What a confusing morning......
This morning I got up and readied myself for what should be a good day. I enjoyed my breakfast, and thank goodness I had more to choose from than just eggs. In South America, eggs for breakfast seem to be the staple, and pretty much is offered with every single breakfast. So, as you can imagine, I'm sick of the sight of eggs. So to have a breakfast with so many more options, I was very happy.
Straight after breakfast, I grabbed my gear and made my way down to the lobby. This morning I was going on a city tour of Santiago.
I arrived at around 8.20am, as the itinerary said that my pick up would be between 8.30 and 9.15. So, I sat in the foyer and waited to be picked up.
I talked to some fellow Australian's who were also going on a city tour this morning. We chatted about where we had been, and when we were going home. We were soon distracted by a guide who had turned up. After a bit of clarification, it turned out that my fellow australians weren't on my tour, no, they were booked in with a different tour company, and it was their guide that had turned up. So off they went!!
I, on the other hand continued to sit in the foyer and wait. It got to 9.30 and I thought, hmmmm, maybe they have forgotten me. I saw a couple of other small buses arrive, however nobody got out to collect me. Finally at 9.40, I went up to the concierge to see if he would be able to find out where my tour guide was. He looked at my voucher, and then he recognised the name.... 'Argh Healey, room 704, right'. 'Yes', 'Argh, they come to get you at 8.10, but you not here'.... WHAT!!!!! 'We try to call you, but you no there'.
I started to try and work out what went wrong, however the language barrier was getting tougher and tougher. So he took me straight over to reception, and obviously explained to the guy behind the desk in Spanish what has happened.
I then showed the guy behind the desk my itinerary paperwork showing that I was going to be picked up between 8.30 and 9.15. He was a star, as he phoned the tour company and explained what had happened. The lady on the phone advised that she would call back in 5 mins after she finds out what happened. So I sat down on the bench seat across from the reception desk and waited to find out what will happen. Sure enough, 5 mins later the phone rang and it was the tour company calling back. The reception guy called me over and said that they could offer me an afternoon tour instead, was that ok..... Yes!!! I'm glad we have that sorted. So this afternoon, I will be picked up at 2.30 pm for my Santiago city tour instead!!! I will make sure that I'm there at 2.00..... just to be sure!!!
So I was all dressed up, and had been stood up. So I thought that I might as well head out for a walk and see what I can find.
I walk out on to the Main Street, where there is crazy traffic everywhere. There are car horns honking, and pedestrians madly trying to cross roads without being hit.
I then stumble across the Santiago Municipal park. This place looks interesting, so I decide to walk around in there!!!
The park is in the heart of Santiago, and is found at the top of a hill, that is quite big. I head through the gates, and realise quite quickly that it is quirky and very very interesting. There seems to be some type of castle at the top of a substantial number of stairs. So, off I set. I start climbing the first flight of stairs, and soon realise that there are tiers of gardens, monuments, fountains, and some very old and interesting looking buildings. There are like secret gardens, upon secret gardens, that you only discover once you head up or down a different set of stairs.
As I continue my way up stair case after stair case, I have realised that all of my altitude training has paid off. I climbed each of those stairs with ease. In fact I found myself running up some of them!! It felt good to be actually able to breath whilst climbing up each flight of those stairs!!
I reached the top, and realise that this must have been Santiago's fortress. I think the old cannons give it away, as did the watch towers, which was the part that reminded me of a castle. The view was amazing, however you could see the build up of smog.
I started to descend down from the tower, continuing to discover new gardens and fountains as I walked!! It was a great introduction to Santiago!!
I had soon finished walking through the garden, and decided to head over to the large artesian market. As I walked in, I knew that I couldn't buy too much, as there was no room in my case. However, that soon changed once I started seeing heaps of really cool stuff!! So, without any will power I started buying some things!! Holly crap... I really don't know where this is going to fit, but it will fit!! Even if I have to wear 4 layers on the plane... I'm getting my new purchases home!!
I slowly made my way back to the hotel, and dropped off all of my new purchases back in my room!!
It was then time to get back down to the lobby to wait for my city tour. I managed to get there soon after 2pm. Right on 2.30, my guide walked through the door and introduced herself as Christina.
