What an experience to remember. I’m so thankful for keeping a journal to I’ll never forget it.
Wednesday and Thursday (Feb 5-6)
My trip started with getting up at 5:00am Wednesday, Feb 5 to catch the bus to the airport. I like to leave early just in case of traffic delays, forgetting something at home, or any other reason I may miss the plane. My plan went great and I arrived at the airport 3 hours early. My itinerary was Boston to JFK to Buenos Aires to Santiago, Chile and arrived at 8:30am the next day. Truda and I met up at the airport. We grabbed a taxi to our wonderful hostel in Santiago. (I’ve shared pictures via Instagram so I hope you’ve seen them.) our room wasn’t ready so we decided to go on a FREE walking tour of Santiago.
The tour was led by a well versed young lady and kept us walking and touring for 4 hours. We learned so much about the city and the current protests. It seems it’s the young people who demand change through protests. Right now the big protests are paused because it is their summer vacation. We are very fortunate for that because I don’t know that we would have come. Right now there are protests basically on the weekends and start after 8:00pm.
We finished the tour and decided to find a tasty restaurant to get a bite to eat and enjoy the famous Chilean drink Pisco Sour. I believe it’s made with grappa, lemon juice and drank from a sugar-lined rimmed glass. It was about 6:00pm at this time, and we were worried about getting back to our Hostel before dark. We paid our bill and took a $3.00 taxi ride back.
Keep in mind I had only 3 hours of sleep and Truda less than that. After having just one Pisco Sour we were ready for bed. It was amusing to realize that this is their summer and it stays light until way after 9:00. We were both sound asleep before it got dark.
We walked around 11 miles this day including our time in the airports.
Friday (Feb 7)
We start our day about 8:00am with breakfast and a little exploration before heading to Valparaiso. We took off by foot to the highest hill in Santiago that we learned about the day before on the tour. With a map it’s quite easy to get around. I’m thankful Truda is in good shape and can endure along with me. We reach the park and take the Vinicular (a trolley-like train) up the hill for about $1.00. There are other ways you can get up there like ride a bike or hike, but we didn’t really have the energy or time to do so. It was a fantastic view of Santiago, and we could see how it would be a very nice family outing. We come back down and decide to take a taxi to the market to pick up something quick to eat and get back to the hostel by 2:00. We made prior arrangements with a Chilean couple to travel to Valparaiso together.
Well, we were warned to be careful about taxis ripping us off. On our prior taxi trips we always asked how much it would cost. This time we didn’t. The trip should have cost about 3,000 Chilean pesos. Well….in just a very short time the meter was already reading 11,000 pesos. I pointed this out to Truda and we realized we screwed up by not asking the driver how much it would be. By the time we get to the market the cost was 19,000 pesos. It gets better!! Truda gives the driver two 1,000 bills thinking she gave him two 10,000 bills. She handed him another 10,000 bill and he made a quick switcher-roo to claim she only gave him another 1,000 bill. Thankfully I saw the color of the bill and knew she gave him a 10,000 bill and not the 1,000. He must have understood English because I told Truda he was screwing us. He quickly changed his story and said that was our change. Lol, if you are following this, the bill was 19,000, we gave him 12,000 then he gave the 1,000 back to us. We were disgusted with ourselves because we weren’t more careful, but oh well, we had the experience.
I was so happy to see other Jehovah Witnesses on the streets doing public witnessing. No matter where I go I can find my spiritual sisters.
We also had a conversation with a young girl from Green Peace. It made me aware that there can be so many bad things happening to our earth environmentally that we don’t even know about.
