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Welcome to my July 2005 travel journal.
Day two, up early at around 6.30, another quick shower, the heat is oppressive, but getting used to it. After excellent breakfast head out in the boat again. This time we get out and walk in search of Snakes and Crocks.
The pampas, is basically the wet land around the jungle, we are in wet season here, so the water is at its highest, the landscape is really flat for miles around, with the odd tree and palm that has found some land to live on, the ´real´ jungle is present in the background. It is really hot and for 3 hours walking we have finished the 2 1/2 litres of water. we do see many herons, capybara, crocs, and one snake, which was dead with an eagle keeping an eye on us, as it was his breakfast.
Grateful to be back on the boat and with a little breeze as we are moving, head back for lunch. The other two are leaving so our afternoon tour is in search of monkeys.... We head out in the well kitted out boat again, really comfy seats, this time heading the other direction, the views are equally enthralling, and it is great to be back in the jungle again. We see many more birds, herons and king fishers (Martin Pescadores in Spanish), one large red and brown howler monkey that runs away before I can get a shot, and then we are treated to about 20 squirrel monkeys on the boat !! A real getting close to nature moment !!! We do see some pink dolphins on the way back, but none really want to play. Back to the lodge, there are two more people staying. No adventuring tonight, just relax with a beer and play cards..
Up again for 7.00 start, head out again in search of the bigger Howler monkey. We have no luck, but spend a good 30 minutes playing with pink dolphins !! excellent, I hope at least some of my photos come out....
I am really enjoying my time back on a boat in the jungle, despite the mossies and the heat... Oh well, after a quick lunch we catch the boat back to our ride. Our guide Dieter, who has been excellent, has also finished his turn, so we all head back dreading the 3 hour dusty ride back. Our flight is at 3pm so I hope we make it in time. After about 20 minutes, there is obviously something wrong with the rear suspension, our drive insures us that it will only take 10 minutes to fix and as we pass a garage we stop and on closer inspection the rear left shock has broken its rear mounting. No problems, undo the top of the shock,
get a guy at the garage to remove the shock from the broken metal, all in the boot and off we go !! bit more spring in the ride now, and we arrive back in Rurrenabaque dusty as ever, after a quick hunt for Jimmy of Bala Tours, we find him and our tickets home, quick goodbyes and we head up to the amazonas office for the ride to the airport, well flat field with a shed for passengers and a shed for snacks !!! another hour delay on the flight, but here we are in a twin prop 30 seater back for the much quicker ride to La Paz. and cold again... Land around 5pm, taxi back to happy days and after quick shower head to Chifa Nueve Hong Kong, recommendation in LP and Footprint. Can’t say they are wrong the food was excellent, been missing spring rolls so now have my fix and the duck dish was excellent. After a beer to wash it all down back to the hostel and crash.
Lazy day, I dyed Blanca’s hair !!!. Both getting used to the cold again.... Buy a few bits in the market and crash in the room with fresh popcorn, coke and El Señor de los Anillos (Lord of the rings) on TV...
back to topBlanca is really ill in the morning, having trouble breathing, the hostel call us a doctor and within 30 minutes Juan arrive, very friendly and kind, after a couple of injections hopefully feeling better, he leaves, $10 prescription which I ran down the road for (3rd Pharmacy lucky) and $10 for the call out... By the afternoon Blanca is feeling much better and is off now for another hair cut.... while I get these photos on the web. Enjoy, should be heading south, if Blanca is well enough, only 12 days left in Bolivia..... then Chile !!!
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Planning a route into Chile, last walk around the market in La Paz, generally chilling and packing up for leaving tomorrow. Bit glad to be getting away really. Been stuck in La Paz for one thing for another. Haven’t liked having to stay somewhere.. got my freedom back now though.... on we go .... !!!!
