Friday, 29 April 2011

Santiago... Wait I´m in a civilised country again!

What good things do I have to say about my stay in Santiago de Chile? Well it´s really just another city like any other big city in the world! I was pretty dissapointed by the lack of things to see and do. The cathedral on the Plaza de Armas was beautiful on the inside but no so much on the outside. I dragged Michael inside and he was pretty much in awe for a few minutes. I climbed up the Cerro San Cristobal, which is a park on a mountain in the city. There´s an outdoor church type space at the top with a huge Virgen and offers great views of the city and mountains in the background. However it was very misty when I went up there. I was also pretty shocked to cross the road and actually have cars stop for you at the zebra crossings! That´s something I havn´t seen in a while and funnily enough had gotten use to it!
We stayed in Moai Viajero Hostal, just outside of the center, which was really nice. The staff were very kind, there was a huge living room area with a wide range of dvds, a playstation room and a kitchen. We watched a few movies, played some games and I cooked lasagna one night. I would generally be ashamed of staying in like that but really Santiago is not that interesting! And it was nice to relax for a couple of days. They also had a fat rabbit which ran around the house and a dog called Pépé!
We left last night (Thursday) for Pucon, further south in Chile, where I am now. It´s pretty chilly down here but beautiful. It´s an alpine little town filled with small wooden cabin style houses. Tomorrow, we´re going to climb the smoking Villarrica Volcano which you slide down once you reach the top! Can´t wait! Then we´re off to Puerto Montt and Torres Del Paine.

Miss you all xxx

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Qu´est ce que j´ai de bon a dire sur Santiago de Chile? Eh bien, pour dire la vérité ce n´est vraiment qu´une ville comme les autres! J´étais assez décue car il n´y a pas vraiment grand chose a faire. La Cathedral sur La Plaza de Armas est tres belle a l´interieure, moins a l´exterieur. J´ai entrainé Michael avec moi et il était assez surpris par sa beauté. Je suis montée en haut du Cerro San Cristobal, qui est un parc au fait sur une montagne dans la ville. Il y a une sorte d´église sans toit tout en haut avec une statue de la Vierge et de belles vues de Santiago. Par contre c´était assez brumeux quand j´y étais.
J´étais vachement étonnée que les voitures s´arretent quand tu traverses la route. C´ est seulement apres que je me suis rendue compte que j´étais dans un pays civilisé... ca fait un moment!
On est resté dans le Moai Viajero Hostal, juste en dehors du centre, qui était super sympas. Les gens qui y travaillent étaient tres gentils, il y avait un grand salon avec pleins de dvd, une salle de playstation et une cuisine. On a regardé quelques films, joué quelques jeux et j´ai fais une lasagne un soir aussi! Normallement, je ne resterais pas comme ca dans l´hostal a rien faire, mais franchement Santiago n´est pas tres interessant. Et c´était sympas de juste relaxer pendant quelques jours. Ils avaient aussi un gros lapin qui se baladait dans l´hostal et un chien qui s´appelle Pépé!
On est parti hier soir (Jeudi) pour Pucon, dans le Sud de la Chile, ou je suis maintenant. Il fait assez froid mais c´est tres jolie. C´est une petite ville pleine de petites maisons/cabines en bois. Demain, on va grimper le Volcan Villarrica, que tu descends a la glissade une fois arrivé en haut! J´ai hate! Apres on va a Puerto Montt puis Torres Del Paine.

Vous me manquez tous xxx

Wednesday, 27 April 2011

Pictures of San Pedro de Atacama, Chile

San Pedro de Atacama

View from our hostal

View from our hostal

Chilling in our room

Desert party

Salsa dancing!
One of the many rivers we had to cross on mountain bikes!


Michael
Oops! Liv fell in!


My bike

Tired!



Dead end in the Devil´s Gorge

The Devil´s Gorge

The Devil´s Gorge

The Devil´s Gorge

The Devil´s Gorge

The Devil´s Gorge

Cooking brunch

Yummy!

Pictures of the Salar de Uyuni and Southern Bolivia


Uyuni
Uyuni


Uyuni

Uyuni


Huge slide!

Train tracks

Cementerio de trenes




Salt bench
Salar de Uyuni, salt pyramids
Salar de Uyuni, salt pyramids



We found a giant pair of sunglasses in the Salar!

And a giant hand!
And a giant toothpaste!

And a giant deodorant!

And a giant toilet roll!

Which Liv got stuck in!

Nicole, Tristan, Me, Liv and Dayanna

Flooded Salar

Sunset



Breakfast with Dayanna, Carlos, Nicole, Tristan and Liv
Hostal in Alota

Night 1.
Llama!

Valle de Rocas

Valle de Rocas

Valle de Rocas

Jumping in Valle de Rocas

Valle de Rocas

A laguna

Another laguna

And another!

Volcan Ollague, you can seen it smoking on the left hand side!

Laguna Cañapa

Arbol de Piedra

Arbol de Piedra
Arbol de Piedra
Laguna Colorada


Laguna Colorada

Cold!

Night 2.. Freezing!

Geysers

Geysers

Geysers

Thermal baths at sunrise

Thermal baths

Thermal baths

Thermal baths

Thermal baths
El desierto de Dali


The Chilean boarder!