When we got back to the hostel, plans had changed a bit because the other couple was not ready to leave and we were anxious to start our next leg of the journey. Our new friend did call an Uber for us and clarified with the driver that we were going to the central bus station. I was amazed how many bus companies there are in Chile. Come to find out we were at the wrong bus station. We had to walk four blocks (which felt like 10) to get to the right one. The streets were so crowded with vendors and people, and here we are two foreigners with suitcases making our way through. We are cautioned by many people to be careful with our valuables-one more thing to think about while making our way through the river of people. We finally make it but find out the bus doesn’t leave for an hour but there are, of course, other bus lines to check with. Again thank you to Truda for asking a question to figure it out. (I’m going to abbreviate it TYTT) I’m astonished that a two hour bus ride is only $8. Yes, this is on a regular air conditioned, comfortable seat bus.
The bus ride is uneventful while we enjoy the scenery passing by. As we get closer to our destination of Valparaiso Truda starts asking questions which leads to these two wonderful ladies ordering an Uber with their phone and waiting for the Uber to arrive and making sure we were okay. We depart with hugs and kisses and head to our B&B. We make arrangements with the Uber driver to come back in the morning to take us to town.
The B&B is a lovely place with a Swedish esposo (husband) and Chilean esposa (wife), Ernesto and Sandra.
Ernesto gives us a helpful introduction to Valparaiso and how to use the bus just down the hill from their house. Our rumbling stomachs tell us to walk down to the bus stop area to grab an empanada and a bottle of Chilean wine (total $8).
Truda gets a restful night’s sleep because she wears earplugs, but me not so much. There are two barking dogs right outside my window and breakfast preparations start early in the morning. TYTT the next night Truda gave me a pair of earplugs, and my sleep was MUCH better.
Saturday, February 8
Our arrangement with the Uber driver was to pick us up at 9:00. When 9:30 arrived and there’s still no Uber driver, we excitedly chose to take the bus into town for about 50 cents. The driver was so sweet and took good care of us by telling us which bus stop to depart from. We joined the FREE walking tour of Valparaiso for about three hours. We learned a lot about Chilean history, the repression of the people, the tortures that take place to those who try to resist the dictatorship and current government, and what is happening today with the protests. The use of tear gas on the crowds has gotten stronger and stronger. For instance, the tear gas started out causing one’s eyes to tear until the next day, but now it is so strong it makes you vomit for two days. Also, now they put chemicals in the water that is used to spray the protesters which causes second degree burns. One other thing I forgot to mention from Santiago and here; we can see graffiti on the buildings of an eye with an X over it. That represents the hundreds of people who have been shot in the face by the police and have lost an eye.
After the tour we first go to an ATM so I can get some Chilean pesos with no success. TYTT who has cash. We enjoy fantastic fish dinners with Pisco sours and after dinner drinks all for $21 for the both of us. Luckily my debit card works, and it helps me to pay Truda back for using her pesos.
After the tour we walked to the dock and took a $4 boat ride in the bay where we saw sea lions playing along the cement structures. We got close enough to pet them, but no one dared to. I had a good laugh when we were waiting in line for the boat, an old man was so in love with my eyes he gave me a peach (hahaha).
After the boat ride at the port they were giving free tango lessons. Truda couldn’t resist joining in
We had a relaxing evening in the B&B. I study my Spanish and Truda goes for a swim in the beautiful yet chilly Pool.
Sunday, February 9
As mentioned earlier, I wore earplugs last night so I don’t wake up until my 8:00am alarm goes off. We’re enjoying a little down time before taking the bus into Vina Del Mar.
We are enjoying a Pisco Sour while waiting for our free walking tour in Vina Del Mar.
Another thing I forgot to mention from Santiago that they have here and in Valparaiso and Vina Del Mar is that because of the protests many of the traffic lights have been ripped out. There is a lot of traffic so some entrepreneur type men took it upon themselves to direct traffic for tips. People appreciate it so they do listen to them and pay for the tips.
Before the tour we went walking on the beach which felt really good on my plantar fasciitis. I’ll have to start taking walks on the beach during lunch breaks at work.
After the tour we went to dinner with a fellow worker. I enjoyed listening to her experiences of traveling to Colombia, so that may be our next trip.
