My Earthquake Experience

Setting: Chile - Saturday, 27th of February - 3.34am

Either you we soundly sleeping or you were in the final stages of some hedonistic form of indulgence.

Scene: Santiago, Chile – Our apartment on the 22nd floor.

Even though I had only gone to bed about an hour and a half earlier, for some reason I woke up a minute or so before the shaking started. It’s a habit of mine to wake up a minute or two before tremors, aftershocks and now it seems major earthquakes. It’s most likely to be pure coincidence since I tend to wake up at least 2 or 3 times per night anyway.
So there I was, unaware or the time, trying to snuggle deeper into my pillow when the bed started moving slightly.
Ok, our bed moves a lot anyway so the wife must be rolling over. No, she was totally out to it.
My first thought was, Ok, just another tremor.
Then the bed started moving a bit more. My wife awakens and sleeply asks if it is a tremor (¿Está temblando?).
Then we can hear the rattling of the perfumes as they knock each other in the bathroom. Ok, this is just a strong tremor we thought, no reason to get out of bed since we are used to them.
The thing is, things began shaking a lot more.
OK, this is getting a bit more serious, it’s quite strong now. Let’s get up, you see if the kids are okay and I’ll open the front door to stop it from jamming.
On the way to the door the shaking increased considerably. In my mind it was around 6.5 (I have experienced many tremors/earthquakes so you get used to figuring out).
I got to the door, unlocked it, left it open slightly, turned around, and then the full force of the earthquake came into play.
I couldn’t more forward and had to hold onto the wall to stay up. I looked out the large ceiling to floor windows in our living room and could see just how much our building was swaying. We are lucky to have an uninhibited view of most of the city though on this occasion that view was scary. I could see sectors of the city blacking out one by one and explosions of light flashing the night sky here and there. When the earthquake reached its highest point and the lights in our own building went out, I thought “This is it! We’re not coming out of this alive.” I have not been so scared in my entire life. The shaking, the rattling and the creaking of the building heightened the sensation of eminent death. That very moment has scarred me emotionally. Even now when I enter our apartment at night, the first thing I see is that same view I had the night of the earthquake and it’s not the most pleasant memory.


Immediately after the earthquake

The violent shaking gradually slowed down and then eventually stopped. I could finally walk to our children’s room to see if they were ok. My wife had been standing over them the entire time, while supporting herself against the wall, making sure nothing fell on them. Interestingly they were still sound asleep! We didn’t wake them up straight away since we had to get dressed, get together clothes and things for the kids so as to leave the building as soon as possible. After a big earthquake like the one we had just experienced there is a large probability of a strong aftershock soon after so we didn’t want to be in the apartment for it.

We didn’t have a lantern or flashlight so I turned on my laptop and used the light of the screen to help us see a little better. Just in case, candles are not a good idea to use after an earthquake since its naked flame is a risk if there are broken gas pipes nearby. Once we had our bag of essentials ready, we woke up the kids, dressed them and set off down 22 flights of stairs. I carried our eldest son, my wife the youngest and fortunately one of the neighbours on the same floor as us had waited outside our open door so she took the bag for us.

Entering the stairway we were greeted by water running done the walls and down the steps. We found out later that a pipe that feeds the swimming pool on the roof had broken. There were also cracks running down the middle of the ceiling above the stairs (which is only where the plaster had fallen from the joins, no serious structural damage), as well as paint chips and fallen plaster everywhere. Dust that smelt like old concrete also hung heavily in the air, strange since it’s a new building. Before we knew it we had scrambled down the stairs and arrived at the first floor in no time. Many other people had already arrived, some in pajamas, some half dressed and one wrapped in a blanket. Everyone was wondering, how strong the quake was on the Richter scale, where the epicenter was, most likely Santiago we thought due to the strength of the shaking (though in reality not true). The first crackling announcements that could be picked up from an old battery-operated radio in reception mentioned it was a 8.5 earthquake. Later we would learn it was 8.8. We, as well as the rest of the country, tried to contact family and other loved ones to let them know we were safe and to see how they were. Unfortunately all the lines were saturated which added to everyone’s desperation. After what seemed like an eternity we eventually got in touch with my wife’s parents who came and picked us up to take us back to their single-floor house.
We eventually got to bed (or more like got to ‘mattress on the floor’) as the first light of day started appearing to reveal the real damage to the country.

Damage

The strangest thing about this earthquake after hearing and seeing so many different stories and images was that absolutely nothing in our house was broken. Not only that, the only things that fell from anywhere were some papers that were near the TV in our bedroom had fallen onto the ground. There was even an empty bottle of beer sitting near the edge on the kitchen bench that maintained upright. I remember the shaking and it was hard to stay up on my feet, so why didn’t it fall?
We heard that people in apartments above us and below us had lost a lot of things and had a large mess to clean up afterwards. Strange!!! We must have angels protecting us.
In our language institute it was the same situation, only a small ceramic souvenir from Colombia had fallen from a bookshelf. Again nothing else had happened.

