Travel diary: Chile 2011-2012

Hi, here am I again writing about a new experience that has begun. Yesterday, Tuesday, the 27^th December 2011, we (mom, dad, sister and I) started our family trip to Santiago in Chile.

we in the airplane ;)

 It´s our first time here and everything is great so far. (Except for the weather, in my opinion. As we arrived it was 33 degrees and  was very dry weather, what makes my nose bleed…) Humidity was 50%...Besides that, our first hours here gave us good impression of the city. It's clean, the streets are large to drive, the buildings are modern and new. There are trees and plants everywhere. Even at the buildings walls, just like:

Cool, isn't it?

We are staying at Times suites. Its like an apart-hotel (there are 2 bedrooms, kitchen, 2 w.c, a living room, and a balcony, really cousy! And no carpet – for those who have allergy). The region we are is well located, as we went out to explore the city there were many executives walking on the streets). 

View from the pool on the 14th floor.

Our day started 3:30am when we woke up. At 4:40am we were leaving to the airport in Curitiba. At 6am was our flight from Curitiba to SP. At 9am we took our flight to Santiago with TAM. I really didn’t like their service… It was freezing cold inside de airplane, and there were no blanquets! Reeally weird for the one I considered the best flight company in Brazil. And the food was a Panini, a like slice of chocolate cake, and bread with butter as always… For a 3,5hours trip was ok, meanly because there was no turbulence at all, but anyway, next time I may choose another company.

There is an important thing to say about what is allow to bring or not in Chile… Here is a list of forbitten things: plants, yogurt and milk derivatives, honey, farm products, handcraft with animal products, fruits and seeds. 

As we arrived in the x-ray area in the airport there were inspectors of SAG here in Chile, for more information look at: SAG

For a family trip with 4 big luggages and 3 hand bags it is worth to get a transfer from airport to your hotel. It was nice not to worry how to get to our hotel with metro or bus in a 33degrees weather over our heads. We payed round USS50,00 per person. And our driver will be our guide during the week. My sister and I founded cheaper ways to get to the “Vineyard”, like using the public transportation. But once you are with you parents (read: mom with foot pain and dad with age not to walk 10hours a day like I do when travelling alone with my sis), you may have to convince then to pay a little extra and get a private transportation with your own guide).

Our first stop in Santiago was Starbucks Coffee. My dad still hadn’t tried their Frapuccinos… x) We hadn’t change any money at that time(was made us afraid in case our credit cards wouldn’t work), my mom tried to use her visa from Brazil and it didn’t worked. I used my Visa travel money (which I did to bring to China), and it worked for our releive J

Then we went to find a Bank to change “Reais” to “Pesos Chilenos”. But the banks close at 2p.m here! OMG! And I complain in Brazil that they close at 4p.m! There is just one Banco do Brasil in Santiago, it is at Apoquinto 3001, Las Condes. So, we found a ATM in “Banco del Chile” and I used again my Visa travel money really easily. There are some of this ATMs (in Shopping Parque Araico was so) that only allow  withdraw 20000 CLN at time. And there is a fee of 3000 IVA taxes to pay every singe time you withdraw your cash out of the machines!

Here is a conversion table to help you with the convertion… My sister printed many of it for the family, it helped a lot. It is really strange to brasilians pay 5 thousand for an icecream… They have coins of 100 pesos, that was weird for me…

After that we had my best yogurt ice cream I ever tasted at Yogufrutz.

It was just delicious and natural! You could choose the fruits and they would go mixed with natural yogurt. Just wonderful!

We also went to Parque Arauto Shopping. It remembered me Miami. Many palm trees, people in flip flops and confortable clothes. People here have a different style of all other latin people I know… Most of them dress really well. And at this mall there were almos all brands you can find in USA malls or so. Take a look at the site of the mall:

In front of thin mall there is a Supermarket: 

We bought water, juice, chocolate and biscuits for the city tours… The prices were very similar to Brazil.

Coming back to hotel I looked throw the window and saw many families at their balconies enjoying life with family and friends…

After watching some TV our day comes to end. 

Hope you enjoyed!

P.S: 8 days left to my trip to China! Everything’s ready! Just need to go to ANVISA in airport because of the vaccine. I will do it on the 3^rd Jan. when we return to Curitiba. By the way, I got Sonias Bridis book “LAOWAI” for Christmas. It tells her experiences in china in the 2 years she lived there with her family. It is just great! She writes with such detais that I feel like I was there with her. It also brings lots about Chinese history and culture along the book. Great present option =)