After lying in a deep slumber for 7 hours, I wake up unable to fall back asleep. I notice how quiet the streets are compared to the bustling activity during the day, with sporadic car noises breaking the silence. I pass the time by reading until around 7 a.m., when we both finally wake up fully.
However, what was supposed to be a delightful day quickly turns into a disaster. After Jan’s morning shower he discovers that our luggage is in Santiago. So we hold onto hope that our belongings will arrive today.
We head to the hotel's dining area for breakfast, where we enjoy a satisfying continental breakfast. Energized by the meal, we decide to make the most of the situation and venture out to explore the city.
First, we buy a Bip! card at the ticket counter in the metro station. This proves challenging with our rudimentary Spanish skills and the loud noise of people and arriving and departing trains all around us, but we eventually manage to get one. We purchase one card for 1550 pesos for 2 people with a balance of 3450 pesos and add some extra credit at the machine. Our first destination is Plaza de Armas, which we reach quickly using the red Line 1 of the metro. In the city, Jan wants to check Google Maps, so we buy a small internet bundle for my phone. However, upon arrival, we search in vain for the tourist information, and Jan realizes that he doesn't have his phone with him. Did he leave it in the hotel or was it stolen?
We aim to be at Plaza de la Constitucion by 11 a.m. to witness the changing of the guard. As we head in that direction from Plaza de Armas, we notice a beautiful building with an open door. It turns out to be the cathedral, which doesn't look particularly cathedral-like from the outside. Inside, it's filled with Catholic grandeur, though it could use some maintenance and restoration. There's still a Nativity scene set up, and an American woman asks me to take a photo of her at the altar, which she finds lovely. Near the exit to the right, there's a small chapel still decorated for Christmas, and the sound of "Silent Night" fills the air. No photos are allowed, and since there's someone watching, I decide not to risk it, although I might have tried to sneak one otherwise.
At the Palacio de la Moneda, there's no sign yet of preparations for the changing of the guard. In fact, there are many barriers set up everywhere, including on the square itself.
We wait for a while, but at 10 minutes to 11, it's still quiet, so we decide to leave. Story of my life. I've been to London twice, and both times the changing of the guard didn't happen. A helicopter flies very low over the Plaza de la Constitucion and lands on the roof of the building next to it. Probably a high-ranking official. The building is adorned with very large ribbons. A small anti-abortion demonstration blows on whistles.
We climb various stairs to reach the viewpoint. It's important to watch your step because the steps are uneven and worn out. Here, agaves, aloe vera, and geraniums grow wild (probably a bit wild, but certainly not in pots).
We look out over the city, but it's a bit hazy today. Both the luggage and the phone are bothering us, and we want to be back at the hotel early this afternoon so that if there's still no sign of the luggage, we can contact someone. In the worst case scenario, we'll take a taxi to the airport and pick them up ourselves.
We take the metro to the Bellavista district, where we plan to have lunch and then visit the San Cristobal Hill to take the funicular and cable car up. From the Baquedano metro station, we cross a large intersection and the river via 5 traffic lights and arrive in Bellavista. It's a quiet neighborhood, at least the first part, and further along it has various murals and a lively area with restaurants and bars. We eat at Galindo on the terrace. The food isn't bad, but certainly not great, but the beer tastes excellent. Behind us, there are Dutch people on the terrace. Of course.
Then we walk to the funicular where it's quite crowded. It's hard to estimate, but we still decide that overall it would take more than 2 hours to get back home, and we feel it's getting too late. So, we decide to skip it, along with the General Cemetery of Santiago. It's a pity, but it can't be helped.
Back on the metro, and it's a fun ride. A few guys are performing live music in the metro train. It's crowded, and we can't see them very well, but there's at least a saxophonist and a trombonist. It sounds really nice. I chat with some Chileans who live in England (Northampton) and they say they find it so expensive here. More expensive than England. That seems unlikely, but it's probably a matter of perception, as inflation here has risen to 100% in recent months.
There's no phone in the hotel room 😭. Jan checks the breakfast room and the reception, but unfortunately, no luck. It's likely stolen on the metro, even though it was in a zippered pocket on his thigh of a fairly tight-fitting pants . Didn't notice a thing. It still rings when we call it. It's not convenient that we're missing it, but there's nothing to be done. I'll have to be extra careful with mine.
We sit in the lobby with our books, as the luggage trackers indicate that our bags should be nearby. It still takes about 1.5 hours, but then they finally arrive! Hooray, at least something worked out.
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| Yes, we hebben ze! |
Since the Verifly app was on Jan's phone with the test data for the cruise, he installs the app on my phone and chooses "reactivate account." However, it doesn't show that we uploaded the COVID test yesterday, so we decide to redo the test. Fortunately, it's still negative. Jan wants to report his phone stolen to Vodafone and request that his SIM card be blocked, but then they send an SMS, which goes to the phone he no longer has. Strange fellows, those Romans. So, we call Idse and ask if he could make the call for us. Having contact with home is always nice. It could also be done by phone, but 0800 numbers don't work abroad. Or you could visit a store, but where do we find a Vodafone store here, and how do we explain what we need in Spanish?
I transfer the photos to the laptop and send some to home. We don't feel like going out again, so we have dinner downstairs in the "restaurant." It's the same room as the breakfast area and still not very cozy. Many workers come to eat, all apparently from the same company. They don't have a choice and all get some kind of stew with rice. It smells nice. We opt for a ribeye, and the waiter tries his best to find out how we want it cooked. Google Translate doesn't provide enough clarity, so I search for a picture of a nicely rare steak. Ah, yes, that's it. Okay. In the end, a nearly well-done piece of meat arrives on the plate. He should've just shown the picture to the chef. Fortunately, the quality is good; otherwise, we could walk home on it. The taste isn't bad either, so despite everything, we still enjoy ourselves. The glass of wine with it was excellent as well.
After dinner, we watch an episode of Hudson & Rex, but before it ends, we both fall asleep simultaneously.