Catch the 10 am bus from the main terminal for the 2 hour ride to Oruro. There is not much in Oruro but it is better to catch the train south from here. we arrive around 12.30 ish and find the San Salvador hostel near the train station. Second room is ok and we head out to find some grub. Find nearby the Nayjama Restaurant, the Owner Roberto is really friendly and kind, and the food is excellent. He has cooked for some amazing people... the best Breaded Pollo (chicken) I have had, excellent salad included and massive potions !!! Ended up walking around the market and town visiting the Mining Museum, which was excellent. It is actually in the back of the church, and a real insight into the mines all around here and Potosi....
Lazy morning, excellent cable TV in the room meant we ended up watching loads of films... Bought the train ticket for tomorrow, executive class (that’s equal to first class) for 5 1/2 hours for $10 That’s under a fiver !!! beat that British Rail !!!... Managed to visit the Simon Patiño museo, which is absolutely excellent. It is actually his old house when he was the ´King of Tin´ it is said he was the wealthiest men alive at his time, and judging by some of the things he has well preserved in the museo, it could well have been true.... A real worthwhile visit, and made me thing coming to Oruro wasn’t too bad after all... had an excellent time around the market at night as well, really friendly people. Ended up with a bottle of wine back at the hotel, the train isn’t until 3.30 tomorrow afternoon.
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Up late again, quick wander round the market for a few snacks for the train and head down to the train station. The train is already on the platform and we find our reclining seats and settle back. TV Video like the buses, although the TV gives out for about 1 hour, so all we have is sound !!! All Tourist class, and fairly uneventful journey. Good service, free burger, well tiny burger, there was an excellent dinning car, and scenery was excellent. Made a nice change to travelling by bus all the time.... Arrived in Uyuni, and was really hit by the cold... they were right it really is cold here.... Hounded by tour touts on the platform, but get our bags and head off to the Kutimuy hostel. After finding the minute man Pizza closed we find a quick Pollo joint for roast chicken and chips and then crash.
Despite the travel, or maybe because of it, had a really good night’s sleep, I think these were the best beds I have slept in all trip !! and despite the cold, were pretty warm. Up early and book the Salar de Uyuni tour for the 13th, $70US for 3 days and we can finish in San Pedro de Atacama in Chile... This is through Colque Tours, also book a room in Kutimuy hotel for the 11th, this is the night of the festival in Uyuni to mark the independence, so should be a good bash !! like most S.American festivals.
Then Catch the 11am bus for Potosi. At least 6 hours ride on bumpy roads to the north east of Uyuni. But we had been recommended seeing the mines here by Ken, and we have a few days left on the visa yet !!! Only one stop on the Bus route, and shaken we arrive in Potosi, we have met a Spanish guy Gustavo on the bus and he joins us in a taxi, which we have to push start, to the Koala Den.... An excellent and highly recommendable hostel, with kitchen facilities, DVD selection for TV room, and breakfast included. We then headed out to the nearby Artesanes Market, and bought some really nice woven rugs, and some other bits and pieces. Then headed into town still with Gustavo to find some grub, had pretty good pasta at Cofiteria Cherry´s. Met up again with Joe, who we did the Biking with in La Paz, having left Gustavo with a French girl in the restaurant, we headed out to the Bar in LP, and after a few beers feel right at home. Potosi has a nice feel about it... We also find out that the Mining tours are best done on Monday, when there are actually miners in the mines... Got back to the hostel to enjoy the new ´War of the Worlds´ on DVD, it isn’t even on at the cinema here yet !!!
Lazy day, can’t do much today as the mines aren’t working. We do head out to the Casa Real de la Moneda, which was the royal mint for all the coins of silver taken from the mines. A guided well informed tour. we head to the market later and buy loads of really nice fresh fruit and veg, and chicken and use the excellent kitchen in the Hostel to cook up a storm, then sit down and enjoy the Lord on the rings Part 2 on the DVD... Book the Mine tour with Koala (who also run this hostel) Have to be up and out for 8am. Oh well...
