Eight Flight Legs (And Two Boat Rides) Later…

Home again. I use to find the end of trips depressing, sorry the travel is over. That has passed now, I have learned there is another on the horizon.

Departing Santiago. You would be surprised how many ways you cannot get rid of black bars in a photo...
Departing Santiago. You would be surprised how many ways you cannot get rid of black bars in a photo…
Departing Santiago
Departing Santiago

This journey from Santiago was on the verge of being more interesting than we wanted, we had a layover in Lima, Peru where even the transit passengers had to be re-screened. On top of that Sydney and Kim were selected for extra checks, this is the second trip where Syd was extra checked, same thing happened last year in Iceland. Hmmm….

Boats in the harbor at Lima
Boats in the harbor at Lima
Razzing the Squid. Syd ate here in June, after 10 days of Peruvian food she craved US style food. Hardly blame her but we had to razz her.
Razzing the Squid. Syd ate here in June, after 10 days of Peruvian food she craved US style food. Hardly blame her but we had to razz her.
Sydney being extra checked. Again.
Sydney being extra checked. Again.
We were comfortable on this one.
We were comfortable on this one.

We also had to change planes and airlines in Los Angeles with 2.5 hours between flights, but with a late arrival and our bags being pretty much the last bags delivered we had to scramble to make the final flight. Luckily we had a guide, Sydney who came thru LAX recently and knew where to drop off bags, etc, lead the way. Kim said Sydney was determined to get home and I could hardly blame her, Syd was in Peru in June and Thailand in March/April for a total of 40 days of international travel in the past 4 months. She is ready to hang at home.

Out of Lima
Out of Lima
The coast of Ecuador
The coast of Ecuador
Approaching Los Angeles
Approaching Los Angeles
Syd in Thailand in March
Syd in Thailand in March
Syd at Machu Picchu in June
Syd at Machu Picchu in June

A late arrival home and by the time we settled down it was after midnight. Kim and I sat on the couch with a drink to relax us and after a minute I asked her what is next. She said she was just having the same thought.

Credit time. For the past decade we have been using Ladera Travel to research and realize our dreams. Owned and operated by Les and Nancy Burger their team consists of many travel experts who have knowledge, experience and answers for any question we throw at them. Like the last few, this trip was developed with the help of the patient Maggie Smura, thanks Maggie! FYI Maggie we will be returning to French Polynesia fairly quickly so keep an eye on things for us ok?

This blog is wrapped.

37 Communes

View of Santiago and the Andes with the shadow of the Gran Torre Santiago

Winter is here. The past few mornings the temperature has been near 0 degrees celsius. A far change from where we started this trip but we were ready.

We spent the last few days with Lisette Matamala, our guide from Abercrombie & Kent who guided us on a quick tour of Valparaiso and Santiago. She filled in the history and structure of Chile in a great way. One of the first things she said I found interesting was Santiago is not one large city but 37 separate communes working together. Each has a mayor who is a peer to all other mayors, none is above the other. Decisions that cover the entire Santiago urban environment come from the Chile government. Very interesting IMHO. Another item she mentioned was Chile has “more rules than the Pope”, i.e. rules that no one wants but are enforced and obeyed. For the example she showed us a newly painted building in a Santiago bohemian district that apparently had a remarkable graffiti mural on it that was much beloved. The rule say graffiti murals can only stay for two years so the rule was enforced and the building was painted. Sigh. Lisette covered so much and gave us what it was like to live here past and present, I cannot do her credit.

Palacio de La Moneda
Palacio de La Moneda

Some of the places Lisette took us include Palacio de La Moneda (Presidential Palace) and the Centro Cultural Palacio la Moneda (which is underground in front of the presidential palace), Santiago Metropolitan Cathedral and Mercado Central de Santiago filling us with history. And food, great empanadas at Emporio Zunino and wonderful ice cream at Emporio La Rosa. I will need to exercise when I get home. Thanks Lisette!

Memorial to Salvador Allende
Memorial to Salvador Allende
Inside Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago
Inside Catedral Metropolitana de Santiago
Art and Police (and horses)
Art and Police (and horses)
Streets of Santiago
Streets of Santiago
Streets of Santiago
Streets of Santiago
Some entertainment outside Emporio Zunino
Some entertainment outside Emporio Zunino
Emporio Zunino
Emporio Zunino
Syd collects our empanadas at Emporio Zunino
Syd collects our empanadas at Emporio Zunino
Mercado Central de Santiago
Mercado Central de Santiago
Fish for sale at the Mercado Central de Santiago
Fish for sale at the Mercado Central de Santiago

One thing I liked about Chile is its rich history of immigrants, people came from many places to make their fortunes here, Italians, Croatians, Germans. One of the leaders of Chilean independence was Bernardo O’Higgins if that tells you anything. I had no idea.

Gran Torre Santiago
Gran Torre Santiago
Syd at the top of Gran Torre Santiago
Syd at the top of Gran Torre Santiago
View of Santiago and the Andes with the shadow of the Gran Torre Santiago
View of Santiago and the Andes with the shadow of the Gran Torre Santiago
View from Gran Torre Santiago
View from Gran Torre Santiago

After 2+ weeks on the road we are worn out on restaurant food and resorted to an old habit of ours, hitting up the local grocery stores and making our own meal. We started this habit on our first trip to save money but as it turns out we really enjoyed doing this because it gave us a chance to see what local life is like so we kept it up. The nearest grocery store to us is Jumbo, a “you can buy (almost) anything” type of store. Very large and had the widest selection of yogurt I have ever seen. Walking to the store in the cold winter air Kim (who is never cold but was wearing two jackets) mentioned she thought it was odd we were out shopping in Santiago. I responded it was bound to happen sometime.

A different look at the crown of the Gran Torre Santiago
A different look at the crown of the Gran Torre Santiago

Time to go home.