1. Seite:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
Posted on

Santiago de Chile

Today we had the capital on our agenda. After an extended breakfast we got some tips from the owner of our accommodation “Amsterelhuis” for the city walk. We feel really comfortable here.

That’s why we didn’t leave until noon. Since we were once again located in the center, everything was within walking distance. Our impression: Clean, friendly and safe. Almost South-European. The districts Bellavista, Bellas Artes, Lastarria and Italia offer something for every taste. With the food we are still a little on war foot, but we do not give up and test diligently further. Today, for example, we had a “Queen” at the Café “Wunderland” on a recommendation. Consists of milk, peanuts, caramel, chocolate, cream and two granola bars.

As I said, we continue to test diligently. The ambience fit in any case. Everything reminded of Alice in Wonderland. Weather: sun, no clouds, during the day 27-30 degrees.

Reiner

ps.: Reiner spontaneously stopped at a hair salon. Good haircut and two cups of coffee including 8000 CLP. Silke

Posted on

Valparaiso

Today we went out for breakfast and planned our further trip in a café in the center. Afterwards, around 15:00 o’clock we went through the streets and alleys again. This port city has its own flair. Behind every corner there is something new to admire. In any case, the artists are not lacking in color and ideas.

Today, the stores were open again, too. Many of them have a cat. They are pretty relaxed, guarding the entrance and letting everyone touch them.


At around 17:30 we got the car from the guarded parking garage and drove to Santiago de Chile. At 19:00 we reached our accommodation.

Reiner

Posted on

San Pedro de Atacama – Calama – Santiago de Chile – Valparaiso

At 9:00 am we were picked up punctually by shared cab and driven to Calama airport, 1.5 h away. With JetSmart we left at 12:00 o’clock to Santiago de Chile. We rented a car in the airport and continued to Valparaiso on the Pacific coast. The city is built on hills, with many very steep old cobblestone streets.

Our hotel “The Travelling Chile” is located on a hill above the old town. We took a short walk through the alleys. We did one piece of steep incline in a kind of cable car for 100 CLP per ride. We have not seen so many beautiful graffiti walls as here in the accumulation. Virtually every wall is artfully and colorfully painted.

The steps are also decorated with mosaics or paintings. On the steps some groups sit together and celebrate or drink alcohol. In a bakery we got some puff pastry filled with cheese for dinner from a former Cologne. Many stores were closed because today is Sunday. Sunset was not until 20:11 with temperatures ranging from 12 to 20 degrees Celsius. Our small apartment has a balcony with a great view to the sea.

Silke

Posted on

San Pedro de Atacama – Valle de la Muerte

This morning we had breakfast and did some research. Around noon we rented bikes (6h for 3000 CLP per bike) to go to the “Valley of Death” (Valle de la Muerte). In total, we were just under 20 km on the road.

With a little detour we reached the entrance gate, where you had to pay 3000 CLP entrance pP. The gorge is really gigantic. Different colored sand, salt, steep cliffs and dunes. From the gate it went about 3 km meandering upwards to a shelter and parking lot. There some people did sandboarding. Climbing up the huge dune with the board and snowboots and then a short descent. The guys and gals from GB and Australia had fun anyway and enough water with them. We also met a group of riders. From the site we still had to hike about 1 km uphill to the viewpoint “Mirador”, from which you could look far across the desert to the snow-capped mountains and San Pedro de Atacama.

Back again, we whittled salad from the leftover potatoes and eggs from yesterday. Unfortunately I put a little too much Uyuni salt in it. After dinner, we went with a bottle of wine to Sarina, Carlos and Kids in their vacation home, where we again reviewed our Uyuni tour and exchanged photos. We agreed that the question of an Israeli in the salt hotel for salt for the soup was one of the funniest. Because really almost everything was made of salt. And we are all still alive and well thanks to “super alarm clock” co-driver Carlos.

We laughed a lot, it was a nice evening.

Silke

Posted on

Salar de Uyuni Day 3 – San Pedro de Atacama

At 3:30 o’clock with 3 degrees Celsius and bibber cold wind we got up today and started at 4:30 o’clock to our third day in the salt desert. We packed the breakfast pancakes for later. Most of the time we drove “offroad” through the sand. No roads. Carlos on the passenger seat had to wake up our driver “Rudi” several times yesterday, the Carnaval was probably very exhausting. Also today he did not make a very awake impression. The jeep had neither air conditioning nor heating, to de-ice the windshield Rudi put a plastic bottle filled with hot water on the dashboard. In his moments of wakefulness he drove like in the Dakar Rally, which actually already led through the Salar de Uyuni. At the photo points he then met up with his colleagues. But we could have done worse. From other travelers we heard that the drivers were drunk, or in the middle of nowhere the car broke down. So in that respect, everything was ok and we all achieved our points.