Up early ready for the mine trip, there are 5 of us from the hostel going, Pedro Negro, one of the guides walks us down to the Agency and the Bus soon arrives and we are off. There are in total about 16 on the trip. We stop on the outskirts of town at a house, where we get boots overalls and helmets with lights.. back on the bus and we are soon at the Miners Market. Just like any other market, but here, the main offerings are dynamite (Bolivian, obviously is the best) Fertiliser, makes the dynamite bang bigger, and fresco (Drinks), after a quick
discussion with our guide (yep in Spanish !!!) Pedro Negro, the four of us head up the end of the market to by some bread and Coco leaves for the miners too, and back on the bus. We then make one more stop before the mine itself. Here we overlook some 30/40 mineral extraction plants, where the miners sell there minerals. Here we are shown round a non operating plant, some problems with environmental leeks !!!, and understand how the Plata (Silver), Estaño (Tin) and Zinc is extracted from the rock... Then off to the mine. We start off all together but soon split up into groups to explore different areas of the mine.
Some areas are really difficult to breath, and where most of the mining is happening now on the 6/7th levels, it is really hot... These guys have to work down here, the Mountain Cerro Rico, are littered with mines and shafts, there has been somewhat of a resurgence and there are now over 30 different Co-operations working in the mines. Some are big groups of men 80+ others are only two!! each one working 5/6 days a week 8 hours a day, with the obligatory mouth full of Coco leaves !!! Each happy to receive a fresco from us visitors.. It truly is an awe inspiring visit, and will remind me not to complain about my job !!! over 80% of the workers here simply cannot get another job,
but there is no sense that they are totally unhappy, everyone is smiling as they are working. They don’t see it through western eyes. It truly is hard work !!!! After a few bouts of ´need to get out of here´ from Gustavo we make out way out and into the Sun. After the others in the group emerge, the guides then construct a bomb from some extra dynamite so we can experience an explosion. we heard one from inside the mountain, as we where in the market earlier. Using a plastic bottle, and lots of fertiliser, they light the fuse and off they run to the distant mountainside. running back just in time to duck as it goes off. EXCELLENT !!!! back in town grab a bite to eat and Koala lets us use the showers for free, and head down to the bus terminal to catch a bus back to Uyuni. Not possible after much persuading can get a space in the isle for 30 each, that is more than we paid to get here, and really don’t want to sit in the isle for 6 hours !!!! Oh well back to Koala. Cancel the booking for tonight in Uyuni, and book in Koala on the phone to prevent any more mishaps tonight and head back to the hostel with the aid of a few beers !!! End up watching some more films with the Prof (Mark from USA) who we met on the tour earlier...
Are booked on the 11am bus. After breakfast chill out having fun with the small market around the bus terminal, then back to Uyuni. Back in Uyuni pay for the tour and confirm the details for tomorrow. Also head to the Immigration and get our exit stamp ready for the 16th (we actually leave on the 15th !!!). Also stock up on snacks and wine for the Salar de Uyuni tour... just in case the food is really bad. Head out to Minute man pizza, an excellent restaurant.... excellent pizza, and good vibe..... Crash out pretty early, only 10-11am start tomorrow.
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Up at 9am pack and jump on board our Colque Tours jeep with Polona and David from Slovenia, Paul (UK) and Denise (La Paz, Bolivia) and our driver / guide Primo !!! Jeep looks in pretty good shape and Primo assures us we have sufficient petrol, despite the problems here in Bolivia with Petrol !!! Our first stop in the Salt market where the locals sell their artisans salt goods, then off to where they mine the salt, by simply scraping it into piles on the surface and letting it dry. Then they collect it is big trucks, easy really. Then off to the centre of the Salar and the Isla de Pescado, which with the reflection in the salt looks like a big fish. The landscape is truly amazing, and nothing like anything I have seen before !!!
all beneath your feet and for as far as you can see is white !!! like snow really, but here it is dead flat !!! The Isla de Pescado is amazing too, covered with Cactuses, and oasis in all this salt, after a pretty ok lunch head on to the salt hotel, and then to the nights accommodation just to the south of the Salar, and a hostel owned by the tour company Colque. It is pretty cold when we arrive and only gets colder in the night.... After a quick explore around the local village and hillside, head back for a pretty good meal and the wine starts flowing. We all seem to be getting on really well and within no time are playing card games to see who next will dance around the whole room... I end up first and all soon follow. We then get some decent music going and soon other tables are joining in the fun. Just as we are really warming up the electric goes !!! the few of us left end up singing around my guitar until we all pass out !!! excellent night..... didn’t feel the cold at all !!!!