I jumped in the van, and there was a guy already in there. We said hi, and I found a seat, as we continued on to another hotel to pick up some more people.
As Christina got out of the van to collect the other passengers, the guy came further down the van and started talking to me. He was from South Africa, and was here to try and learn Spanish so that he could become a tour guide. It was all about him though.... and as soon as the guide came back on the bus he scooted back up the front to continue the journey.
The other travellers were Mexican, so Spanish was going to be the predominant language spoken in this van. Confirmed, only when the tour guide said that her English isn't that good as she is in fact the French guide, not English. Great!!
So I sat in the van, and listened to a mostly Spanish tour of Santiago. We drove past monuments and neighbourhoods of interest, and I was starting to think that this was a really crappy tour.
The first time we actually got out of the van, was when we turned up to the municipal park that I had already been to this morning. We climbed up to the top... and again I did it with ease!! This altitude training really has paid off.
I soon realised that I went to the park at the best time this morning, as by this afternoon there was so much smog that you could hardly see any of Santiago!!
The South African guy then started to take over from the actual tour guide. He started telling me all about the fortress we were at, and I thought I was going to die from boredom. I don't need to know the complete history of Chile and this site, an overview would be sufficient. But, he just droned on and on, I could hardly keep my eyes open!! YAWN!!! He finally stopped yabbering, and I walked away as quick as I could!! This guy can not be serious.... He's not a tour guide, and he's not even from Chile.
We started to descend down the hill again, and made our way back to the van, continuing on with our tour. We headed to the historical part of town, and this is where we found all of the old palaces and cathedrals. Again we got out of the van, and we started to walk around.
Christina started to discuss each of the buildings, and was actually doing quite well with her English. But the pompous South African w***er felt that it was his job to continually correct her. It was driving me mental, and was blowing Cristina's confidence. The other annoying thing, was that Christina would explain in Spanish what the buildings were, and then she would start to explain in English. Everytime, the Mexicans would interrupt mid sentence with a question, so Christina would stop the English translation to answer them in Spanish. So, all of my explanations were always interrupted and disjointed. Rrrrrr.
We walked around the old part of town for a while.... and I just took in all of the views. Santiago really is beautiful, with its French inspired architecture.
Christina showed us where Chilean's go for lunch, and it's what I would like to call fast food alley!! Would you believe that most people in Santiago eat hotdogs for lunch?? If I didn't see it with my own two eyes I wouldn't have believed it either. In the business district there is a pedestrian alley, that is lined with hotdog shop after hotdog shop. No one sits and eats.... Instead, they just stand against the shop bench top and eat their food standing up!!
It was here that the Mexicans again showed so little respect for everyone else on the tour, they stopped off to order some food, and proceeded to stand there and eat it whilst everyone else was left to wait!! That's crap!!! Christina went to find them, and organised for them to take the remainder of their food away. In the meantime, pompous w***er bailed me up, and started to bore the crap out of me again, this time with the history of Chile's architecture. Gees, heaven help the poor b******s that get stuck with this guy as a tour guide. I ended up tuning out, and just watching people walking past.... My favourite pastime, people watching!!
Finally, the Mexicans and Christina reappeared to save me from my misery!! We headed back to the van, and climbed back in. I look at my watch, 6pm.... back to the hotel we go!!
Hahahaha, well, you can imagine my surprise when we drive straight past my hotel. This is soon turning into the tour that is never going to end.
We make our way across town, and head to the Beverley Hills of Santiago. We visit a beautiful park that was built by and for all of the people of Santiago, to celebrate their bicentennial year of independence. However, there is a lot of unrest about this park, as it just happens to be situated in the same neighbourhood as the richest of rich Chileans.
We continued into the heart of 'Beverley Hills' and drove down the equivalent to 'Rodeo Drive', and watched as we passed all of the big name designer shops.
Finally, soon after 7pm, we turned around and start to head back to our hotels!!! Thank goodness!!
Time to rest up. If I have trouble falling asleep tonight, I will just recall pompous w***ers conversations.... that will do the trick!!!