Sorry attempt at Spanish in Santiago - Chile

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Why is it that people insist on telling you their horror stories, but then say, "oh, but you don´t have to worry"? Such was the case with the crazy volcanologist (that´s volcano expert to you and I) that I met in Christchurch. He´d just spent several months working on a volcano near Banos in Ecuador and I had several hours of, "it could destroy Banos any day now" and "you´ll have seven minutes to run from the pyroclastic flow". Some comfort to a girl who´ll be in Banos in a few weeks! However, I´m looking on the bright side. If I am killed by a pyroclastic flow it will certainly be an impressive way to go. I´ve instructed Mum to dig out a flattering picture for the paper - because there is no way I want to be looking like a minger if I make it in ´The Northern Times´!!!!

Anyway, doom and decapitation aside, I am now in Santiago, Chile for a few days. On the plane from New Zealand I made a big effort to study my Spanish phrase book and at least learn a few lines of Spanish.

You know when you´re in the Latino world because road workers take siesta beside the bit of tarmac they´re resurfacing, couple snog with ridiculous passion in public places and you suddenly feel more attractive because you´re propositioned by every third man.

Unfortunately my Spanish phrase book does not cover:
- Wake up and get back to the road works
- Get a room!
or
- Sorry I can´t snog you with ridiculous passion in public places as I have a highly contagious oral disease!

Santiago is set below the Andes and it´s weird walking around the city amoungst the palm trees only to look up and see the snow on the mountains. The city has a strange mix of neoclassical buildings and modern tower blocks which don´t quite fit together and the air is heavy with smog. Apart from me and a few trusty Japanese I haven´t spotted any other tourists, so I´ve been glad of my Spanish phase book and the few words Dawn taught me while trying to kill time on the Trans-Siberia. Call me a wimp but I´m so glad to be doing a Dragoman tour, which starts in a few days from Rio, rather than going it alone. For the next two months I´ll be travelling overland in a truck - taking in Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Peru and finally Ecuador. So at least I´ll have other people to run from the pyroclastic flow with!

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Photos

Cerro Santa Lucia Santiago
Cerro Santa Lucia Santiago

Andes from above
Andes from above

Comments

[Faye]

Hello girlie, You sound like you are having so much fun. Your blog is so funny - you should really try and get a travel column in Cosmo when you get back. I'm counting down the days until I'm sunning myself in Phuket...I so need a holiday. Take care, Faye x

[mum]

Maybe you could do a report on your travels for the Northern Times, 'ex High School pupil braves the jungle, snakes, mosquitos, bungy jumps,mad room mates and pyroclastic flows'. It would liven things up. The aerial view of the Andes is great.

[Iona]

Nothern Times
Only prob with that idea Mum is that the majority of the people who read that paper would never go past Inverness!