Up early for breakfast at 6.30am, then off in the Jeep around 7.30. The scenery is now very different. With great rocky volcanic landscapes disappearing into the distance. We pass a volcano and then lake Edionda where we stop for lunch in the back of the car, the wind is so strong it is rocking the car, violently at times, and you almost loose your skin when you venture outside. The flamingos are nice though !!!! We then pass a very strange formation of rocks, even one as a tree !!! Quite strange in the desert around us. The Laguna Colorada which has an eerie Red colour !!! really vivid !!! On the shores we stop for the night, but it is bitterly cold and no wine !!!! the food pasta is the standard, ok quality, we are glad of our extras. soon after dinner, with many extra blankets we crash out....
Up again for a set of around 7am, the wind has not let off, we pass some geysers at Sol de Mañana and then on to the Laguna Verde. Again really vivid colours, and the mountain the background is on many of the guide books for Bolivia. Volcán Licancábur. Truly awesome site !!!! Then we are dropped off at a small lodging, again bitterly cold, where you stay if you climb the volcano. Here we say goodbye to the rest of our group who are all returning to Uyuni, and wait for the bus to San Pedro de Atacama. The bus is run by the tour company (Colque tours), first one arrives and leaves, the second, with the Owner of the company arrive but we are made to wait an hour in the freezing cold. Eventually we get underway, but without explanation we seem to be searching for more people. Even a question to the owner doesn’t warrant an answer !!! we eventually find the other people, who were at the lodge earlier, have obviously been on a visit somewhere and wanted to catch the bus back to Chile !!! We then set off for the 7 miles to the border, easy border check exiting Bolivia, as we already have the exit stamp. Entering Chile, Passport check is easy, although again questions are asked of Blanca an Ecuadorian travelling !!!
We then empty the bus and after a fairly easy customs check are back on for the 1 hour ride to San Pedro de Atacama. The striking difference between Chile and Bolivia is apparent. even in this very small village. There are up market restaurants and bars, and despite the fierce wind and dust (Sunglasses needed all day !!) it feels really tranquil and not struggling for life like Bolivian villages.... We find a really nice restaurant Estaka after checking into the Res Chiloe Hostal ($24000 per night). I nearly fall off the seat when I see the menu, cheapest dish $4000 !!! Then realise it is Chilean Pesos, and work out that is still around $8US Oh well.. time for some slap up grub, we aren’t disappointed. It is fast friendly and excellent food, you would be mistaken for being in any European restaurant, if it wasn’t for the wind and Adobe house you are sat in !!!! After exploring the really picturesque village, book a tour of El Tatio in the morning ($10000 each about $20US) Then just chill on the main square watching the world go bye. Book a bus for tomorrow at 14:15 to Antofagasta (about 5 hours) Then back to the hostel for the first shower in 3 days, nice and hot too, and crash ready for a 4am start tomorrow. San Pedro, really doesn’t have too many tourist attractions but I really liked it...
Up at 4am and the bus from Atacama tours picks us up from the hotel. 1 hour later we are at El Tatio a field seeming steaming. This is, in fact, a whole area of geysers, where the earths mantel has heated water in the crust and caused it too rise up !!! the views are amazing, although the photos don’t really work at night... The Chilean government did try to tap this source of energy, but all the vents are linked so building any pressure was useless, the ruminants have been left !!! After A welcome coffee and sandwich, back on the bus we head to a different field and bath in the warm water !!!! well some of us do !!! Then off back to San Pedro de Atacama via a few choice views and an excellent village... When we return back to San Pedro, head up to the bus company, Tur Bus and wait for our 14:15 bus to Antofagasta. The wind is wicked and the dust in your eyes, despite sunglasses is a really pain, it is a welcome site to see the bus arrive. We hop on and are in luxury again, like the buses in Peru. (Well Royal class in Peru anyway). Excellent snack for tea and arrive in Antofagasta around 7pm. After chatting to a very friendly guy on the shop outside the bus company, walk the four blocks to the hotel, the book recommended Dakota, don’t exist so end up in Hotel Win Kong, which is above the Chinese restaurant, and for $18000 per night have TV, breakfast and hot water. Antofagasta immediately feels like any other European small town, lots of shops and people... mostly white !!! The campesios have almost disappeared !! We end up with a Chinese in the room, as we are both pretty shattered from getting up at 4am !!!