After all of the news on television and in newspapers about the numerous buildings with crumbled walls, collapsed foundations or just leaning to one side unnaturally (one actually fell over), my wife and I walked the seven levels of underground parking to check our building’s foundations, pillars, walls and ceiling to see whether there was any structural damage. Fortunately there was none whatsoever.


Afterthoughts (not to be confused with aftershocks)

As a consequence of the earthquake two of our neighbours are no longer living on our floor. I imagine the same thing has happened in many other apartment buildings. I don’t blame them. It was difficult for us to return to our apartment on the 22nd floor and we ourselves had even thought of leaving it to live in a ‘normal’ house.

We discovered that some people in our apartment building couldn’t open their doors due to the double locks being stuck which is why you should open the door then seek protection.
I have also learnt that the age-old lesson about going under a table or doorway is actually one of the worst places to be. Ok, it does stop things from falling on you…. unless it’s the ceiling or floors above you. There is now talk of the ‘Triangles of Life’ where you should lay next to a bed or other chunk piece of furniture that is not easily crushed. That way if the roof or walls do fall on you, a small space in the shape of a triangle is formed that ‘protects’ you. Its efficiency is still disputed.

Why have there been so many earthquakes this year? Haiti was first (7.0), then Chile (8.8), then there was one on the border of Mexico and the States the other day (7.2) and now one yesterday in Sumantra (7.7). Mother Earth seems to be mad!


Quick fact

The recent earthquake in Chile has been the 5th strongest (on the Richter scale) in the last 100 years and the 7th strongest in recorded history.

So if you were in Chile during the earthquake, how did you experience it?

If you have already blogged about it, feel free to leave a link to it below.

Chile Earthquake Help

 

Ritz Ball - Santiago 2010

There is a black tie charity ball coming up at the end of the month and having been to many other ones organised by the Australian Embassy, they are a load of fun. Seriously you have a ball! (...and it's not just because I won the return flight to Australia two years running! - Yes, certain diplomats still groan about that - you know who you are!)

Unfortunately I won't be able to go this year since I will be out of Santiago (Clue - Pisco & UFOs) but I have included the details about it below:

Saturday 30 January 2010
Time: 8:00pm
Place: The Ritz-Carlton Hotel (Avda Apoquindo)

Organised by the Australian Embassy

Tickets: $40,000 (Chilean Pesos)
All-inclusive
Pre-dinner cocktails,
Hors d'oeuvres, 3-course meal

Beer, wine & champagne
Cash bar available for other drinks

Live music and DJ

Dress: Black Tie

All proceeds go to charity.
Grand Raffle tickets sold on the night.

Tickets are limited, no door sales.
Ticket and table reservations available from:

Julie Shiels
(Australian Embassy)

Remember... It's for a worthy cause!

Volcanic Traffic Light

Have you ever heard of a traffic light for volcanoes?
Well you can find one in Pucon, Chile.

Downtown in front of the Municipal building (and next to the fire station) you will find a traffic light that lets you know in what state the local volcano, called Volcán Villarrica, is in. Even though the town is wedged between the imposing volcano and the lake, you still may need to check out this traffic light above to confirm that the red stuff spurting from the volcano top is actually lava and not just raspberry sludge.

And to help you figure out what is happening, they have the following sign to let you know what each colour means.



Below is an English translation of the sign above:

Volcanic Risk Alert System
Located in the Municipality Building front Entrance

Green Indicates:
Presence of fumaroles and increase of them
Underground noise and continuous local seismic activity
Glacier cracks
Sulphurous smell

Amber Indicates:
Medium to strong earthquakes
Reddish glows and moderate blasts
Temperature increase in thermal pools
Small lava flows

Red Indicates:
RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!!!!!! (just kidding)
Strong and continuous seismic activity
Tremor banded seismic swarms
Blasts and Explosions
Pyroclastic flow
Lahar generation

If you live in:
Los Arrayanes – Libertad – Bomberos de Chile – El Claro - Jardines del Claro – Sector Aeropuerto – Villa entre Rios
You must go to: Los Calabozos Alto
And just a random Spanish lesson for your curiosity… Calabozos means Dungeons in Spanish. So your choice is between being the next Pompeian-like attraction curled up on the side of the street or go to a dungeon.

If you live in:
Tres Esquinas – Pucon Centro – Cordillera Alto y Bajo – Prudencia Mora – Aduana – Esfuerzo – Maitahue – Villa Lafquen – Las Vertientes – Las Castaños – Camino Volcan – Antumalal – La Turbina – Las Araucarios – Obispo Valdés – El Bosque – Los Robles – Estadio ...
Basically you are screwed because the lava will get you and turn you into a crispy critter before you can get anywhere safe (just kidding if you hadn’t noticed)
You must go to: La Península

Now if the volcano were exploding with hot rocks the size of cars crashing about you, do you think you would ready need to go to the Municipal building to see if the light were red and then calmly read where you have to go?

All kidding aside, it shows that Volcan Villarrica can be a real threat. Just look at the wisps of smoke coming out of it every day showing how active it really is.

Oh, and if you are interested, there are loads of guided tours that take you up to the crater at a hideous hour of the morning (leave at 5 or 6am). My wife and I did the trek as a part of our honeymoon trip many years ago.

