Moving on

Well this is our third day here in Santiago with most of it being spent on our favorite new game of "Where's our luggage" We got 3 or our bags yesterday afternoon, but they couldn't find the 4th, so we are without our ski boots at this time. We went to the airport this morning bright and early to try to talk with Delta in hopes of getting to talk to someone that wasn't a phone recording. We saw our Delta friend Raoul right away and he was once again very helpful and had some info for us after we waited for a bit. I was trying to pull the upset girl card, but after a night of making new friends and trying Chilean Pisco for the first time, I am definitely worse for wear and really just looked miserable anyways. It also didn't help that we didn't have time for breakfast before catching the bus out. Now we have our tickets booked for a bus to Mendoza, have to give up our plans of stopping at Penitintes on the way over the pass and skiing there, and hope that our bag with our ski boots will actually arrive in Mendoza like promised. Argentina here we come!!!


Hi, it's Jenny. One more day in the city, but we have bought our bus tickets to freedom (Argentina, here we come!). Fellow US citizens, I would advise flying into Buenos Aires and saving yourself a headache. Especially since the exchange rate here has fallen to 1 peso=0.45 US (and you avoid the $130 US entrance fee just to arrive in Chile). On a better note, we took a walk to the Pahque square where there is a historic fort and park. Yesterday morning I went grocery shopping and then to the fish market. We have found that it is much cheaper to eat fast food here or cook your own. Ladies or men with purses, they tape bags shut here upon entering into a store. Don't panic. And another important note, either carry spare change for the bathroom or risk peeing on the street. The going rate seems to be about 150 pesos, and they even throw in two sheets of paper. If that won't do, you must pay extra for more. Next stop is Mendoza, on the other side of the Andes. PS...Delta, we are still pissed and will be more so if that ski boot bag does't arrive in Mendoza.

Arriving in Santiago

Well we are finally here, can`t say the same for our bags though.
Our flights went fine, but unfortunately the luggage seems to have disappeared somewhere in the mugginess of Atlanta.

So after spending waay too much time in the Santiago airport we finally catch a bus downtown and wander around looking like total tourists and having to ask Donde esta Calle riqualme, after aking numerous people we eventually find the right address but then have to figure out how to get into the place. We knock but no answer, we stare at the door with dumbfounded expressions, then finally in our jetlag haze I look over and oh yeah, there is a door bell! yeah! civilization at last. We are taken in by a very nice guy who is our host, Carlos, at Hostel Moai Viajero and he makes us feel very welcome. So now we are settling in, petting the cat and doggie, looking for our lost luggage and looking at staying in Santiago longer than expected.

later in the day, we wander around Santiago getting looks from everyone we pass, I guess we are an oddity around here. We make our way past the markets getting one rap song from these two random guys along the way, I believe he just wanted to practice his english and talk to us beautiful americans! We wander through the streets until we find our way to the Cerro San Cristobal mountain right in town. We find the hiking trail and make our way up until we can get up the Virgen Mary statue. There is a beatiful church up there as well. Then we hike back down the hill and thru the downtown, checking out the market on the way, we are accosted on all sides, they just like us for some reason, hence the picture with the shark head and tail. I am kind of glad I don¨t know much spanish, that way we don¨t know what they are saying to us. We go to the church on Catedral street, it is stunning, so much artwork and extravagant details, wow! We try to find some food after that and step into this little bar-restaurant, nobody speaks english, try to order and have no idea what the waitress is asking us or what we are getting, Jen gets her sandwich, turns out to be ham and cheese, I end up getting nothing, not sure why and boy am I hungry, but while we are waiting the waitress brings us two drinks that we did not order, turns out this older guy and his friend in the corner must of ordered them for us. He comes over and attempts to talk to us, but we can¨t understand each other at all! I think I am glad for the language barrier this time around, we have no idea what he wanted but it could not of been good, we try paying our bill and just get our of there with no dinner for me. soo tired, just want back to our nice friendly hostel where we can chill out with the few items we do have.

Hi, it's Jenny this time. We are still here waiting in Santiago for our luggage. If you ever have this problem, work with Raul Gonzalez. He has been the only helpful one from Delta. They are telling us that all but one bag has arrived in Santiago. One bag, with our ski and snowboard boots, has vanished into the depths of the Atlanta airport. We spent yesterday exploring Santiago and managed to get in a nice (and needed) walk. Tonight I plan to re-visit the central market (see photo with shark) and buy some nice fish to cook at the hostel. Angie isn't as excited about this...she hates the smell of fish (Shannon and Jeff...one more like you). We seem to stand out here a bit, both with a more light hair color (and Angie being right out blonde). I'm half way serious when I tell Angie that we'll dress like nuns for the rest of the trip. I do hope the bags come soon. I'm really not a city girl and can't stand being pent up in the hostel while waiting for Delta to figure things out. I need the mountains quick. We must flee to Argentina! We have a cabin paid for in Los Molles for the 2nd...if I don't make it there in time, I'll be a bit pissy. Delta, I hope you read this.