Hotel Tres Puntas Santiago

... the city. With it being Sunday all the locals were in the park aswell making for a very enjoyable and cosmopolitan day out for us. We thought it would be a good idea to walk down the mountain and after getting lost a couple of times we managed to make it back to the hotel, and treated ourselves with a McDonalds!!!<br><br>The following day we explored the city, being a Monday morning it was very lively, bustly and seems really full of ...

Our next destination is the Atacama Desert in Northern Chile. In order to get there from Arequipa we have to fly north to Lima, then south to Santiago, then north again to a tin-pot airport called Calama, or spend 26+ hours on a bus. Going to Santiago is actually a bonus for us, since it means we are able to spend a few days with Lauren in her new home town. <br><br>However today, 28th September, is a day of being busted and sickness!<br><br>In Lima, whilst being put ...

... br>taking maternity photos...in the living room!!....it was love at first<br>sight with a 4 storey terrace run by several chileans! I knew it was a<br>good sign when the first thing one of them asked was if i could speak<br>Spanish- because basically, they didnt want anyone in their house that<br>would only speak english with some of the other expats in the house.<br>Heaps of common spaces, a nice patio out the back, a personal balcony,<br>ensuite, double bed ...

... dinner we went out to a restaurant recommended by the book, for typical Chilean food, which meant a huge plate of chips, with steak, meat balls fried eggs and onions. So we went home with arteries slamming shut and literally struggled to keep ourselves awake till ten before falling asleep, to try to convert to Chile-time.<br><br> On Wednesday we had breakfast and then set out the Museo del Arte Precolumbino which was really great. It ...

... and Vina Del Mar for the Monday on the Chilean coast. Valparaiso is more of a port, locals live on the mountainside and the businesses work on the ground levels. It´s style was very colonial and charming. Vina del Mar is more of a resort, and not really anything spectacular, but nonetheless relaxing. The day was rounded off with a visit to Santiago´s oldest (and best) Chinese restaurant - Lung Fung. Tuesday was the day of our flight to Antofagasta ...

Picking up from where I left off yesterday... we'd headed out for some lunch at a little place called La Chenna... closeby the hostel. Authentic Chiliean cusine I'm lead to believe. Due to a strike rate of about 5% with lunches on our travels in Chili I thought it might be a good idea to order the exact dish of the people next to us. I'm still not sure if these people had a corn fetish but both dishes we received we're laced with corn. Corn is nice in ...

... many of the Favelas (or shanty towns) that are also prominent everywhere. There is a huge divide in Brazil between the rich and poor with half the land being owned by just 1% of the population. We finished the trip with a cable car ride to the top of Sugarloaf mountain (the famous shaped one right on the coastline of the city), by this time the weather had cleared up a bit and the views were better, we looked down over Copacobana beach on one side and on the ...

... my ticket, found the bag she had packed my stuff in, then emptied the bag again to make sure it was right, then packed it away again and handed me my single item!!! 20 minutes for a simple purchase!!! We then walked over to the Plaza de Armas. This is a really nice plaza area. This reminds me totally of Spain. It has got that Spanish feel about it with the sun, people lounging around, cafe's on the side - I like it here. Next we headed up to Cerro Santa ...

... I suppose ... The tour began and luckily for me, the tour guide spoke very clearly and slowly, which is the opposite of most Chilean Spanish speakers. Neruda was fascinated by the ocean and as such, the design of the house was inspired by the structure of a boat. He was an eccentric man, and had the place built with secret passages. It was a bit of a time warp, as the place had a 1950s/60s feel to it. It was interesting to note that Pablo ...

... will always be very special to us as the year of our wedding and the start of our great adventure.<br><br>We hope that the new year brings you all everything that you wish for and that it is as happy for you as 2007 has been for us. <br><br><br>Lots of love, <br><br><br>Al &amp; Katie xx