Chilean Presidential Election Street Celebrations

Sebastián Piñera, the guy that owns most of Chile, was elected as the country's next president (2010-2014) after the results of the second decisive round of the election came through on Sunday.

The Left has finally succumbed to the Right after holding power over the last 20 years so of course there was a lot of celebrating in the street. The following video was taken from the middle of the main street of Pucón (South of Chile).


Notice the beeping of horns (typical of any Chilean celebration) and people hanging out of car windows while the carabineros (police) look out without doing anything (probably want to avoid getting lynched by the euphoric crowd).

What do you think about the result of this election?

Pucon Flowers & Elections

Just some flowers to brighten your day!

This is a flower stand on a street in called Caupolicán near the wharf in Pucon. Yes, I am still in Pucon having been a week here though I will be heading back to Santiago tomorrow.

Today is an important day for Chile since the country’s president will be decided in this all important second round. Why a second round (like a boxing match)? Well, the first round held in December was between all presidential hopefuls. If no-one gets a 50% majority then voting goes to a second round a month later between the top two candidates of the first round. This time it is between Eduardo Frei and Sebastian Piñera. It’s hard to say who will win today, it’s going to be very close.

Pichilemu Hotel and Square

I'm currently in Pucon so have some more photos and stuff coming up!

Here are a couple of pages I just uploaded about our weekend in Pichilemu.
Just very quickly... it's a cool place...

This is where we stayed which we recommend: Hotel Chile España
And this is a plaza nearby (mainly photos this page): Plaza Arturo Prat

More coming soon, including about the international surfing competition!

Pichilemu International Surf Championship

For all you surfers and beach lovers out there…

The Pichilemu International Surf Championship 2010 (Campeonato Internacional de Surf Pichilemu 2010) will be held over the next days, specifically the 8th and 9th of January with the closing ceremony on Sunday 10th when the $3.5 million pesos in prizes will be given out. The championship open to both men and women will be at the Infiernillo, Punta de Lobos and La Puntilla sectors of Pichilemu.

During the championship there will be various other activities happening at the same time including a fashion show with well-known national models and a cultural fair with around 70 stands including local handicraft and gastronomy.

We'll be there this weekend so will post some photos / videos later on.

La Esmeralda leaving Valparaiso

The Esmeralda, also known as La Dama Blanca (The White Lady) is the second tallest (48.5m – 159ft) and longest (113m – 371ft) sailing ship in the world. Belonging to the Chilean Navy it is used as the training ship for their cadets (only 50 or so are in training at any one time) and holds up to 333 sailors in total.

On the 3rd of January 2010, the Esmeralda set sail on a journey that will take her over 20,433 nautical miles visiting ports in Argentina, Uruguay, Brazil, Peru, Ecuador, Venezuela, Dominican Republic, Mexico, United States and Panama. The ship won’t return to Valparaiso until the 8th of August 2010, just in time for the Chile’s bicentennial celebrations.

Below is a video of the Esmeralda leaving port that day:



A little history about the Esmeralda

Building of the ship started in Spain in 1946 though was halted many times, only being completed in 1953. In 1951 ownership of the partially completed ship was transferred to Chile as a part of Spain’s debt payment to the country.

During the Pinochet regime the boat was “supposedly” used as a floating jail and torture chamber for political prisoners. The British priest Miguel Woodward was one of those killed aboard in September 1973.
(I bet you won’t find anything about that on the Esmeralda’s official site!)

For information about the Esmeralda and where it is at the moment (in Spanish), check out their official website: www.esmeralda.cl

Videos of New Year at Valparaiso Chile

These videos are part of the fireworks display you will see if you go to celebrate New Year's in Valparaiso, Chile. I videoed the entire show which lasted just over 20 minutes. Have in mind that the video doesn't do the display justice and that I only shot three of the seventeen launch sites.
So, without further ado... here is the complete fireworks display divided into two parts:

Part One:



Part Two with the grand finale:



P.S. If you sit through the entire two videos, I think you need to get out of the house a little more. :)

Hope the year has started off well for you!

Valparaiso New Year Fireworks Celebration

This post is now at Valparaiso New Year

Thanksgiving in Santiago

I am not from the States though I thought some of you may be interested in the following:

Thanksgiving Dinner

Thursday November 26 - 7:30 p.m.

Join us for a traditional Thanksgiving dinner (from the USA) – turkey, mashed potatoes and gravy – even pumpkin pie!

The cost is $3.000 for adults and $1.000 for children, plus a contribution of one item (side dish or appetizer).

All are welcome, but there is limited seating, so get your place reserved soon!

Organised by the Santiago Community Church
Holanda 151
Providencia
Santiago
Chile

Does anyone know of any other Thanksgiving events happening in South America?

What are your plans for Thanksgiving?

Christmas Bazaars in Santiago 2009

There are a number of Bazaars organised by the International Expat community coming up in Santiago should you want to do some early Christmas shopping.

