Valparaiso

So after a great few days in Santiago, we decided to head two hours north to Valparaiso, a port town which used to be the richest city in Latin America, until the building of the Panama Canal route rendered it largely redundant. Now the once grand buildings have been left to decay, but it's still very beautiful, if a bit rough around the edges.

After the success of the first free walking tour, we decided to give 'Tours for tips' a go. So did about 30 other people, so on mass, we hit the streets. Most of the houses are built up on the hills and our favourite thing was looking at all the street art that covers the buildings and steps.

'El pollo al treladore', or 'chicken on the bedside table', the excuse given for inter office affairs. Lets 'go get a chicken', ergo let's have our affair when no-one will suspect, and have a tasty lunch too.

 

And then there was the crazy guest at our hostel. We got to witness a grown man who had suspicions about bed bugs take a knife and slice open a whole mattress, then pull the foam and springs apart. The police came but couldn't do much so just made him and his girlfriend leave. Not very fair on the hostel owner who had a full house that night, especially as there weren't any bed bugs! Always amusing to remember that some people ARE JUST REALLY WEIRD. So, if you see this man, beware.

Not to scale

 

We decided to get out of crazy town and went to nearby Vina del Mer for a beachside walk. Here we saw some absolutely massive pelicans and some surfers.

Next stop, back to Argentina to its wine capital, Mendoza, yes please.

 

Santiago!!!

After 3-4 weeks in Patagonia enjoying the outdoors it was time to go back to big cities as we head north, Santiago being the first. Was Sarah happy about this... You decide...

We arrived in one of Santiago's many huge bus stations and tried to work out how to get the Metro. We were informed the Metro was closed on Sundays (weird... Actually it was only closed until 8am, but we missed that key line in the conversation). Sarah, Elisa and I took a bus after "chatting" to some people who told us we could get a bus to Calle Loretto in Bella Vista...

40 minutes later on one very straight long road heading north out of Santiago with our driver assuring us Calle Loretto was on his route... We arrive in the Loretto region, 30km outside of Santiago, At least we saw our first vineyard.

Eventually we arrive at the hostel

This was recommended by another friend. Within a few hours of arriving he had disappeared leaving only a note to say:

"They were rude to me again, so if the owners ask where I am, tell them to go %$ @#|¥ @£*^%#|>>€ themselves. Sincerely Mike."

Eventually we arrive at the hostel

Good start to Santiago!

Things got much better from then on, we saw some art

Some incredible life size pencil sketches.

Had our first Completos (basically very cheap hotdogs with many many toppings with no concideration for proportions). Not an easy meal to eat.

Went on a walking tour of the city and got a glimpse into Chilé's recent and historic past and some of the symbolic monuments.

We saw a massive flag. Do you think you could carry it? it was the size of half a football pitch...

After the long hot walk around the city we had to get some ice cream at the "world famous" Emporio La Rosa. This place makes ice cream that Heston would like. Por ejemplo Chocolate y pimento, or fish.

After the ice cream we decided to try the tradional hang over cure. Fish Stew. Because they party so late here, they eat this at 6-7am. We had it at a more social hour and although it looks amazing, it was a little sandy...

Then that night we met up with some friends and decided to try the traditional Chilean student drink. It is served with chips and pinapple ice cream. Safe to say I woke up in my clothes on top of my bed with little memory of how it tasted.

Valparaiso next