Coming back from Easter Island, we had a stop over in Santiago. What a lively city that is! The first thing to do was to book the trips we wanted to take around Santiago, as there is plenty to see. We stayed in a very nice hotel which shall be nameless - the reason explained later.
When we arrived in Santiago, the weather was foul. It rained all day.
In the morning we looked for and spent our money at the local markets, as Chile is known for their beautiful Lapiz Lazuli, then lunch at the food markets which are equally famous for their fresh abalone. In the afternoon the rain eased and we really explored the city on foot and loved every mile of it. The view from Cerro San Cristobal is breathtaking.
For the next day we had booked a trip to Valle Navaro, a famous Ski Resort high in the Andes. It was raining again, but after being fitted out in Ski pants and warm boots for our adventure in the snow, our spirits soared.
To go to Valle Navaro we had to tackle 60 S curves. The rain turned into snow at curve 15 and at curve 35 we needed snow chains.
The first hic up. The touring Company had only supplied chains for the 2 back wheels of the bus, which meant we were not allowed all the way up the mountain, to Valle Navaro
Grumble, grumble. This is what we came and paid for. You should be preapred! But no matter how much we complained it did not change a thing. We were not allowed up the mountain without chains on all 4 wheels.
Was it a blessing in disguise? You bet your little cotton socks on that one. Whilst we were frolicking in the snow on a lower level, a blizzard had set in on top and all who were there could not get off the mountain for 2 days. We would have missed our plane home.
We did make it down the mountain safe and sound. I was exhausted from all the activity - I have not played in the snow since I was a child - and after dinner in the Hotel dining room we fell into bed.
I do not know what woke me up, it could not have been the noise, I had my earplugs in, but when I looked towards the TV, there was a light. Funny, I thought, I am sure we turned the TV off, it was then that I saw the flames.
Our room was on fire!
Flames were hissing and shooting out from behind the fridge and I smelled something really foul.
I rang the front desk and they were in the room in 2 minutes flat.
They used the fire extinguisher with great success and the fire was out in no time at all. We had to relocate to another room because of the penetrating bad smell. And all of this in the middle of the night.
I woke up bleary eyed and very tired and not looking forward to the booked tour to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar.
But as always, things brightened up and we thoroughly enjoyed the Tour.
Valparaiso is amazing. It is built on dozen of hills and its funicular elevators (highly inclined cable cars) are protected under world heritage. The whole city, called the Jewel of the Pacific, is a world heritage site.
The weather was brilliant - it was a wonderful day.
Valparaiso's neighbour is Vina del Mar, the "garden city" with beautiful white, sandy beaches, the preferred place for Chileans to spend their holidays.
All that was left to do now, was to taste their famous wines. We did and they are very good indeed.
Chile is one of my very favourite Countries - I will be going south to the Chilean fjords in my next post.
When we arrived in Santiago, the weather was foul. It rained all day.
In the morning we looked for and spent our money at the local markets, as Chile is known for their beautiful Lapiz Lazuli, then lunch at the food markets which are equally famous for their fresh abalone. In the afternoon the rain eased and we really explored the city on foot and loved every mile of it. The view from Cerro San Cristobal is breathtaking.
For the next day we had booked a trip to Valle Navaro, a famous Ski Resort high in the Andes. It was raining again, but after being fitted out in Ski pants and warm boots for our adventure in the snow, our spirits soared.
To go to Valle Navaro we had to tackle 60 S curves. The rain turned into snow at curve 15 and at curve 35 we needed snow chains.
The first hic up. The touring Company had only supplied chains for the 2 back wheels of the bus, which meant we were not allowed all the way up the mountain, to Valle Navaro
Grumble, grumble. This is what we came and paid for. You should be preapred! But no matter how much we complained it did not change a thing. We were not allowed up the mountain without chains on all 4 wheels.
Was it a blessing in disguise? You bet your little cotton socks on that one. Whilst we were frolicking in the snow on a lower level, a blizzard had set in on top and all who were there could not get off the mountain for 2 days. We would have missed our plane home.
We did make it down the mountain safe and sound. I was exhausted from all the activity - I have not played in the snow since I was a child - and after dinner in the Hotel dining room we fell into bed.
I do not know what woke me up, it could not have been the noise, I had my earplugs in, but when I looked towards the TV, there was a light. Funny, I thought, I am sure we turned the TV off, it was then that I saw the flames.
Our room was on fire!
Flames were hissing and shooting out from behind the fridge and I smelled something really foul.
I rang the front desk and they were in the room in 2 minutes flat.
They used the fire extinguisher with great success and the fire was out in no time at all. We had to relocate to another room because of the penetrating bad smell. And all of this in the middle of the night.
I woke up bleary eyed and very tired and not looking forward to the booked tour to Valparaiso and Vina del Mar.
But as always, things brightened up and we thoroughly enjoyed the Tour.
Valparaiso is amazing. It is built on dozen of hills and its funicular elevators (highly inclined cable cars) are protected under world heritage. The whole city, called the Jewel of the Pacific, is a world heritage site.
The weather was brilliant - it was a wonderful day.
Valparaiso's neighbour is Vina del Mar, the "garden city" with beautiful white, sandy beaches, the preferred place for Chileans to spend their holidays.
All that was left to do now, was to taste their famous wines. We did and they are very good indeed.
Chile is one of my very favourite Countries - I will be going south to the Chilean fjords in my next post.
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