BIG Christmas Bazaar

Tuesday 17th of November from 11 am to 3 pm

Prince of Wales Country Club
Las Arañas 1901, La Reina

Handicrafts, Jewellery, Artists, Baked Goods, Express Massage

ENTRANCE: $1000
All funds donated to Charity

And then there is my favourite Bazaar which is organised by the 'Diplomatic Ladies'...

The International Bazaar organized every year by the ADD (Asociación de Damas Diplomáticas) will be on Saturday 28th of November this year. It will be held in the Parque Ines de Suarez, located between Avenida Bilbao and Calle Vasconia in Providencia from 10am to 8pm.

This year there are more than 25 countries participating with crafts, international cuisine and local beverages. In addition, several countries have prepared unique cultural shows.

Please come and join us - along with your friends and families! It will be great fun and your contribution will help alleviate the needs of several disadvantaged people.

Entrance $1500 pesos per person.
Children under 12 free of charge.

My favourite thing about the Damas Diplomáticas fair are the food stands. There is an amazing variety of food from many different countries. Also the products that are on offer have usually been imported by the embassies or expats especially for the occasion.

Hope you enjoy them!

Winter Carnival - Punta Arenas

If for ever reason you plan to be in Punta Arenas in the middle of winter, try and time it for the same time as the Punta Arenas Winter Carnival. This is an annual event held every August filled with costumes parades, the big decorative floats, lots of dancing and music which is enough to warm people’s spirits during the coldest, darkest month of the year.

It all happens at the Main Square and some surrounding streets with a fireworks display on the final night down near the waterfront (just follow the herd to get there).

I stayed at Hotel Plaza which overlooks the square though unfortunately I didn’t have a decent camera to get better night shots though you can still get a general idea of the carnival vibe from the ones I did take. See them at: Punta Arenas Winter Carnival

I also have some video footage from the carnival which I will publish here when I get time.

Chubby fingers or Trees?

The cemetery of Punta Arenas is not your typical necropolis. It is a fascinating place to stroll around with its immaculately trimmed cypress trees that look like giant chubby fingers protruding from the ground. Some of the mausoleums seem like miniature cathedrals; each one lavishly built to outdo the last.

There are also many urban legends surrounding the cemetery:
Did you know that only one person has ever gone through the front gate, the same person that paid for them to be built?
Do you know why some people visit Sara Braun’s mausoleum every 1st of November?
Do you know who the unknown Indian is? (Of course you don’t, otherwise he wouldn’t be unknown any more)

If you are curious to find answers to these questions and learn more about the cemetery, then visit our recently created page about the Punta Arenas Cemetery.

Oh, and there are plenty of photos there too!

New Panoramic View of Punta Arenas

Our new version of the panoramic view of Punta Arenas as seen from the hill overlooking the city.

This time it was done with a video recorder instead of just the normal camera so the quality of the image is a lot better. Also the panning from one side to the other is a lot slower so you have more time to look at the details.

The lookout from where this was taken is around 7 blocks up the hill from the main square.

Una vista Panorámica de Punta Arenas desde el mirador a 7 cuadras de la Plaza de Armas.



Enjoy!

Flying Whales at Punta Arenas Airport

This is a video I took at the Airport of Punta Arenas in the South of Chile. It is the view from the second floor overlooking the main parts of the airport including what to expect when you go through the exit door after picking up your luggage (if it arrives!).

What makes the airport interesting are its flying whales. Well, they aren't actually flying, they are hanging from the ceiling above everyone. These artistic creations are quite impressive since the whales are made of many individual 'slices' of clear acrylic. See if you can find them in the general overview in the video before I zoom in on them. One of the whales even has a smaller baby whale inside of it. Pretty cool!

Kiss the Indian's big toe

This post is now at with a load more new information: www.southamerica.me/kiss-indian-toe-punta-arenas/

Day trip to Puerto Aysen

Last Saturday I visited Puerto Aysén (also spelt Puerto Aisén) which is 65km from Coyhaique in the deep south of Chile. The small town can easily be visited as a day trip from Coyhaique so I thought I’d take advantage of being in the region to check it out.



You can see more photos of Puerto Aysén at:
www.southamerica.cl/Chile/Puerto_Aysen.htm

Including one of a Tsunami Evacuation sign and the reason why it is there.

Hope you enjoy them!

Mapuche Musical Instruments

I was traveling around Chile last week and will be away for most of the rest of the month, basically visiting 12 different cities in the South of Chile.

On Friday I was in Temuco and after a great lunch at ‘El Criollito’ (the sopaipillas they serve before the meal are divine!) in the Mercado Municipal (City Council Market) and had a stroll around the many arts and crafts stands that were displaying the wares. I came across one that I found interesting where typical Mapuche musical instruments were being sold. I asked the man at the stand (Francisco Diaz) if he would be able to demonstrate the different instruments and give the names of them which he kindly obliged. The result is the following short video:



I will eventually get around to writing down the names of each instrument he mentioned and add them as captions to the video.

If you are interested in any of these instruments, his stand is number 40-B at the end of one of the rows at the Mercado Municipal of Temuco. It's called Artesania 'La Nortina'.

I hope you enjoyed it.

Have you experienced a Terremoto in Chile?

