Santiago Chile

La Paz to Santiago
Well yesterday was certainly a long day. We were up at 6.30 am for a 7.30 am start due to the possible issues with the strikers, but there wasn't any problems so we didn't have to leave until 9.30 am - so just enough time for a quick walk and a cup of coffee.

We arrived at the airport at 10.15 am with no hassles, and then hung around looking at snow covered mountains and duty free shopping until our flight left at 2.35 pm.

We flew from La Paz to Santa Cruz, both cities are in Bolivia. We had to refuel at Santa Cruz as the plane is unable to carry much fuel from La Paz as it is at 4,100 metres, and it has a runway which is twice the length so the planes can lift off due to the high altitude. Then we flew from Santa Cruz, which looked like the Darwin airport from the plane, to Lima (Peru). There we had about 2 hours before our flight to Santiago in Chile. We arrived at the local time of 2.00 am as they are still on daylight saving. We finally switched the lights out at 3.55 am only to have the phone ring saying it was our wake up call. Mals answer was "not for us, we have only just gone to bed".

Around Santiago
We had a late start on our tour today due to the late night. We visited a winery -Concha y Toro - which was to the south of the city. Tenth largest winery in the world.  It is very like Australia as there are gum trees everywhere, but it is much drier here. There was tour of the winery and then a quick tasting. One of the wines they sold at the winery is one that has been purchased a few times by the group so far, Casillero del Diablo, and there are intentions to look for it on our return to Australia.

Then we had lunch at an authentic Chilean restaurant which was really nice, and included people playing the guitar, singing and dancing, but some annoying European Wasps - the first we have seen in South America.




The rest of the day was spent looking at various areas of Santiago including the downtown area, the Cathedral, the main square and the fish and fruit markets. We bought a punnet of raspberries for $A2 and it is twice the size of the ones in Australia. Then our last trip was up the mountain in the middle of Santiago on the Funicular Railway. The views are unfortunately spoiled by the smog which hangs over the whole city during autumn and winter. You could just make out the mountains, but we couldn't see the ocean.

Then it is home to the hotel for a break before we have an early night before a 6.15 am start tomorrow to Puerto Montt.