shut all day as the locals failed to rouse from their beds at all. Nevertheless, Valparaiso was a thouroughly enjoyable place which fascinating architecture which on a Saturday and with the sun shining would be an unmissable item on anyones itinerary.
With tired legs from the steep hills it was time to head back to Santiago for one day before our flight to Easter Island. This time we chose to stay in Barrio Brasil a little
A trick of the eye....
This may look like 2 guys chilling on the steps but, would you believe it, its wall art! closer to the airport at a huge Hostelling International and also to eat locally at a huge and empty chinese restaurant where the waitress scouled at us for most of the meal then just when we had decided to not leave a tip, she came over acting nice as pie and began sheepishly writing unfathomable messages on our napkins! We still haven't managed to work out what she was on about but it was something to do with Russia.
We were surprised to find the sun blazing the next morning when we headed into the city centre to confirm our flights. In an effort to make up for our previous dissapointing view, we again went back to Santa Lucia hill to this time find stunning snowcapped mountains encircling the city and making a perfect contrast between the bustling streets and highrises and the Surrounding nature. After a quick blog update we headed back to back to our hostel to pack via the ultra-modern Metro system which cleverly runs on huge bus wheels for a smoother ride.
This being our final day in South America if you discount the isolated chilean owned Easter Island, it is an overwhemling prospect
to recall the incredible time and unforgettable experiences we have had here. It is very difficult for us to imagine a continent so varied. Our travels have taken us through stunning Mountains, barron and unearthly deserts, dense rainforest, golden sandy beaches, and vibrant cities. The contrast between poverty and wealth has in many places been extraordinary but at the same time, many places have given us the impression that the road ahead for South America is an optimistic one.
South America has been everything we expected and more and I'm certain it will remain one of the most fanscinating and enjoyable continents we will ever visit.
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