Out exploring the town, most bits are shut but managed to find a shop to get my films (collected 5 now!!!) developed onto CD about $3US per film !!! Out exploring the waterfront near the harbour, we see massive sea lions and turtle, feeding them some fish heads. Explore the fish market, getting some fresh fish too eat too. We then find Lider to the north of town a massive shopping centre. Here we find the Cinema and see ´Los 4 Fantasticos´ Not bad, more a kids flick. Many shops but not really much to see in Antofagasta.
Exploring town again today, find the main market and small shopping mall, then find a pizza bar. Here we have an excellent plater, which can only be described as a chopped up fried breakfast, I tell you it was much better than it sounds, after a few beers and chatting with the locals we ended catching a taxi back to the hotel via collecting the photos. The Confiteria is to be avoided on the end off Latorre and Baquedano, slow service and not nice food, looks nice which was deceptive !!!!
Up and viewed the disappointing Museo Historic, before heading back the three or so blocks to Tur Bus and the Bus to Cañaral. 7hours... for $6900 pp... arrive around 11.30 am and find the very friendly (NOT) Jimenez via a taxi and after a quick walk in the tiny village head back and crash. Not really much in happening here....
Up early and find a tour to the local national park Pan de Azucar. After finding a number on the cabin, phoned Sergio from the recommended tour company in Footprint. He picks us up only 10mins after the call, with two others in the car. We then head off for an hour drive north of the town. The coastline is excellent, although a lot colder than the coast in Peru / Ecuador... We stop at the park entrance, and get let in for locals fee $2000 pp, it is off season. We then make a stop at a couple of beaches, where they are surprisingly crowded, despite the weather. Many people from Santiago come out here during holidays. We then leave the other two to take a boat ride out to the Island, while we head off with Sergio exploring dried up river beds, and panoramic views of the area, really excellent. We then head back to Playa Pan de Azucar for lunch, not included in the price....
At Restaurant Grande Pie, really excellent crab, Jaiba !!!! We then headed back to town to catch a bus. The tour was pretty pricy at $15,000 each, and do feel a bit ripped off, but there was no budging the price. In future, I would recommend a different company, and get a reduction in the price, or get the boat trip included, or at least food !!!! Just as we leave the hostel, the bus company two doors up has a bus to La Serena, lucky that !!!so we hope on and off we go. The company Flores something, usual fair, semi reclining seats (Semi Cama) no food, and videos. Although the videos this trip were all local programs, about local famous singers !!!! yep a real hit !!!! NOT !!! Oh well, soon arrive in La Serena, well 11.30 at night, the taxi then rips us off into town and dumps us at the wrong hostel, which isn’t answering. Oh well !!! We only have a short walk to the Berlin hotel and 3 star luxury (at a price $43US per night, breakfast included). After a quick scout for a watering hole, head back and crash...
Up early, and explore the lovely tranquil town of La Serena. Book a trip to a local small observatory. There are three major observatories of the world near here, but they do not let you look through the telescopes. This is a tour to a smaller observatory at Mamalluca, here you can actually look through the telescope. Sounds much better, tour leaves at 7pm.Out to the excellent Japonese Gardens, then the shopping malls, has a really relaxed feel to it.