Have you experienced a Terremoto in Chile?

Here we are not talking about the violent movements of the Earth but the iconic Chilean drink known as the Terremoto!

So what exactly is it?

TERREMOTO - Pipeño (a type of sweet fermented wine) with pineapple ice-cream served in a one-litre glass. Terremoto literally translates as 'Earthquake' since you are left with the ground (and legs) feeling very shaky. The next round usually contains the same drink though only in a glass that holds half a litre. This is called a Replica or 'aftershock'.

(Source: http://www.southamerica.cl/Chile/Drinks.htm)

This famous drink (you can’t really call it a cocktail and keep a straight face) originated at a well-known eating establishment/bar in Santiago called El Hoyo (literally translated as The Hole or Pit).

The story goes that some German reporters came to Santiago to report about the damages caused by the major earthquake that had struck the city in March 1985. Due to the heat, the reporters asked for something refreshing so a waiter called Guillermo Valenzuela added some ice-cream to a glass of pipeño. When they tried the concoction, they supposedly said “Esto sí que es un Terremoto” (This truly is an earthquake) due to how strong it was and the name stuck even since.

And those Germans weren’t far from the truth; this stuff will leave you shaking at the knees.

Terremoto Recipe

The recipe is very simple with no measuring instruments required.

1. Clump some pineapple ice-cream into a jug.
2. Fill the remainder of the jug up with pipeño (or fermented white wine)
3. Serve in a glass and drink.

Have you ever experienced a Terremoto?

Visit our South America Food and Drink Group to discover more food and drink from the continent.

New Credit Card system in Chile

No more worrying about falsified signatures, as of today a new system came into place regarding the use of credit cards in Chile. Now, if you want to buy something with a credit card you must have a 4-digit secret code called a PinPass. The reason for this change is to help prevent credit card fraud which is good both for the card holder and businesses.
The only other country in the world with this special system is Australia. Source (in Spanish): Las Últimas Noticias (a local newspaper).

Below I have some frequent questions about this new system in Chile:

Is it a new credit card?
No, it’s the same one you already have.

How can a get the PinPass or secret password?
Each bank has their own way of giving the code. With some you will have to get it online, with others via the ATM machine and others via a call center. Check with your local bank.

When can you start using the PinPass?
As of today (14 July 2009) some major companies will start using this system including Lider supermarkets, service stations such as Copec, Shell and Terpel as well as the SalcoBrand pharmacies. The idea is to have all of the 60,000 stores and restaurants with this new system by mid August.

How does this system work?
The moment that you buy anything with a credit card, the saleperson will ask you to confirm the amount of purchase and then to type in your PinPass number. Once the transaction has been completed, you will receive a receipt as proof of purchase (via the credit card machine).

Can I continue to use the traditional credit card system?
There will be a transition period where you will be able to purchase both with the PinPass system as well as the traditional sign the dotted line way. In about 3 months time you will only be able to purchase using the PinPass system.

Can I purchase products overseas using my secret number?
No, the only other country with this system is Australia so if you are overseas, you will continue using the traditional signature system.

Do additional cards have a different PinPass number?
Yes, if a partner or other family member has an additional card for your account, they will have their own PinPass number.

Does this have any additional cost for the user?
No, it is the same as before though now a safer way of purchasing.


My only question is what will happen to foreigners visiting the country when they make a purchase. Will they need to obtain their own PinPass number? How will they do this?

If I find out, I will let you know. If anyone else happens to know the answer, please leave a comment below.

Check out our following page for information about Money in Chile.

La Tirana Festival Cancelled

One of Chile’s largest and most colourful religious celebrations has been cancelled this year (2009).

The ‘Fiesta de la Tirana’ is held every 16th of July in honour of the Virgen del Carmen and brings together over 200-250,000 people to a town that normally only has 570 people (that's a three-digit number, not in thousands, of course with a few dogs and chickens thrown in there to beef up the numbers).

Even though 230 religious dance groups had already confirmed their attendance, the Chilean Ministry of Health ‘suspended’ the festival due to the large number of cases of the A/H1N1 Flu virus (Swine Flu) in the region. This is only the second time in the event’s long history that it has been cancelled. The last time was in 1991 due to a Cholera outbreak.

La Tirana, the name of the little town, is in the Tarapacá region in the north of Chile.
(Sorry, no pretty pictures of this festival, we are yet to go!)

Third Blues Festival of Talagante 2009

An event that we have sponsored this year.

Third Blues Festival of Talagante
(3º Festival de Blues de Talagante)

Day: Saturday 30th of May 2009
Time: From 1pm.
Where: Plaza de Armas de Talagante (Talagante Main Square)

Organizers: Corporación Cultural de Talagante and Cerveza Artesanal TAJANO
Sponsors: Ilustre Municipalidad de Talagante (Talagante City Council) and Woodward Chile / SouthAmerica.cl

FREE ENTRANCE!!!!

Blues groups and musicians playing:
* Sumergidos
* Iost & MannishBoy Quilodran
* Bellavista Blues
* Los Tios DP
* Los Queltehues
* Felipe Toro y Bluesman
* Filántropos
* Vintage Blues
* Araya & Gumucio
* Magnolia

+ Surprise guests.

