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We came to Santiago because we were aiming to get from Ecuador to Argentina as quickly as possible, and a flight to Chile followed by a bus to Mendoza seemed to get us to the right place in a reasonable short period of time (actually the one thing I wished I'd known before coming here is how difficult / indirect / expensive flights in South America are. Intra country seems to be fine, but between country and the fun and cost begin. Anyway, I digress. We had no expectations of Chile as anything other than a stop off point but we've had a fantastic couple of days here and it's a bit sad to be leaving so soon.
It was obvious within 5 minutes of leaving the airport that we weren't in Ecuador or Peru anymore. Not least because the roads were three lanes on each side, had been fully tarmacked, and in that time we hadn't heard a single car horn. Plus you can put toilet paper in the toilet, always a sign of a prosperous nation. It feels more European here, and definitely feels richer, although the gap between rich and poor in Chile is one of the highest in the world and a cause of social unrest here in the last year. According to a local, the fact that the Chileans bothered to get up off their bums and actually go to protest about something shows how significant the problems are. Though they must have got the taste for it, as there were over 2000 demonstrations in Santiago last year, a large number about costs of higher education. See, told you it feels European…
As Chile is so prosperous and European, with men in suits and briefcases everywhere, and the sun shining, it's hard to get your head around the fact that the country was under military dictatorship for 20 years until the 1980s. We took a free walking tour around Santiago on our first full day here, and our guide Fillippe was explaining that his daughter's grandfather was one of the thousands of people who 'disappeared' after opposing Pinochet's regime. Almost every family has a friend or relative who disappeared during that time, and even after his death opinions on Pinochet divide the nation. Chile had the first democratically elected socialist president in the world before his regime collapsed and Pinochet and the army took over with Military rule. There is a statue of him and his right wing predecessor on either side of the square outside the President's office, to remind the current president of the need to balance between capitalism and socialism. Interestingly there are no statues of Pinochet anywhere in Santiago.
Fillippe also told us about the Chilean tradition of 'café con pierna' which was big in the 90s, and still going on in a few central coffee bars. Chile is the first place we have been to in South America that has really rank coffee. They don't have rainforests, so don't make their own like in Ecuador, and don't seem fussed about shipping some good stuff in. Nescafe all round, even in an expresso shot. Because of that there was no real coffee scene in the 90s, when it was taking off elsewhere in the world (I blame Friends and the beautiful people in Central Perk for this). Anyway an enterprising Chilean businessman decided to cash in on this trend, but to encourage the business people into his shops he served his café con pierna - coffee with legs. Coffee is served by young women in very short skirts, very high heels and very long legs. Apparently back in the day anything used to go in these bars, but now they are mostly respectful establishments, although one or two still have a 'happy minute' - when the shutters go down, and the women strip off for 60 seconds before putting their clothes back on and reopening the bar. Jon was very keen to try this local cultural experience, but they only serve coffee not diet coke so we gave it a miss.
The free walking tour seems to be a popular thing to do in Santiago. We've seen them advertised in hostels elsewhere in South America but this is the first one we have done. Fillippe scared me a bit as he shouted quite a lot when we started the tour. I wasn't sure if that was because he was trying to project his voice to the group of 20or so of us, or whether he was just very angry about the gap between the rich and the poor in Chile. The tours are done on a tip only basis, and we were surprised to see how many people snuck away just before the end to get out of paying for the tour. I get very British about these things and think it is a bit rude, but maybe in other countries there is such a things as a free lunch, or a free walking tour at least. Or maybe they were just scared of his shouting as well.
Having somewhat recovered from our last night in Ecuador, Jon then dragged me along to a wine tasting just outside of Santiago at Villa Undurraga - this is the second biggest wine producer in Chile. The conversation went like this
Jon - I've booked us on to a wine tasting tour. It's really cool, the second biggest place in Chile
Me - Really
Jon - Yeah, I thought it would be good to go to a big place and see what they have in the shop afterwards
Me - where is the first biggest then, do you know?
Jon - we don't want to go there?
Me - Why?
Jon - Because it's too big.
Me - How can it be too big?
Jon - they sponsor Man U and are called the red devil. So we are going to the second biggest….
The majority of Chilean wine is made for the export market - apparently Chileans prefer to drink beer or cocktails. When they do drink white wine they mix in Pineapple ice cream and vermouth (I would like to try that on a Tuesday in the Rose and Crown when I get back, I think it would go down well with the netball team and Matt the barman). And most of the stuff from this place seems to get sent to England to Waitrose, which I suppose, makes it a nicer wine to try than the mass produced Man Utd sponsored one. Its called TH in case you want to run out and try it. I'd recommended the Sauvignon Blanc for the ladies, and a nice Pinot Noir for the men. Perhaps with your Sunday Roast. Mmmm, Sunday roast….
Its 35 degrees in Santiago at the moment, so we walked to the park after lunch and went to a municipal outdoor swimming pool on top of the hill, which was great for cooling down provided you could find a spot where a teenage boy wouldn't land on your head as they dive bombed into the pool. Jon has hurt his knee so it took an age to walk the 3km back down into town, but I bribed him with the promise of a beer when we got to the Bellavista area of the city where bars line the streets with lots of outdoor tables. These are indeed happy times, and we are now looking forward to when we next stop in Chile at the end of February to see the country better.
This week we...
STAYED
· At Hostel Andes in Centro Santiago - a normal hostel, but a block away they also own some studio apartments, and we stayed in one of these. It was next to a supermarket, had a kitchen, and also a swimming pool on the 18th floor of the building, and a gym. And awesome wifi. I was sad to leave
ATE
· In our apartment most meals
· Ice cream at Rosa Victorria which was some of the best ice cream I have ever had. I had raspberry and mint sorbet and pistachio ice cream, and Jon had green tea and mango and something yoghurt flavoured.
LEARNT
· That when a free walking tour says meet under the large Chilean flag it's a good idea to take an address, as there are quite a few around.
· Not to judge a book by it's cover. Or at least not to judge a country by its poor write up in the lonely planet book.
· That one of the worst things about travelling can be the other travellers. I am writing this on the bus to Mendoza sat in front of a loud English woman, over 50 with her hair in bunches and a big bow on her head, who is telling anyone who will listen in great detail about where she stayed in India and Thai-heaty (I think that is Tahiti). I worry that one day this will be us, and monitor all conversations we have with strangers accordingly.
CLOSE ENCOUNTERS WITH OUR FEATHERED FOE
· Pigeons pigeons everywhere. The bane of modern cities - I wait to travel to somewhere that has this vermin problem under control. I find it particularly annoying at the swimming pool (or beach). I think it's because you are already half naked, and could be pecked in a whole manner of unpleasant places.
- comments
Friend of Horace the Moose Anna sent me the link. Great you are having such a good time - and blog is very informative. Didn't realise you had this thing about chickens. Best wishes
Sheila Leech I would have gone to the Casillero del Diablo winery!