We left Valparaiso in the morning on the bus after taking the cable car to the terminal. Tickets are easier to come by during the week, Saturday was crowded. We were able to hop right on the bus to Santiago sitting together upfront for the two hour ride.
The view of the Andes mountains was spectacular because the air was clearer than the week we stayed in Santiago, WOW!
In Santiago there was a two hour stopover which was time for the set 'menu del dia' for lunch, yummy chicken soup with squash, rice and potatoes; no holding back on starches here! These lunches always start with a basket of bread accompanied by a small dish of spicy pico de gallo~ chopped tomatoes, onions & cilantro spiced just right. It's a perfect addition to whatever the main dish might be!
Keith enjoyed a nice ice cream cone while we waited and chatted with two young women from Santiago who were headed out of town for a long weekend. Somehow he can always get a conversation started. :)
After nearly four hours in the second bus we arrived at our destination, Talca, chosen because it was as far as I can survive traveling in the direction we are heading, which is to the Lake District.
Talca is a smaller city, university town. It was close to the epicenter of last February's 8.8 earthquake and the effects of the major destruction are visible on every street! In fact some of the hostels recommended in the guide books responded to my inquiries that they were forced to close because of damage to their building.
We are living 'high on the hog', at least for us, here in Talca. The Hostal Del Rio sits next to a river, one of two running through Talca. The room we had last night must have been the honeymoon suite, large & quite nice. We moved to a less expensive room this morning, it's still much nicer than most places we stay when we travel in Latin America. A tourist can find housing at any price level, you can stay in a 5 star hotel with all the trimmings if you are so inclined, and your pockets are deep enough. We choose the best we can get at the most economical price we can find, preferring to stay with families or in a place where we will meet local people or other travelers. Sharing culture and language is a huge part of what attracts both of us to life on the road.
Not much to do on a Sunday here in Talca. It feels like most businesses that have survived the earthquake are closed for the day of rest. Keith decided after a morning stroll to spend the rest of the day resting himself...his back and foot both need a well-deserved break today! I ventured out on a power walk to secure groceries for a picnic supper. Keith says he can now live on a diet of liquid yogurt alone supplemented with coconut cookies but I'm seeing to it that we have a little protein along with a few fruits and veggies.
Here are a few pictures of the center of Talca. You will get a feel for the work it will take to repair this city!
Tomorrow we bus on to Villarrico. Our journey will take us by several more vineyards of fine Chilean wine. Neither of us has much interest in touring the vineyards, we've done that in California!
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