Santiago, Vina del Mar, San Pedro de Atacama, Santiago, Chile, Country 30, Stops 57, 58, 59, 60

January 15

On the road again.  We just can’t wait to be on the road again….

We have enjoyed the comforts of home, but it’s time to go.  Part 2 of this adventure!  Since we have postponed Peru, we will be flying to Santiago, via Houston.  We say goodbye and thank you to Holly and Howard for putting us up and off we go.  For our long flight, we gamble with seats, taking three middle seats in three consecutive rows, with the hopes that the flight won’t be full.  Score!  Only one of the rows has a person in it.  Which means 2 of us have 3 seats to ourselves.  Dmitri also has an empty seat next to him in the emergency row.  So we are really able to spread out.  Such a luxury. 

We arrive in Santiago bleary and a bit out of it. We then proceed to wait. And wait. And wait. In a labyrinthine maze of lines. In various parts of the airport. We go over documents, wait, show completed paperwork, wait, get throats and noses swabbed, wait.

Finally, almost 3 hours after landing we are on our way to our little apartment in Santiago. There's a bit of confusion about checking in, but after not too long of a wait, we are in the apartment! With Airbnb you win some, you lose some and this is the not the best place we have stayed. The set up is fine—two bedrooms, two bathrooms, small but workable kitchen.  But there is no aircon, only one fan and it is on a VERY busy road.  It’s SO loud.  Right around the corner, we find a Papa John’s and Jack has missed good ole American pizza for the better part of the last 6 months.  We get him his pizza and get ourselves doner kebab and eat and crash out. 

We are awaiting our PCR results so we cannot really explore but at this point time has very little meaning. We are pleased, though, that sunset is around 9 pm so we can go out and about in the evening after naps once we get our test results.

In the evening we find out that all four of us have tested negative. Yay! We go to a very small market across the street from our apartment and get a few essentials for breakfast. I scout out some bike tours before I realize that tomorrow is supposed to be rainy. So instead I scout out some walking tours. After all, we have umbrellas!

 We have only booked the Airbnb for 3 nights, as we had planned to figure out Chile once we actually arrive and suss out the situation. Having postponed Peru, we suddenly have a lot of days before our cruise departs on the 27th. We had looked into going to the Atacama Desert for a few days but the things we want to see there are closed. Our main goal is to stay covid negative so we can get on our boat to Antarctica.

Jan. 16

We all sleep in really really late. Then we have to get going for our walking tour.

When we arrive in a new place, we like to get the lay of the land so we usually book either a walking or biking tour.  It ends up being a gorgeous day (so a bike tour would have been fine! oh well) and off we go.  Our guide shows us some sights in the Lastarria area and the Plaza de Armas.  The tour guide is really nice but the content is pretty boring, except for the part where a strange man threw rocks at our group. Good thing he didn't have fantastic aim! We weren't really interested in a lot of what our tour guide had to say--there was A LOT of history and names of architects we had never heard of--and we didn't really perk up until we go to the Lastarria area, which is really cute and where we should have stayed.

However, the best news is info we get from fellow walking tour participants.  We had wanted to spend a few days in the Atacama Desert but ruled it out because some of the things we wanted to see have been closed.  We meet a family who has recently been there and they say it’s amazing and totally worth it and we should go!  So we are pleased about that.

We are not, however, pleased with our Airbnb and we decide that it's time for a change so we plan to leave and head out to the coast.  Santiago is about to get a bit hotter and we want to beat the heat.  We settle on Vina del Mar, from which we can do a side trip to Valparaiso.  Beaches, colorful murals, it all sounds good. 

After the tour we have lunch/dinner at a place called Mulato and have A LOT of sangria and it is all good. I also try a Pisco Sour.

After we sober up, a plan for Chile starts to take shape.

Jan. 17

After another night of really poor sleep, Dmitri decides enough is enough and we are heading out of Santiago right away. The apartment is too small and too noisy and he hasn't been sleeping well. Our new plan is to head to Vina del Mar, a city on the coast. We will spend 4 nights there, then head to the Atacama Desert, then back to Santiago, where we will stay in the Lastarria area. We pick up a rental car and head out. We drive through wineries and end up at a nice hotel overlooking the beach with a rooftop terrace that we love.  It’s quiet enough to leave the windows open and not be assaulted with street noise.  We are happy.  The hotel has a pool and I plan to swim laps.  It overlooks a beach and the weather is perfect.  It reminds us a lot of Los Angeles, a more built up Manhattan Beach, however a bit more urban. Beachy, cute, lots of eateries. We are here 4 nights and this should work out just fine. We can hear the ocean from our rooms in the Pullman VDM--and that for sure beats out the sounds of Santiago in our last place. We grab burgers (veggie for 3/4 of us) at a little place across the street from our hotel and enjoy take away on the rooftop terrace. Not a bad way to end the day.