I keep forgetting to take pictures of our meals so this is a few bites in. Fish with shrimp sauce and rice, Salmon Ceviche, two Pisco Sours, and a juice native to Chile for $28. Vino Del Mar is the ritzy part so we expected to pay more.
Home for the evening, Truda took a swim in the pool while I just soaked my feet. I’m heading to the room to practice my Spanish. I was very proud of myself at dinner because I ordered my own meal.
Monday, Feb 10
Well…..I woke up to an Angelina Jolie lower lip due to my lip getting sunburn. It didn’t occur to me to use chapstick with SPF. Needless to say, that was our first stop.
We were able to have a relaxing morning until we caught the bus at 11:30. We stopped in our favorite restaurant where the waiters know our names and we theirs. Truda was craving their ceviche de Tigre (something like that). We shopped around the local street market until it was time for the afternoon walking tour.
This tour took us to see the street art on the buildings. Valparaíso is beautifully painted with a variety of cheerful colors. On top of that there are murals throughout the city. There is a code amongst the artists that artists will not deface another’s artwork. Of course all of this is illegal but the police have more important things to take care of and it does make the city unique.
While we were dining we saw a small group of protesters march by, some with masks and broadcasting their protest. We didn’t worry because they kept moving. Soon after we left the restaurant to make our way home. We caught the bus easy enough with a driver seemingly eager to get out of the city. A short way from the restaurant we drove through an intersection that had burning barricades, police cars, and enough leftover tear gas that made us cover our noses and mouths. That has been the closest we have gotten to seeing any protesting.
We have an early start in the morning because we are catching the 8:15 bus to Mendoza, Argentina.
Tuesday, Feb 11
We got an early start today to catch the 8:15am bus to Mendoza, Argentina. It was about an eight hour ride, and it took about two hours to get through the border between Chile and Argentina. At the border we all had to disembark and walk to the customs and then wait the two hours to get processed through. They also had to unload the suitcases from the bus, scan them all, and then put them back on the bus.
The bus ride was amazing as you might be able to tell by the pictures below. But first let me tell you the service we received on the bus. Within 30 minutes of the bus ride the driver’s assistance handed out small boxes with a small muffin, zaffore (spelled wrong-it’s kind of a cookie), and tea and coffee packet. Then he offered prepared hot coffee. After the customs stop he handed out sandwiches. AND the seats had more room than the airplane.
The road you see had about 26 curves. It was an amazing drive.
We are settled in at the Gorilla Hostel but may change because our room is right by the Pool and garden area where everyone hangs out. This particular hostel is advertised for 18-40 year olds. The front desk lady said she figured we were just hip older people. Apparently not!
Tomorrow morning Truda is going for a Tango lesson ($15) while I go for a massage ($13/hr).
Wednesday, Feb 12
As planned Truda went to a private Tango lesson. She had a man and woman instructor for 1 ½ hours for $15. Using an old fashioned map I found my way to get my massage. This very relaxing, one-hour massage cost only $13. Well I tipped her so essentially it cost $15. So amazing how cheap!!
The relaxed state didn’t last for long because our day gets started with our feet hitting the pavement. Unintentionally we come across a quaint little Fuente and Fondo. The waitress brought a small cloth bag filled with small, homemade rolls and a delicious eggplant bababolush type dip. It was to die for. They don’t recycle too much here so it was nice to see a wine bottle being repurposed as a water bottle for the table. We shared an order of fresh made empanadas. $3 later we were on our way to find the bus tour.
We took a city tour with the highlight being going up to a park on top of a hill. We saw many people riding their bikes or walking/running up the hill. I must admit I was glad we were on the bus.
While on the tour, a factory of Alfajores gave us a free one, which happened to be flavored with Baileys. We also received a coupon for another free one which we went to claim right after the tour. There were 20 or more different flavors; I chose mint and Truda coconut. Good thing we are doing all this walking to burn those calories.
