South America - Chile

Well we got into Santiago, Chile on the 5th and spent a while acclimatising to South America. Chile is a little more run-down than i expected being one of the richer countries on SA but it´s actually massively more rich in culture than New Zealand and its been a breath of fresh air having the place covered (and i mean covered) in artwork - from posters, graffitti (over EVERYTHING) to poetry (i got a poem from 2 chilean girls for a donation ) street performers, theater and millions of great places to eat. The food is stunning quality and our first night here we ate enough meat (a argentinian mixed grill) for about 4 people for about a fiver each! Wine is really good too and they serve beer and wine in everything from mini-bottles to giant bottles and jugs. The performers are amazing - theres a one man band with ahuge bass drum on his back and symbols attached to his feet who plays impossibly complex samba rhythms while swirling around and spinning in circles. At traffic lights there are mimes, bands and jugglers. Went to a few art galleries which were good too.

Weve grown to really like Santiago and after being a bit paranoid about theft to begin. We have found the people really friendly, humourous and helpful. My spanish is being tried and tested!! Some people seem to be easy to chat to and others act like I have come from mars, but I bought a new digital camera and have organised transport with little difficulty.

We went out to Valparaiso for 2 days on the coast. Its a weird place half a flat port area, and half on the hills. Funiculars (elevators) to take you up the steep hillsides to a shantytown like area, where some of Chile porest live, but amongst these are bright and fantasical mansions, art studios, posh restaurants, many,many colourful jumbled houses, shacks and quaint cobbled streets. We went to a bizarre cemetary on a hill and a guard took us around a prison built 200 years ago to defend the port but used until 14 years ago by General Pinchet for political prisoners - stones cells and crumbling walls are now graffitied by artists and the place is going to be an arts center soon. The markets were incredible - fruit piled in massive amounts and loads of fish.

Were back in Santiago now but just bought a ticket for Mendoza in Argentina tomorrow! The Andes mountain crossing is supposed to be incredible but a girl at our hostel got a court date for mistakenly carrying 2 apples accross! We are not taking any apples..!