Week 7: No Pictures

 Disclaimer: None of the picture's in this week's blog belong to me. I am typing it from an internet café in Bolivia and I can barely log in to my emails, let alone upload pictures from my camera. Do your best to enjoy those I found on google images. I know they don't have my face in them but they will have to do.

Despite everyone promsing us a truly charmng town, we found Valparaíso just a little too rough around the edges and not quite living up to the hype. This probably wasn't helped by the fact that there had alrady been a 2 week strike by civil servants and therefore no rubbish collection. During our 2 day stay we visited one of the houses of poet Pablo Neruda, took a bat trip in the bay and also had a walking tour, we managed to find the first "real" pizza since entering South America (i.e. a reasonable ratio of pizza base to toppings) and indulged ourselves with some delicious ice cream.

The colourful town of Valparaíso - a UNESCO World Heritage Site

On the final morning we left for Santiago, a 2hr bus journey away, where we had 24 fun-packed hours. We visited the Museo de la memoria, about those who went missing during the rule of Pinochet. I found this oarticulary interesting as in school in the UK we seem to spend all of our childhood and adolescence studying European history (primarily Germany and the two World Wars) and shamefully I knew practically nothing about Chilean history, distant or recent, until I arrived in South America. (Read more about it here) Most of the museum was in Spanish, however, and the effort of reading it made me feel as if my head was going to explode, but did reassure me that my skills are improving. Later in the evening we visited Cerro Santa Lucia in the centre of the city, which appeared to be a sort of zoo or exhibition of smooching couples (much to our distaste.) However it gave us some stunning views with the contrast of city and mountains.

How the pictures from my camera probably look: the view from Cerro Santa Lucia (I suppose)

In the evening we asked the hostel receptionist where the nearest supermarket was, bought some groceies and then decided on the walk back to eat out instad. We had a delicious curry in a hindu restaurant. On our return we asked where a good bar was... then decided to stay in and watch 10 Things I Hate About You instead. Swings and roundabouts.
We took a day bus to Mendoza, once again crossing the border into Argentina. At customs I had a conversation in Spanish with another passenger. (Where are you from? How long have you been travelling? Where did you learn Spanish?) He told me my spanish was very good indeed. Not surprising that he should think so given that I seem to have that very same conversation time and again.


In Mendoza we had a slightly less frantic few days, chillling out and reading on the first day. I have read a number of books I wouldn't usually choose since having my e-reader stolen. In Valparaíso I bought an old copy of The Poseidon Adventure for less than 1GBP. I don't recall too well the most recent film but if you cast your mind back to the original, I am sure it prompts thoughts of adventure, meaningful self-sacrifice and personal epiphany. The book upon which the film is based could not be more different. Although the general storyline is the same (ship capsizes... people try to escape) the attitude of the book is something else completly. I highly recommend that you read it - and although I don't want to ruin it for you, prepare yourself for the worst.

Apparently it is sunny in Mendoza 300 days a year. Unfortunately the next day was not one of them. Eefje and I were both in a bit of a funny mood so we decided to go to the cinema to see Woody Allen's latest film "Blue Jazmine." In the taxi on the way I said "imagine always having to watch a film with subtitles at the cinema all the time" and on the way back my dutch friend said to me "that was strange, they didn't have a break in the middle." We both looked at each other strangely.

The next day was lovely and sunny and it was time for the main event, We took the bus to Maipú where we hired bicycles and did a tour around some of the many wineyards in the area. The region of Mendoza produces 80% of Argentina´s wine. We were careful not to get too squiffy and stopped for empanadas  at a beer garden and for chocolate at the end.

A slightly cloudier day than we had but a spectacular view nonetheless

In the evening we had a surprise guest join us for dinner - my scottish friend Jen who I had met 5 weeks erlier and travelled with. We seem destined to never really part ways.

The following evening after a day of window shopping (the clothes were more expensive than at home - oh, H&M, how I miss you!) Eefje and I took the bus from Mendoza to Salta. At the bus station in Mendoza we bumped into Edgar, who we had first met in Bariloche and then Pucón. He, too, was on our bus to Salta. As I head further north it is starting to feel like I am really travelling and not simply on some sort of elaborate and lengthy holiday. I can't wait for what new destinations will bring.