Jan. 18

Waking to the sound of waves crashing is lovely. Just lovely. We visit the gym/swim laps and take care of some business and enjoy a lazy day. There isn’t a ton to do in Vina and that is ok.  We settle into being back on the road again.  Our big outing of the day is to visit one of two Moai statues outside of Easter Island.  Any guesses where the other one is?  If you guessed the British Museum, you would be correct!  I wanted to go to Easter Island and at various itinerary changes I’ve tried to make it work but it’s a no go.  There aren’t even any flights that currently go to Easter Island!  Ah well, some other time.  At least I got to see a Moai.

There isn't much we have on our to do list for Vina del Mar. I wanted to walk to see a Moai statue (done!) and we want to go to walk around Valparaiso. That is it for 4 nights here. Oh, and drink some local wine. It all seems doable, especially since sunset is just before 9. Ah, summer.

We find a local grocery store and manage without Mia--who has been a total rock star in helping us translate.

Jan. 19

¾ of us head to Valparaiso for the day.  We start at La Sebastiana, one of Pablo Nerudo’s homes.  It is enchanting.  Such a fun house.  It sits atop a hill and overlooks Valpo and the sea and has all of these funky little unique touches inside the house—which I can’t show because photos are not allowed inside the house.  However, if you make your way to Valpo (which I highly suggest doing!!!) definitely visit this unique and colorful and fun home. 

Too bad Jack didn't come with us! He missed seeing the kitty!

After La Sebastiana, we are to meet up with a tour but the tour guide never shows so we dash off to try to find another tour.  It has already left but maybe we can catch up?  No dice.  Ah well.  We figure out where the tours were heading and we make our way on our own.  We don’t have a local to tell us all the cool information about what we are seeing but it’s all good.  We meander and see fun murals!! The city is so bright and colorful and fun and we are so excited to see what is around each corner and down each path.

There are also many levels to the city and we take the funicular and then stop in a gorgeous little restaurant for wine and ceviche.  We wander and browse shops and then head back to Vina. 

Jan. 20

A lazy day in Vina.  We sleep in and work out/swim and wander the town and eat. 

The view from the hotel.

Innnnnnnnteresting. And pretty strange.

Jan. 21

After breakfast, we pack up our things and drive back to Santiago.  We drop off our car at the airport and fly to Calama.  There we pick up a new rental car and drive from Calama to San Pedro de Atacama.  It’s a long travel day, but the individual parts aren’t terrible.  And on the drive from Calama to SPdA we realize we are some place really special.  The landscapes are stunning.  SPdA is the second driest place on earth.  And there are volcanoes!

We find the town and then attempt to use google maps to find our place.  It’s pretty hilarious because we are also looking up pictures of the place on booking.com and trying to match them with the little lanes we are driving around.  We find our place—the Vernacular Lodge.  It’s SO fun!  We walk down the street and pretty much have dinner at the first place we see.  It’s called Baltinache and they have a set menu.  Interesting.  We are so tired and hungry that we don’t ask the price.  The food is….interesting.  We have rabbit ravioli and llama and it’s not…terrible.   Jack is not a fan but he’s a good sport. 

We walk back and go to sleep.  And promptly get bitten by mosquitos.  Mosquitos!  What????  How are there mosquitos in the DESERT??  Ugh, poor Jack.  He’s a magnet for them. 

Jan. 22

Dmitri and I wake before the rest and drive into town in search of a grocery store.  We stock up on some basics and plan to have breakfast in our little lodge and maybe a lunch or two as well.  By the time we get back, the kids are awake and poor Jack has many bug bites.  He is not thrilled with San Pedro de Atacama at this point.  He does not like the mosquitos or the lack of air con.  Poor wifi nearly pushes him over the edge. Yikes.  He DOES, however, like the cat who comes to visit.  We find out later her name is Farisca and she is the BEST.  She comes right in and makes herself at home and is so so friendly.  We all become attached to her and by the end of our time in the desert we are buying cans of food for her.  I only hope latter residents of the Vernacular Lodge are kind to her.  Such a sweetie!  We also get a visit from this big puppy, Kila.  Super chill dog.  It’s also possible that we are feeding her by the end of our stay.  The kids roll their eyes at me and I tell them—I can’t help myself and I’m not going to try.  Feeding our little friends makes me happy!