Also explore the Casa de Cultura, which has exhibits on one of the ex presidents of Chile Victor Gonzales. Ok I guess, nothing really special. Then get back to the hotel and find the tour just before 7. The 9 of us on the tour (with Elipu Tours $10000 pp) head off with Michael Schumacher driving, out of town and arrive with many other agencies at the small observatory. We split into groups with the other
tour operators to view a small presentation, which was excellent, then outside to use the three or four small telescopes set up. It really was amazing, looking at the amazing colours of the different start and planets and then at the moon. Getting quite cold, we head inside to the main telescope which although not looking that big was much more powerful that the 6ft+ telescopes outside. Here we looked at Jupiter and all her moons, and again back at the moon. A really well set up observatory for visitors, and all the guides where excellent and enthusiastic answering any and all questions. A real recommendation. They have a small shop on site which actually had some live music too, picked up a couple of excellent photos and a CD with bits on. Then the 1 hour rapid ride back to town for around 1.30am very cold !!!
Out exploring the centre of town, found the Recova market, jam-packed of artesanes, some pretty good. Really nice fish lunch at the Suisse Restaurant upstairs (recommended) and then exploring the main streets, which are being rebuilt at the moment and are rather a building site. Some good little shops though found in some arcades. Updated the Journal on the internet too.
Up late, no busses to Viña del Mar till midnight, so going to chill in town and hit the cinema. We see Madagascar really good film, both really enjoy it. Then pick up a few bits too eat for the journey and catch the late bus (with Condor) 12.15am, only arrives 2 minutes before departure time. Then have a pretty restless sleep for the 7 hour journey.
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Arrive at around 7.30 am and get a taxi from the bus station. He recommends heading out to Reñaca, bit further up the coast, but has excellent beaches. So off we go. and for $5000 arrive at a hotel only 2 minutes walk from the beach front. Our first room was really a bit grotty, but moved after a quick nap to an upstairs room, with kitchenette, really nice and much lighter.... Not the cleanest hotel, but really peaceful. Head out for a quick explore of the small town and beach and crash having bought some food in the nearby supermarket.
Up early and breakfast in bed. Head out and walk along the whole beach front pick up some food from the excellent nearby store, then catch a bus for $350 each into Viña del Mar which is a major seaside resort and massive city now. Has excellent malls, and excellent seafront. There is an excellent pier, with old crane on the waterfront with a few small bars, and excellent views of the coast...
Up for another excellent home cooked breakfast. Well fresh made sandwiches !!! pick up Blanca’s altered trousers, and then catch a taxi into Valparaiso for $10000, bus would have been much cheaper, but this is easier with all the bags and guitar !!! bit lazy really. Arrive at the Casa Adventura in the Conception area of Valparaiso. It is an excellent old house with large ceilings. They kindly squeeze us into a dorm room and we head off to explore the town. The hostel gave us an excellent walk along Calle Alemaine to Sabastiana, the
old house of Pablo Neruda, the most famous poet and later politician in Chile. The road, weaving along the hillside gives excellent views of the city. We have also picked up a friend. A mangy looking dog is now following us around, it obviously has some infection as it is missing most of its fur. As we are walking with him for 30 minutes or more, all the dogs in the local houses scream their welcome to us... We eventually arrive at the museo Sabastiana, and leave our friend behind as we explore the excellent museo. It has well written guides in many languages and many old possessions of Pablo. It also has excellent views over the city, as Pablo himself helped design it. We leave the house, hoping not to run into our friend again and head down into town. Within minutes are friend is with us again. We then head down to the main square and catch a bus back into Viña del Mar ($750 for us both) bit more shopping in the malls then back to Valparaiso. We find a really nice Italian restaurant quite near the hostel and after ravioli, and a bottle of red wine crash...
Up early and after the breakfast, free in the hostel, we head down into town and the port. We are then touted onto a 20 min harbour tour, pretty good and gives excellent views of the city. No photos of the military though.
Then explore the artesan markets, before catching the Artilier Asensor. Valparaiso is famous for them, each like little lifts carrying people up the many hills or Cerros. Just as we are about to jump on we bump into Mark (The Professor) we met in Bolivia in Potosi visiting the mines. We all pay the $150 (less than 20c US) and ride the 2 minutes up to the top. the views are excellent over the harbour, and after a cup of tea we say bye to Mark and head back to the hostel.