Valdivia Airport Closed

I have to give a seminar in Valdivia on the 1st of June and when looking for a flight there on LAN, nothing came up. I checked for dates around it and again nothing. The same happened when checking out SKY airlines. Weird I thought! Had the 1960 earthquake there (the strongest in the world) come back and finally wiped Valdivia off the map as originally intended?

I gave an airline a call and they said that the airport is closed during May and June for repairs. Interesting.
I wonder how that will affect the city in general. Less tourism? I personally like Valdivia and surrounding areas so it would be a shame for people to skip it. Then again, planes are mostly filled with people on business or work more than the common tourist.

Looking at other options, the closest airport is Osorno with few (inconvenient) flights or Puerto Montt and doing a major-ish trek across land. Let the juggling begin!

Happy Pisco Day!

Happy Pisco Day!

The 15th of May is officially the Día Nacional del Pisco or National Day of Pisco in Chile!

Check out this article (in Spanish) on the Government of Chile website stating how President Bachelet signed the decree today.

Why did they choose this date? Well on this same date in 1931, Ex President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo decreed law N° 181, in which the production of Pisco was limited to the then provinces of Atacama and Coquimbo in order to protect the denomination of origin of Pisco. Of course the bragging rights to the origin of Pisco are still heavily disputed between Chile and Peru.

If you don’t know what Pisco is yet, check out: Chilean Pisco

I'll drink to that!

Chile legally has to celebrate Argentina’s National Day

This post is now at: www.southamerica.me/chile-celebrate-argentina-national-day

How much the President earns

Did you know that the President of Chile currently earns $7,326,180 (Chilean pesos) a month?

How do I know?
A Government Transparency law has recently come into effect where each public sector from the Government to City Councils needs to allow the public to freely access information about everything administrative. This includes finding out how much everyone gets paid and where their tax-paying money goes, to what has been sold and bought and to/from who and for how much. You can learn interesting tidbits like the Carpenter at the Palacio Cerro Castillo, the presidential palace in Viña del Mar, has been working there since the 1st June 1992 and earns $478.304 a month.

If you want to check out who earns what in the Government of Chile, check out: http://www.presidencia.cl/transparencia/ (in Spanish)

For those that know Spanish, it's a part of the Gobierno Transparente Ley 20.285 – sobre acceso a la información pública.

On the local city council’s website I saw the signature of the Mayor that was responsible for the ‘Noise Police’ that tell us to turn down the decibels after they receive phone calls from the bitter granny that lives on the third floor nearby, and once she has run out of stones to throw at us. It’s not our fault she goes to bed before 10pm on a Friday night! It’s not even music just a dozen or so people talking! Anyway…

I could also find out who was contracted to supply emergency power to the traffic lights in the case of a power cut. The thing is, whenever the power goes out in the office, the traffic lights on the main street just in front of us also die. So much for the emergency power supply.

A lot more interesting is seeing the latest business permits in the suburb, the names of their company and what they do etc.

My only question is why are there so many stamps on the paperwork dated 17th of this Month. That is the Friday just gone by (the law came into force the Monday after). Was it a case of “Damn, we have to put something up online before we get our hands slapped” and to make it appear like they already had some transparent system already in place?

I wonder what other interesting things I can dig up.

Do you think this law will really make things more transparent in Chile?

Villa Alegre - Happy Town

One of the little towns we visited in the South of Chile earlier this year was Villa Alegre. This town (with its name loosely translated as Happy Town) has streets lined with oranges trees and traditional colonial style houses. For such a small place it interestingly holds many surprises.

Villa Alegre is home to the Festival de la Canción de La Naranja (Festival of the Song of the Orange) where they have their Naranja de Plata (Silver Orange) as a prize similar to the Gaviota de Plata (Silver Seagull) given out at the Festival de Viña del Mar.

Then there is the church on the main road with the remains of Father Juan Ignacio Molina who wrote about the theory of evolution 4 decades before Darwin (it was even cited by Darwin).

It is only 32km south of Talca so worth stopping by if you are heading further down the country.

More information and photos at Villa Alegre.

Vitacura Wine Festival 2009

Do you like wine festivals?

Well an event that I have been waiting for is the Vitacura Fiesta de la Vendimia 2009.
Why have I been waiting for it? Not because I’m alcoholic, but because it’s only recently they have given the information of where it will be held and the reason is that they have changed the venue and the name of the event (a tiff between the city council and the previous organizers??)

Over the last years the event was on the exclusive Alonso de Córdova Street and called the DeCopas festival. Now it is called the Fiesta de Vendimia de Vitacura.

Place: Parque Bicentenario (Av. Bicentenario 3800 next to the civic centre)
When: Saturday 18th April 2009 3pm to Midnight and
Sunday 19th April 2009 Noon to 8pm.
Price: Free activities all day though those that want to do some wine tasting will have to buy a special tasting glass. I haven’t found the price of that yet.

Remember it is THIS WEEKEND!!!!