Farisca! Who came right in and made herself at home.

Kila, waiting to be invited in!

View from our place and our neighbor, the donkey!

We are kind of planning on the fly so we spend the day checking things to do in the area.  That night we drive nearby for a spectacular sunset. 

Jan. 23

Today we head to Rainbow Valley.  After reading some of the blogs about the area, we are a little nervous.  But we have a 4 x 4 and some basic directions so off we go.  And it is STUNNING. We see little donkeys and what we later find out are vicunas. 

On the way back from the Rainbow Valley, we pass a “street” that leads to the Baltinache Lagunas.  I really really want to go here so the gang humors me.  We drive and drive and drive—through what has been dubbed Patience Valley.  We finally arrive and even though I don't have my bathing suit, I go in with my sports bra and underwear. I mean, I can't NOT go in!!!!

So salty that it's easy to float.

What my clothes looked like after I got out of the lagoon and put them back on. The salt!!!!

That evening we head into "town" and walk around.

For the second day in a row, the power goes out at night.  This time, the water goes out as well. 

Jan. 24

Jack is OVER the Vernacular Lodge and staying in a place so rustic. We still have a few more days here so we decide the smart thing to do is find a place with air con and decent wifi for him. Dmitri and Jack move over to Cumbres, which has beautifully curated grounds with carefully placed cacti and Jack is happy again. Mia and I stay put.

Another spectacular sunset at the Vernacular Lodge!

Jan. 25

It's time to leave SPdA so we pack up and check out of the Vernacular Lodge and Cumbres, say our goodbyes to Farisca and Kila; and head out. We make the drive back to the airport, return our very large truck, and fly back to Santiago. Leery of another loud and noisy area, we stay at the Sommelier Boutique Hotel. It is lovely and quiet and we are much happier here than at our last place in Santiago.

Jan. 26

The goal today is to find waterproof pants ahead of our trip to Antarctica. It's a big city, how hard can it be? Well. We walk over (and I mean ALL OVER) the area we are staying in. We eventually give up and go to the mall after a wild goose chase.

A side note. Things happen on the road just as they happen at home. Computers break down and need repair. People lose things that need to be replaced. In Jack's case, he had some computer issues but luckily (after much scouring online) was able to find a respectable and not outrageously priced place to get his laptop fixed. And it was only a 10 minute walk from the hotel! Dmitri's fix wasn't as easy. He left his prescription sunglasses in a souvenir shop at the airport and I won't even go into the trouble he went to trying to get them back! Many days, many calls, language issues, etc. No luck. Until........he finds a nice person who agrees to mail them back to the States. However, that's not going to do him any good for the remainder of the trip. So in Santiago, he gets his eyes examined, and gets a pair of glasses made in a few days! Score!

JUST around the corner from our hotel is an entire street FILLED with shops selling eyewear and doing eye exams.

Jan. 27

We check out of the Sommelier Boutique and have a little time before heading across town to check into our cruise hotel. Basically, as part of the cost, they put everyone on the cruise up in the same hotel, then bus us all to a chartered flight at the airport, then bus us to the ship after a flight to Punta Arena. And since these are covid times, there is an even more strict protocol for the check in process.

Much like an earlier note about things happening while on the road, laundry also is a constant thought. Will we drop it off at a service, will be pay the hotel to do it (NO!!!!!) will we wash clothes in the sink? Luckily we found a reasonably priced place a short walk from our hotel. We pick up the laundry we had earlier dropped off! We are starting the cruise with all clean clothes!! Dmitri has a close call with sunglass pick up--he was sweating it out whether they would be ready in time! But they are! Yay. After a nice walk around Santa Lucia hill and the Lasterria area, we head over to our new hotel--the Mandarin. Oh my goodness this is a beautiful hotel!!! Our rooms are spectacular. Which is good because we are swabbed and then have to stay in them until we leave for the hotel. Room service is brought to us. And I sigh as I look at the view of the beautiful hotel pool that I will not be able to swim in. Ah well. They are taking every precaution so that we do not bring covid on the ship.

Be sure to take a look at Mia's video of Chile. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jwf5S2fJ1FU

Off we go to the White Continent.....

More Farisca and Kila cuteness below: