Thursday 30th and Friday 1st October. (Travellers JC, MC and HC)
The bus was due to leave Cordoba at 22.00. We were told to come back at 02.00 so went for a nice dinner. Back to bus station and bus left eventually at 03.30. For the mathematician this represents a delay of 5 1/2 hours. The scheduled time of arrival at Santiago de Chile was 13.45 on Friday 1st October. Actually arrived at 21.00. I will let the clever readers work out how late this is! It took 3 hours of nothing happening to cross into Chile at the Paseo del Libertadores (altitude 3150 metres with snow on ground and brass monkeys present). It transpires that this bus starts at Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and is the only one to go directly to Santiago, all others start at Mendoza. It is probably the one that Lise and Chad took (also delayed by 8 hours) so perhaps we should have known better. We had a quick hamburger at a semi-greasy spoon in Santiago and slept very well.
Saturday 2nd October
Hotel Paris was the recommendation of Steffen and it is in a good location. There was some reference to the lady owner offering rooms "by the hour" but we could not find evidence of this. Took breakfast at 09.55, latest 10.00 and got tutted at by the maid! Walked down to Plaza de las Armas, very nice and went into the Cathedral (vast). MC and HC went into the Chile before Columbus museum and apparently it was excellent. I people watched in the square. We purchased two mobile phones (1 each for MC and HC) but could not get them to work.
Had lunch at the Central Market again at the recommendation of SJC. Marvellous. I had lenguado (so no surprise there) and Marianne had marisco soup (see HC´s pictures) and, just for a change, HC had an enormous salmon. The aji pebre freebie was delicious. We ate it all so they gave us more. Had cerveza de Patagonia. To say it was average would be kind. Strong recommendation for anyone to visit this place.
Went to Santa Lucia hill with views of the mountains with snow on. Weather sunny 22/23.
Sunday 3rd October
Took the Pullman bus to Valparaiso 1 hour 20 minutes. Sunny leaving Santiago then went through a long tunnel and came out in murk with a temperature drop of 8C. The area around bus station of Valparaiso is double dodgy and on the other side of the bay to the harbour and "attractive views".
Walked around the bay to the port which was offering tours for either CLP15000 on your own boat or CLP1500 on a "collectivo". We took the "collectivo". Excellent tour around the port with large container ships and lots of Chile Navy warships. Strongly recommend the tour. Then took the Concepcion funicular up and took lunch, coffee and sandwiches at a museum dedicated to a famous Chilean caricaturist, the name of whom escapes me.
Food is much more expensive than in Argentina and trying to find a proper coffee, not Nestcafe, is almost impossible. Wandered around for a bit but Valparaiso could not be seen at its best (if it has one) due to cloud and general darkness. Lots of poverty, homelessness and stray dogs. Took afternoon tea at a nice coffee shop and I had my first Pisco Sour. Absolutely delicious but I would not have a second one for fear of leglessness.
We took the "Metro" 6 stops along the bay back to the bus terminus. We had return tickets and tried to board a bus only to be told to go to the Pullman office and get a bus number and time. To say that the crowd at the Pullman counter represented a rugby scrum would be a misrepresentation of the smelly, heaving mob. Push, shove, try not to get mugged etc. Not nice! After what seemed an eternity but was probably only 30 minutes in the line we got a bus time of 22.30. The time at that point was 19.30. Three hours to kill.
Dinner was required but as previously mentioned the area around the bus station is double dodgy, especially in the dark, so we went round the corner and found somewhere a little better. After chicken and chips and some beers lasting 2 1/2 hours we went back to the bus station. On the way a local ne´erdowell tried to get into my rucksack from behind but after a very loud "Oiiiiiiiiii" from Hanne he went on his way. We arrived back at the station and after half an hour (see blog photo of layabouts sitting on steps) there was the bus.
Incredibly Pullman Bus alone had a bus leaving Valparaiso for Santiago every 2/3 minutes. Got back at midnight and had to take a taxi because the Metro stops at 22.30.
Marianne says Valparaiso totally came up to her expectations and she is very happy having been there now!
Monday 4th October 16C
Went to Claro Help Shop (Phone Network Provider) and after standing in line for 1 hour was told that all that was required was unblocking. Went to Plaza de Armas to the unblocking shop and half an hour later two phones were unblocked at a cost of under GBP 5. We needed to purchase various cables and plugs for the recharging equipment because plugs are different in Argentina and Chile. Universal Latin America plugs? You are having a giraffe my friend. Lunch time found us at Agustins Restaurant, a help yourself place. Excellent choice and value e.g. huge salad, lomo (beef) and chips, glass of tinto and a coffee with a chupito of Brandy under GBP 5. The prices in this blog are provided for comparison purposes only the rates at the time of writing GBP=CLP716. GBP=1.15EUR ( for "Foreign" readers)
HC needed a sleep so the padres went to Parque Metropolitano where a huge statue of the Virgin Mary is and went up by funicular. Views should have been good but it was very misty. Took the Metro back in the rush hour. BIG MISTAKE! Bloody sardines have masses of room compared to us and we got back to find HC still asleep.
Last night for HC so we went to Italian on the main drag. The main drag is Avenida Liberator Bernado O´ Higgins, which is far too much of a mouthful for the locals who call it Almeda. Two courses, bottle of Sauvignon Blanc, puddings and a coffee for GBP10 per person. Interesting that only a signature was required with a chip and pin credit card.
Tuesday 5th October.
Checked out of hotel Paris. Hanne is taking the bus at 13.00 to Mendoza and then back to Santiago and we are taking the 13.30 to La Serena. We went to Constitucion Square then took the Metro to Central Station. Again packed like sardines.
Saw HC off then walked back to our terminal (1 Metro Station back).
No food on the bus, 8 hours to La Serena
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