More information here: Vitacura Wine Festival

People in Chile speak Spanish

This is post is now at People in Chile speak Spanish

Pirque Wine Festival this weekend

Remember that this weekend has one of the last Wine festivals in Chile for this year.

The Pirque Wine Festival 2009

This Celebration reinforces the vision of Pirque as "the Capital of Wine" and Cradle of Traditions and Wine Culture. The event will take place on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of April (2009), in Vicente Huidobro Park in Pirque, where the Rodeo 'Half Moon' is located along side 18 hectares of park.

It started last night with the main activities happening this Saturday and Sunday.

General Entrance: $2.500
Entrance with Tasting Glass: $5.000

More Information and the original site at www.fiestadelvinodepirque.cl (in Spanish).

Mega Concerts in Chile

Something that I love about Chile is the number of bands and singers that come through and this last week has been no exception with the Pepsi Music Fest.

These are some that have come through over the last days.
24th March – Peter Gabriel (I love the song Solsbury Hill)
25th March – Chris Cornell and Mike Patton
28th March – Rick Astley, Aha and Blondie (wow a real blast from the past)
29th March – Sonic Youth
3rd April (tonight) – KISS (complete with long-tongued Gene Simmons, kilos of make-up and spiky bits)

Even legendary guitarists such as Yngwie Malmsteen, Joe Satriani and Steve Vai have been here, and more than once. I myself am a (failed) guitarist so seeing these guys strut their stuff in the flesh is amazing. (Would still like to see Eddie here with Van Halen in Chile)

Then there was the Madonna concert in December! Perfection on stage and highly entertaining it was an amazing concert (you would never tell that she is a 50-year-old).

Have you been to many concerts here in Chile? Which ones? Any favourites?
Who would you like to see here?

Chile is a late night society

This is post is now at Chile is a late night society

Free WiFi on buses

Tur Bus and Claro Chile started a free service last week that lets passengers traveling with them between Santiago and different destination in the 5th region (most typically Viña del Mar and Valparaíso) to have access to WiFi (3G network). Only problem is that only 10 users can be connected at any one time but at least it is better than none.

To begin with 90 buses on the Santiago – Casa Blanca – Valparaíso route will have this free service in place and they look to extend it to other parts over the year.

Apparently the same service has already been running for around a year on the two-floor buses of the “Talca, Paris y Londres” bus company based in Talca.

Does anyone else know of any buses with this service either in Chile or other parts of South America?
Has anyone used the Wifi on any of the buses on the Valparaíso route?

Bali Hai Restaurant in Santiago

Ten of our staff went to Bali Hai restaurant at the end of last year and of course we did some serious eating, drinking and general indulging, oh, and we even took some photos while we were there. It was a Monday night, it was packed with photo-trigger-happy tourists that had just been unloaded from tour buses, but we still managed to enjoy the night. Since my eternal To-Do list never stops growing it is only now that I could put up our review and some photos of the place.

You can see our comments about the restaurant here at: Bali Hai
And you may want to see some photos of the traditional Chilean / Polynesian dance show while you are at it.

Basically it comes down to the food was good, the show was very well done though it still doesn’t beat my favourite place for a typical Chilean show at Los Buenos Muchachos. (Yes, I have photos from the many times we’ve been there too but it’s also on the To-Do list).

Has anyone else been to Bali Hai? What did you think of it?

Anthony Bourdain in Chile

Yes Anthony Bourdain, the same guy that appears eating anything that crosses his path on the No Reservations (Sin Reservas) programme on the Travel & Living channel was recently in Chile.

The chef was filming a new episode for the season which took him to Valparaiso, Santiago, Rancagua, Puerto Varas, Puerto Montt and Chiloé (amongst other places).

The highlight of his trip was the iconic ‘El Hoyo’ down near Estación Central (it’s been around since 1912). This ‘restaurant’ is a classic ‘picada’ (a place where all the locals go and recommend for being good and cheap). I last visited it about 7 years ago though I doubt much will have changed in this truly Chilean experience.

His favourite Chilean dishes were Lomitos, Prietas (Blood Sausages - I can’t stand them) and he also loved the Arrollado (he loves Pork which is probably why).
Whereas having tried Piures, (a seafood dish) he didn’t know whether they were “delicious or a crime.”
If you are wondering what exactly these are… check out our page about Typical Chilean Food.

And his opinion about Chilean wine… "I drank so much and without knowing exactly what it was, but it was very good".

Saludos

El Cajón del Maipo

A Photo for today...



One of the valleys of the Cajón del Maipo in the Andes Mountains.

El Cajón del Maipo can be visited in a day trip from Santiago though is best done over a couple of days, especially if you want to relax in the thermal pools after hiking the national park to visit the glacier.

You can find lots of information about how to get there and details about all the little towns that dot the road on the way up at: El Cajón del Maipo

Enjoy!

Walking towards the light

Haven’t posted the last days since I have been in and out of doctors’ offices and getting all types of exams and jabs done. I think I’ll have to do a post about the health system in Chile some time soon.

