End of Trip, Santiago, Chile, mile 390
Greetings one last time from Chile. This truncated bicycle trip ends shortly with a flight to Houston, and then on home. I leave with mixed feelings; I really should have done my homework better and gotten a better idea of the road system, but I didn't. Oh well. I may well return to Chile in the future; it is a beautiful country, but it won't be on my bike. I have a feeling I am going to end up back in Uruguay for my next bike trip.
Yesterday, I took the bike out for one last 20 mile ride around Santiago. This time, I went to the metropolitan park, a huge (Bigger than Rock Creek Park by far) urban park laid out around a couple of large hills in the middle of the city. By the time I was done, I think I got in as much hil climbing as I did the previous day up in Guardia Vieja. From on top of the hills, spectacular views of the city were on offer. Also, up on top, I ran into Carabineros writing tickets for non use of helmets. Fortunately, I had mine on. This nanny-state garbage is something that I will definitely not miss about Chile.
I then met up with my friend Joaquin and his wife and we went to a bar and consumed mass quantities of Chilean beer. Curiously, the closing time for bars here is 1AM, which strikes me as very early, but which was probably fortunate yesterday, considering what we had imbibed by that hour.
This morning I left my Airbnb and rode the half mile to Joaquin's apartment, and we went to the downtown fish market for lunch. We eventually made it back, I dismantled and boxed the bike, and am now at the airport.
My impression of Chile is very favorable. Stuff works here, which considering some of the places I have been says a lot. The place is running at full employment; anyone who wants to work is working. The economy has swallowed the Haitians, and is now swallowing the Venezuelans without a burp. In my dealings with immigration and the PDI to get a duplicate entry card, everything was quick, easy and efficient. The Carabineros never bothered me and I never bothered them. Chile is not first world, yet, but it is a lot closer than any other country south of the Rio Grande that I have lived or traveled in.
And that's it. I hope anyone reading this has enjoyed it.
Yesterday, I took the bike out for one last 20 mile ride around Santiago. This time, I went to the metropolitan park, a huge (Bigger than Rock Creek Park by far) urban park laid out around a couple of large hills in the middle of the city. By the time I was done, I think I got in as much hil climbing as I did the previous day up in Guardia Vieja. From on top of the hills, spectacular views of the city were on offer. Also, up on top, I ran into Carabineros writing tickets for non use of helmets. Fortunately, I had mine on. This nanny-state garbage is something that I will definitely not miss about Chile.
I then met up with my friend Joaquin and his wife and we went to a bar and consumed mass quantities of Chilean beer. Curiously, the closing time for bars here is 1AM, which strikes me as very early, but which was probably fortunate yesterday, considering what we had imbibed by that hour.
This morning I left my Airbnb and rode the half mile to Joaquin's apartment, and we went to the downtown fish market for lunch. We eventually made it back, I dismantled and boxed the bike, and am now at the airport.
My impression of Chile is very favorable. Stuff works here, which considering some of the places I have been says a lot. The place is running at full employment; anyone who wants to work is working. The economy has swallowed the Haitians, and is now swallowing the Venezuelans without a burp. In my dealings with immigration and the PDI to get a duplicate entry card, everything was quick, easy and efficient. The Carabineros never bothered me and I never bothered them. Chile is not first world, yet, but it is a lot closer than any other country south of the Rio Grande that I have lived or traveled in.
And that's it. I hope anyone reading this has enjoyed it.
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