So now we need some liquid to drink and when in Argentina what could be better than wine? We make the hike to the local winery for a tour and tasting. I remember when recently my daughter and I took an exploratory trip to Austin, TX and stopped at a winery. They specialized in Argentinian wines and had the Malbec from Mendoza. It’s exciting to actually be in the city that is world known for the Malbec wines. The vineyards along the Andes mountains contribute to the excellent grapes used to make the Mendoza wines.
We stop by the Hostel to take a swim and freshen up for our night’s adventure to dinner and a folk music and dance show. It started at 9:00pm and anyone who knows me knows I HATE to be late for anything. We don’t have an address; only a mark on the map. We get to that “mark” on the map only to find out it’s not quite right. We stopped to ask people and no one heard of the place we were going. A few phone calls to the girl who told us about it later, we found it. It was less than a block from the mark on the map. A half hour later I realized it did not matter at all that we were late. People were arriving an hour after we did. The meal was ok, but the singing and dancing were very entertaining.
It was fun to hear the audience joining in with singing the songs.
We make it back to our room about 12:30; our latest night out since the start of the trip.
Thursday, Feb 13
This day won’t be very exciting to read because we didn’t do anything spectacular. However, being the foodies that we are, we still had a wonderful day. We did start to rent bikes to ride to another town not too far away, but they were closed. So when all else fails, eat. We found our way to a restaurant someone recommended and shared a big salad, a tostada (open sandwich), two fresh squeezed lemonade with mint and ginger, and an AMAZING key lime cheesecake. We were in heaven. Afterwards Truda had a Tango dance lesson and I studied my Spanish. After which it was time to stroll and have a bite. Shockingly, neither one of us were hungry so we settled on a glass of wine and flan.
Friday, Feb 15
Today was our pamper-ourselves day. We took the bus to outside of town (where we were going to ride the bikes). Only 30 cents for a 30-min ride. Our first stop was to get Acupuncture which was very soothing to my plantar fasciitis. We both left with needles in our ear and was told to massage them three times a day. I guess we just leave them in until they fall out.
Our next spot was to meet a lady at her home that she rents out to tourist and talk about our next year’s trip. Absolutely a beautiful place with a lovely yard and swimming pool. We made sure we had all her contact information. $32 per night.
We took her recommendation and went to a local restaurant and enjoyed a delicious eggplant dish, Pisco Sours, and an apple strudel with ice cream ($24)
We’re now back on the bus to get a facial and pedicure. Both need for a long time and both together for $28.
I’m watching Truda have a Tango dance class and catching up on my journal. There’s a malongo tonight (I need to check the spelling on that.) It’s basically an open dance for people to come and dance the Tango. I know Truda wants to go and I may as well for a bit.
I keep mentioning the prices so you’ll understand why I might snowbird to Argentina when I retire.
Because of Valentine’s Day we couldn’t get into a restaurant for dinner. It was a blessing in disguise because we got everything in the picture for $7.
We fly to Salta tomorrow.
Saturday, Feb 15
Leaving Mendoza we took a taxi to the airport. Thankfully, both Truda and I like to leave early just in case something happens. It’s a good thing because our taxi broke down on the way. It didn’t surprise me the way he was grinding the clutch. It didn’t take too long for another taxi to arrive and get us to the airport in plenty of time. The flight on Jetsmart was about one and a half hours. There were no problems with getting a taxi to the hotel.
View from our room
We are very happy with our spacious room. You can see below the bakery chef preparing for our breakfast. He even gave me a fresh baked roll.
This is the street where our hotel is. Salta has a very different vibe than Mendoza. Even though Salta is bigger than Mendoza, it has a sleepy-town feel.
Our intent was to take the free walking tour, but we were running late and missed it. My first snafu was leaving my debit card in the ATM. Thankful for the internet, I was able to deactivate it right away. We walked around a bit, scheduled a tour for Sunday, and stopped for a bite to eat.
