I should have known better than to spend a day in Santiago. I am just not a city girl after being in Patagonia and Easter Island. I have never been fond of the central or south american big cities. Santiago is no different. I stayed at hostal forestal last night. needless to say, it was interesting. cheap and that counts. VERY friendly and helpful. Free internet. so, lots of good about it.
I slept in and got up and going about 11;00. I found the post office (no small feat) and walked around Pio Nono and Bella Vista. Then had lunch at Pizza La NOstra. It was EXCELLENT!! Then i went to a wine shop and bought some Chilean wine to be shipped home. I visited the Virgin Mary that sits on a hill above town. You ride a funicular to get up there or a gondola. It was pretty views and killed some time. It is 18;30 and i have a cab coming at 19:30 to take me to the airport. Then i start the long 20 hours home. (not counting the 3 hours early i am leaving for the airport).
It has been a great trip. Austral is one of the beers we have been drinking and they make a calafate ale. Calafate is a plant here in chile and a city in argentina. The beer is made from the plant and was delicious! We had it at the Refugio Pehoe. We also had some of the berries on the trail. They are not so fabulous straight off the bush. The trip was so wonderful and actaully being in Santiago makes me really appreciate the time i spent on Easter Island and in Patagonia even more.
I have stowed my luggage here at the hostal and am about to go retrieve it and try to consolidate some before i get on the plane. Somehow, it has expanded in 2 weeks!!
I will post the pictures from Patagonia this weekend so check back next week for the views and other fun stuff from Patagonia.
