Hotel Coronel Santiago

... in very tasty – and free – food and drinks) also afford spectacular views of the Andes. Sadly, due to its Hitchcockian properties, I can’t recommend this hotel to mother - take a look at the photos…! Tomorrow, we’re taking a seven-hour bus ride to the wine district of Mendoza. Yes, seven hours. Apparently, it takes a stunning route though the Andes. As heavy rain is forecast for tomorrow, here’s hoping we can at least see through the windows…

Hello from a balmy Santiago! I'm leaving South America tomorrow morning for New Zealand. Since I last wrote we've spent a week in Mendoza province before we crossed the border into Chile, probably the world's oddest shaped country.<br><br>Mendoza gave us more opportunities to get out in the fresh air, which we were both very keen for after a long spell in the urban jungles of BA, Rosario and Cordoba. We managed to fit in an epic ...

... through the steepness and multitude of switch backs, simply breathtaking to reach Chilean side of the pass and into Santiago.<br><br> <br><br> But nothing beats the feeling of after 8 months and a further few thousand airmiles, of finding a packet of pineapple lumps (thanks Mum) on my bed, vogels in the fridge, the new Fat freddy's Drop Album awaiting (BUY IT IT IS COOL and if you don't shake booty on "Shiverman" I ...

... my Adios to Gina bless her and then went to look for someone hopefully holding my name on a piece of paper. There was about 50 people with cards etc and tai fellas trying to get you to take one of their cabs. I couldn't find anyone with my name but there was someone with the Hostel Bellavista wrote on it and the name Hannah Bishop. I thought "that will do" so I went from Mio to Hannah but then explained I was going the same hostel so he said no ...

... of wine and a Pastel de Choclo, one of our favorite local dishes, that evening for dinner in Barrio Bellavista region. The next day we did a long day of walking for a city tour with a couple of museums and a fascinating chess tournament in the park. That evening, Chad found a lonely flyer on the table in our hostel, advertising a wine festival outside of town. Nobody seemed to know anything about it. We decided to be spontaneous, and ...

Katharina (the girl i met on the plane) was so nice to invite me to join her to get into the center of santiago - since her friend, that was arriving that evening, with whom she was going to travel already made sleeping arrangements I decided to join in and get a room in the same hostel ... <br> Once we were through immigration and customs two ...

... Getting air tickets was a full time job for quite a while. After chasing all possible combinations, the following was done: free ticket to Lima for 30000 off season miles (which was better than free ticket to Santiago for 60000 peak season miles), One World Pass for all Chilean destinations except Easter Island, including Lima-Santiago-Lima legs. That was a true bargain at third of a nominal price for all the flights ...

... like salsa that came out of a jar. On our tour guide´s recommendation (Martin), we went with the Lomo Chorizo Pobre. Holy ****! I expected a tiny, thin steak from what I had previously seen in Chile - ours were MASSIVE! It was the size of a small roast! I originally had wanted a fruit cup for dessert, but there was no way I could eat another bite after that main course. There was room, however, for a rather putrid cafe cortado ...

... to explore...We will do that tomorrow. <br><br><br> We become really lazy. We opted for the hop on hop off (hop and a puff , Clo?)to visit Santiago. It was nicer than expected. It was also very hot. So hot,that the kids were cooling off in the fountains. The historic center is where there are the most things to visit: main square, cathedral, museums ...

... mainly due to my thumping headache! <br><br>I was surprised and delighted to discover that at some point last night I'd remembered to remove my contact lenses, so at least the headache was pure alcohol rather than a blend of alcohol and acute eye pain. <br><br>Miraculously we both managed to fell asleep despite our afflictions and I´ve just woken up again. At 4pm! <br><br>Our fellow residents are watching the film "Munich ...