Anyway, here’s a video that earned the shakiest-bad image award in this weeks world’s worst video oscars. I took it with my normal (photo) camera as I walked through a natural arch in a rock formation just out of Constitución heading towards the beach. You can probably count the steps I took by the continual up and down movement of the camera. And as for the lighting... it was either a shade of dark or bright.

Well, at least I captured the moment when I walked towards the light at the end of the tunnel (ok, it’s not much of a tunnel but it sounded good) and even returned to tell the story. You'll never guess what I found on the other side… you’ll just have to watch it see.



This is another area we visited while we were roaming around the region around Talca in January. I still of loads more photos and videos from that week so stay tuned.

You are Here!

Aquí = Here (in Spanish)

When we were driving around the back roads somewhere between Talca and Colbun Lake in January, we found the following sign in the middle of nowhere:



What makes this interesting is that Aquí is Spanish for Here.
So basically it says that you have finally arrived… well, HERE!

I found it quite funny, though when I thought about it, why would anyone want to put that sign anywhere?

Well, they could have said…

Drive along the road and you will a sign that says where the party is… AQUI
Or
I’ll let you know where to leave all those frozen rubber chickens you have just stolen… AQUI
Or
Someone had to frequently remember to put their wedding ring back on and that sign is the last chance before arriving home.
Or
Maybe someone put it to help them remember where they buried the treasure.
Who needs a treasure map with a big X on it? Just put a sign that says… AQUI

Does anyone else have any suggestions why the sign could be there?

Tipping in Chile - Propinas

Typical Chilean Houses

If you are interesting in learning about the typical architecture of houses in Chile, then you may just want to look at the following video I took near San Javier in the South of Chile.



The video is a little bouncy since it was taken from a normal camera as I was walking along the road, hence the up and down movement of every step. At least it shows you the real Chile.

You will notice that adobe walls and tiled roofs are a common characteristic of houses, especially in rural areas.

These houses are just before the San Javier off-ramp to the left as you are heading south along Route 5 (Pan-American Highway). San Javier is about 275kms south of Santiago.

Videos of Cerro San Cristobal

Just showing a couple more videos we took from when we drove up to the top of Cerro San Cristobal hill in Santiago, Chile the other weekend.

The first video is a couple of Gargoyles that overlook Santiago from the Funicular building on Cerro San Cristobal Hill. This video is divided into two parts; the first is taken from below where I zoom in on one of the gargoyles to see the details of it. The second part is from a different angle with a view of the city.



The second video is a panoramic view of Santiago in Summer (without snow on the Andes Mountains) as taken from the top of Cerro San Cristobal Hill. I’ll go up again in the middle of winter (after a day of rain) to capture the Andes Mountains in all their snow-capped glory.



Hope you enjoy them!

Chilean Food Tips

This post is now at: 11 Tips about Chilean Food

For a complete list of Chilean Food with its name in Spanish and what it is in English, check out: Typical Chilean Food.

Do not bribe the cops in Chile!

This is post is now at: Don't bribe the cops in Chile

Driving Up Cerro San Cristobal Hill

On Sunday we visited Cerro San Cristobal, the iconic hill that overlooks Santiago with the statue of the Virgin Mary on top. We took the video below as we slowly drove up the road that takes you to the top of the hill. The first minute is really shaky though it gets better from there on in. The video is below:



Notice all of the 'healthy' people walking, running and cycling up to the top - not easy in the summer heat. This is quite a common activity on the weekend (we took this on a Sunday) and it can be interesting watching all the different types of people and characters that are going up or coming down the hill. Check out some of the panoramic views of the northern part of Santiago from half way up.

We had to start the video from just after going through the gates at the bottom of the hill so that it would fit into the maximum 10 minutes allowed on YouTube but at least you get an idea of how it is.

In order to take your car up the hill, you have to pay $2.000 Chilean Pesos (February 2009).
The best time to go up Cerro San Cristobal is after a day of rain since the rain clears away the smog and you have an amazing view of the entire city (instead of a haze in the distance). Also when it rains in winter it leaves a lot of snow on the Andes Mountains down to a low level.

Tomorrow I’ll try and put up the panoramic video of Santiago that I took from the top.

Does anyone here regularly run or cycle up this hill on the weekend?

7th Anniversary Indulgence

My wife and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary last night and what better way to do it than staying home and watching TV. No, just joking. We went out to one of our favourite restaurants last night that is in Bellavista call Como Agua Para Chocolate. If you haven’t been there, do so. It isn’t cheap at all though the fantastic ambience and great food make it more than worthwhile.

Last night the restaurant was PACKED!!! We hadn’t made a reservation so we had to wait about half an hour for a table to be free (we weren’t in a hurry and the Pisco Sours were good). Not bad for a Monday night. I was surprised by the amount of Brazilians roaming around the streets of Bellavista last night. We could hear their happy Portuguese dancing through the air at every moment.

We did a review of the restaurant back in July 2008 and took some photos which you can see at Como Agua Para Chocolate. Keep an eye out for the table that is made out of a bed with pillows included. Magical!



We took this photo the first time we went on a week day in winter when lunch had already finished (hence no people). Don't you just love the decoration?

Has anyone else been to this restaurant? What did you think of it?