Santiago/ San Pedro de Atacama

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Asia was good, but South America has proven even better! We have been enjoying ourselves so much that the task of writing a blog has become more arduous. Detail will have to wait until our return!

We spent around nine days in Santiago (not consecutive). This was not wholly down to an immedaite fondness for the city but that we loved our hostel so much.

As for Santiago, we did the usual tour of musuems which was fine. Took a tram up to Cerro San Cristobal, where a huge statue of the Virgin Mary overlooks the city. It also serves as an open air arena for mass. Blah Blah.

Spent a day in Valparaiso which is described as South America´s Venice waiting to be discovered. Some people love this place, we did not. Within minutes of getting off the ascensor (big box that rolls up a very steep hill with you inside) an American girl appeared looking flustered saying her camera had been nicked. At that, we decided to make our stay a short one.

After Santiago, we took a 24 hour long bus north to San Pedro de Atacama, slap bang in the most arid desert in the world! San Pedro is outstanding! On the Saturday morning, we did a tour of the Altiplano Lakes, at a height of 4,100 metres. We could feel our heart´s becoming a bit stretched as we trudged along but the scenery was amazing. Volcanoes, green lakes and nothingness beyond.

Next day, we awoke at 3.30 am to visit the geysers. You have to go before sunrise in order to see the billows of steam at their most spectacular. If you get too close, there is a wee chance you might die, so we were warned! In the afternoon, feeling shattered, we joined another tour. We visited the Valley of Death, Mars Valley and Moon Valley. Those titles are no exaggeration. We had to endure some climbing over gaping holes below but since we had the Chilean Indiana Jones as our guide it was all relative! I mean, the nutter made you run down a huge sand dune that looked almost vertical from the top but kudos to the guy, it turned out to be great fun and i wanted to do it again!

Next stop, Pucon in Chile´s Lake District.

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Photos

The Virgin Mary
Cerro San Cristobal

Moai Viajero Hostel
The best hostel!

Ryan and Sebastian
Moai Viajero Hostel owner

Colourful Grafitti

Ascensor - Valparaiso
Much steeper than it looks

Luxury Bus
Well when your spending 24 hours on a bus, you need some comfort.

San Pedro De Atacama Church
Roof made from wood and lined with cactus mush.

Comments

[james st. james]

pumkin head
i'm glad you've been enjoying yourselves in chile. it's too bad you didn't like valparaiso. i think it's the best city in chile, with its funky murals, winding alleys, crazy houses, and the "you never know what's around the next corner" feeling. but i guess it's not for everyone. by the way, the doughy food you ate is called sopaipillas, made with pumpkin dough. good with jam and tea. cheers, and enjoy the rest of your time in latin america.

[Ryan and Ailie]

Point taken
I know what you are saying James, we heard a lot of good stuff from different people and from reading guidebooks it certainly appeared to be a must-do but witnessing a theft almost immediately put us on the back foot. From there on appreciating the sights was at the back of our minds. I traversed those same alleys but it was in an attempt to get the bugger who stole the camera! It could happen anywhere. Just one of those things! All the best James, thanks for the comment! Ryan