At sunrise today we saw geysers steaming, and at 8:00 am I went swimming in the hot springs near Potosí. The water was bathtub temperature and after two days without a shower it was wonderful. The kids were too cold, Carlos put his feet in, Sarina struggled with the high altitude air and Reiner had a bit of a stomach upset, so I was the only one out of our jeep in the water.

The springs are located directly at the volcanic lagoon “Tarapaya”. There were llamas and flamingos running along the shore. Then we saw “color layered” mountains and many different “moonscapes”.

At 9:00 am we reached the border to Chile in Hito Cajones (4480 meters above sea level). First from Bolivia leave, approx. 20 minutes queue before the border house, then in Hito Cajones entry to Chile with customs control again good 30 minutes. From there it was then still 45 km, which drove us a small bus. In San Pedro de Atacama we rented a room in the Hostal Siete Colores and had a look at the city. In small stores and on a vegetable market we have bought for the dinner. Today we had jacket potatoes with Uyuni salt!

Silke

Posted on

Salar de Uyuni Day 2

We all slept quite well in the salt hostel. One toilet for 20 people was a bit sparse, but surprisingly you wouldn’t have to stand in line. Our driver picked us up a little later than we agreed, so we didn’t leave until 10:45. Today several lagoons with flamingos were on the program. The flamingos are in shallow water.

At the second stop I sunk so deep in the mud,it took my shoe off. I looked worse than after a mudflat hike! Also many llamas and even two ostriches were standing at the roadside. It went kilometer far by desert landscapes, which would go through smoothly as moon landscape. An active volcano was also visible from afar.

In the evening at the accommodation, again a 6-bed room, I first washed my feet and put on warm clothes. For dinner we had vegetable soup, spaghetti with tomato sauce and a bottle of wine. We go to sleep early today, because tomorrow the alarm clock will ring at 3:30 am.

Silke

Posted on

Salar de Uyuni

After our rather meager breakfast, we went to the town to draw cash. Only one ATM still had cash because of the carnival days. Accordingly long was the queue. But after half an hour we had our money and could go on the planned tour to the salt desert and the salt lake Uyuni.

Yesterday on the train we met Sarina (ex-Bremer) and Carlos (Chilean) with their daughters Nayeli and Nagore and spontaneously joined their jeep tour 3 days from Uyuni to San Pedro. We were picked up at 10:30 am from our hotel and then we went first to the locomotive cemetery. Many old steam locomotives stand in the middle of the desert and rust away. Behind them the panoramic landscape of the Andes.

After that, we drove to the huge salt lake, which is usually dry at this time of year. However, our jeep drove through knee-deep water, because there have been very heavy rains in February. The salt crust is up to 80 meters thick and there is water underneath. Once in the salt we tried to take pictures with optical illusion, because this is especially possible here. This was more difficult than we thought, because the depth of field has to be taken into account. In the end, though, we managed to get some nice photos.

After that, we went to a water level spot where you can take a funny shot of your reflection in the water and the clouds. The sunset on the lake with a bottle of “Beck ‘s” was also very spectacular. Lunch and dinner is included and I got omelet with vegetables. They also had potato soup, chips and chicken for the non-vegetarians.

We sleep tonight in a surprisingly cozy salt hotel in a 6-bed room.

Silke

Posted on

Oruro – Uyuni

Very comfortably we traveled today, from 14:30 to 21:20, with the “Expreso del Sur” from Oruro to Uyuni. It runs only Tuesday and Friday. And then there is a second train on Wednesday and Sunday that runs the route from 19:00. These are the only passenger trains that leave from Oruro!

We sat first class in padded armchairs with plenty of legroom. There were blankets and fans. There were several movies in Spanish playing on a TV in the car. There was also a piece of prepackaged cake and a tetra pack of juice. The second class differs from the first with smaller, not so comfortable seats, but was also all nice and clean. In the evening we went to eat in the train restaurant (40 seats). The steward cooked everything fresh on an open flame ( just peeled potatoes). There was a good crowd. We got the last omelet with vegetables and the last 2 cans of beer. Was delicious.

The train ride itself offered a great view of the landscape. Large expanses of water next to the track where the train flushed flamingos, dogs racing the train, lots of llamas that couldn’t be bothered. The mountains in the background, steppe, vastness and a beautiful sunset. We also met a colorful mix of very nice people on the train. Japanese, Canadians, Chinese, Austrians, Argentinians, Chileans and an ex-Bremer. Maybe we will see one or the other again on our upcoming 3-day trip.

Silke

  1. Seite:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4