This was my refreshment after returning to our room.
SUNDAY, Feb 16
We took a tour today to Humahauca,
Sarrania Del Hornocal
And stopped by Pucara de Tilcara
Lo soriento, (Sorry) too tired to write.
Monday, Feb 17
We went on the morning free walking tour. Talking with the tour guides is just as interesting as seeing the historical sites. For example, a typical one bedroom apartment costs about $280 per month. Super cheap by American standards but not so much when the median salary is about $500 per month. So you can see it’s more than 50% of their income.
Another interesting historical fact is the family sent the youngest daughter to the convent and the oldest son to the Army. They figured they balanced each other and the son would be safe. This situation puts the family in a very high social status. Back then the family had to pay for the daughter to go to the convent, and it was very expensive. The tour guide said it was the equivalent of $1,000,000 at today’s rate. At the convent they had a vow of silence and could never leave the building. It’s not like that today. The girls enroll voluntarily and the vow of silence is no longer practiced.
This is a stray dog that followed the tour group around and protected it from men who were carrying something in their hands such as a helmet or bag. It was quite funny to watch.
After the tour and waiting for Truda I watched the street parking attendant. I’ve been noticing all along that they give parking tickets that I presumed was for extending the parking time without paying. Then I saw the attendant was directing the driver to parallel park the car. The cars are parked very close together with literally only inches apart. I was wondering how they managed to get the cars out. When the driver returned, he paid the attendant, and apparently the car was left in neutral because the attendant simply pushed the car back with one hand so the driver could get his car out.
Another useful fact we learned was that we could get a much better exchange rate by sending money through Western Union and picking up the pesos there. The difference was 1:62 versus 1:82 with Western Union.
Tuesday, Feb 18
My trip is coming to an end. I said adios to Truda and Salta to spend one night in Buenos Aires.
Talking about the country mouse going to the big city…..I arrived in Buenos Aires with no problem and hired a taxi to take me to my Airbnb. It’s a good thing Truda and I got in the habit of writing addresses down because the driver was trying to drop me off at the wrong place. I showed him the address and a minute later I was where I was supposed to be.
I arrived at the apartment and was buzzed in. Just as I approach the elevator to go to the 3rd floor, a man comes off the elevator so I assumed it was the man I was meeting, Alberto. He showed me how to use the elevator and left. My mouth dropped as I was shocked that he didn’t give me any more information about the apartment or local area.
I figured out how to use the old fashioned elevator and made my way up to apt #3B. What a relief when the real Alberto met me at the elevator. He did show me the room and where to catch the Hop On Hop Off tour bus. It looked relatively easy, so off I went. Truda and I also got in the habit of carrying a map. I didn’t see that easy-to-find info center, so I just kept walking. I figured I couldn’t get lost walking in a straight line, and since my legs have gotten a lot stronger over the last two weeks, I just kept walking. Twenty blocks or so later I happened upon another info center where I could buy tickets for the the bus and hop on at stop #14. I was all situated on the bus and enjoying the sights. I kept track of where I was so I would get off at stop 00. All was perfect until we were told the last stop was #24, two stops short. Somewhere in my life I learned how to read a map and felt confident I could find my way back. Almost back to my room I stopped for dinner.
Not the greatest, but I wasn’t going to take the chance of going hungry.
Wednesday, Feb 19
My coworker, Sarah, introduced me to her sister-in-law, Deloris, who showed me around Buenos Aires. What a treat! We started by taking the bus to La Roca which is famously known for their colorful homes and artists.
We walked around the antiques shops in San Telmo, then stopped for lunch along the canal in front of the historical Navy Battleship.
Our last stop was at the Rocoleta cemetery. Much like Valparaiso, when the cemetery was new, it was situated way outside the city limits, but is now surrounded by the city.
And now, sad to say, I’m at the airport heading home. This was an amazing trip, and I look forward to returning.