We pick up the bags and catch a cab to the main bus terminal and 2 minutes later are on the 14.20 Tur Bus ($2900 each) for the 1 1/2 hour ride to Santiago. When we arrive we phone around a few hostels. The Casa Roja is full, so we head for Happy House hostel. The say they have a booking for tomorrow night, but we can still have the double room tonight. The hostel is excellent, recently renovated with massive tall ceilings. Our room feels like a palace !!! Certainly the best so far, so is the price but hey it’s my birthday soon !!! Head out and walk to the plaza Armas, through the nearby Plaza Brazil. The hostel is in the Barrio Brazil area of town, which is relaxing with bars and restaurants.
Up to pick up the films, $2500 per film onto CD, and explore all the centre of town visiting the Plaza de la constitution, main market full of fresh fish, central Mall, little small, and Cerro Santa Lucia, which affords excellent views, if a little smoggy of the city. We then head back to the hostel to view the photos. Have an excellent sauna in the hostel ($6000 extra for us both) and chill. There are some American students in the hostel who are showing a film they have created, entitled self portrait, it shows many images of Argentina and Chile and is really pretty good. We then head to a nearby Mexican restaurant before crashing for the night. The Hostel staff are really helpful will talk to them tomorrow about skiing !!!
The hostel has phoned round for us and recommended Ski Total, will visit them later today about possibly skiing tomorrow. Headed up to Bellavista district and found another house belonging to Pablo Neruda, we both preferred this one, an excellent tour of the whole house is well worth the $2000 price... Headed up to skitotal, but they said it is better just to arrive before 8am on the day you want to go, oh well. Explored the centre of town in the afternoon, Plaza Constitution etc..
Up at 6.30 breakfast available too at the hostel, then caught the metro to Esquela Militar and arrived at Skitotal, it is a little of a mad market when you arrive, but Alex (Dutch), who works there, helped us out and got us all the equipment we needed. We then headed out for the bus, and paid again for transport and lift passes. About 1 hour later we arrived in El Colorado. Blanca had never skied before, so we had pre-paid for a 1 hour lesson for her ($24000), after booking in we met her instructor Christian and I left them too it. In the first hour I found my ski legs again and was flying over the mountain.
The snow wasn’t too hot, they have not had snow for a while, but was good enough for me, skiing on my birthday cool !!! Met Blanca at 12.00 after her lesson, she got on ok, but wasn’t too impressed with the instructor. We tried to go down the nursery slope, but Blanca was finished for the day. I left her in the restaurant and continued up and down the mountain. The lifts (mainly 3 and 4 man chairs) are really slow by European standards and a couple of times, I got really frozen waiting on the lift to get to the very top. At times the wind was really bitter. But this did at least get some soft snow of the left had slopes, which despite the wind was cool. We met back at the van at 5.00pm and headed back to Santiago. Quick check in of the equipment and back on the metro. I had pretty much skied all day, the others with us in the van (From all over South America) were all beginners and enjoyed it too.
There is enough for 1 day, but the real experts will not find a challenge here. I really enjoyed blasting down the slopes on the short double ended Rossinol Air Pow skis, got a couple of jumps in too, didn’t land them though !!! Oh well. Back in the hostel met a large group of American students all here studying Spanish and living in Valparaiso, but here in Santiago for the weekend. We ended up heading out with them to a local Disco Blondie !!! ($3500) which the hostel had recommended. It was a real strange experience. Lots of people all wearing quite trendy black clothes, lots of gays, but all trying to look really hard. When you got to the dance floor though, which was surrounded by three massive projection screens, they are all screaming for more, Spice Girls, or Geri, or Britany !!! quite a strange site !! But we all enjoyed it, soon joining in !!! got back to the hostel around 3am. So much for being tired after the skiing...
Visited the Zoo today, really impressive selection of animals, and all looked very healthy physically, but many of the cages are very small and some animals were obviously a little mad !!! then took the funicular to the summit of the Parque Metropolitano where are sunset the views of Santiago where excellent. A little higher up was the statue ´Virgen de la Conception´ all in white looking over the whole city. We then headed back to the hostel and ended up drinking in the hostel bar with the Americans again.
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