NH Ciudad de Santiago

... for a memorable (or not!) last night - thank you Nico! The following day we meandered around Bellavista, which is quite studently and has an arty/relaxed feel to it. Then sadly it was time to pick up our bags and head to the English-speaking world again!

How sad I am to leave this amazing continent! One day I'll be back, hopefully with more developed linguistic skills!!

Chau!

... on the arm followed by "Mio mio" (I tried correcting her and telling her it was Neil not Mio but after the 5th time I gave up). She'd be asking telling me something so I'd stop watching the film and take out the earphone nearest her to listen thinking it would be something quick, but then she'd prattle on for a good ten minutes. When she ran out of breath I'd smile, nod and quickly pop back in the earphone. Ten minutes later, another tap and "Mio ...

We disembarked the Star Princess this morning around 8:30 in Valparaiso, Chile and headed out on a tour. Our flight is not until 10:30PM, so we had an opportunity to see a bit of Central Chile before we leave. Valparaiso is the port city about 60 miles from Santiago. It's very steep hills rise from the ocean and the colorful houses appear to be ...

... Hare have been just sent off. The weather was calm and even sunny, but my long layover dwindled to nothing after taxying for an hour in the airport and riding a subway to downtown. Still I had some time to get chilled on the, indeed, windy streets, to wet my sneakers in slush trying to get to Lincoln (see photo) and to had my face hacked by icy air blowing from Lake Michigan. But at least I knew what lay ahead, three more flights and fifteen hours away...

... yesterday, early in the afternoon. First up was the Concha Y Toro vineyard - a beautiful spot, it´s reminiscent of numerous beautiful wineries you will find near Kelowna, in the Okanagan Valley. Concha Y Toro is probably the most famous Chilean wine producer, and you can tell that they´ve got money to burn. The winery is surrounded by a beautifully-landscaped park. The tour started with a bit of an ¨indoctrination¨ film, extolling ...

... don´t beat anyone at anything. Ever. They are too diplomatic for that. Our hostal was in inverse proportion to the size of Santiago, about the size of a very small prison cell. Too small to make us want to stay. And Chile is expensive. So we decided to move straight onto Argentina the next day, a Chilean public holiday. Wait for it - "Immaculate Conception day". I´m not making this up. Catholicism satirises itself.

... blue wig!



Here's Katie with her fellow Lymm native Matt and his girlfriend Rebecca, of course they were all stone cold sober when this was taken!



Before we knew it a huge cannon went off somewhere to mark 12 midnight, followed by explosions of ...

... to dunedin with them to see penguins and royal
albatrosses, we practically did all the exspensive stuff with them
which was quite handy, like bungy jumping and white water rafting in
queestown, we also went over to fiorland and doubtful sound which was
very remote, and went onto the fox glacier. After they left us in
christchurch went to the cadburys chocolate factory at easter(for
Santiago, Chile tobyk