Highlights of Peru & Easter Island ~ Tulips

Day 5

Wake up call was at 4:15 am this morning. Breakfast at this hour was very sparse. The hotel did cook some eggs, so people could have protien, but otherwise it was essentially a bread bar.

The reason for the early morning is that we were heading for Cuzco. We arrived at the airport at 6am. It does take quite a while to get to the airport due to traffic. After checking in with the airline, we handed over our baggage claim tickets to Harry as he would be getting everyone's luggage once we arrived. We were provided with bottles of water because they let you take them through security at this airport. There is no free wifi at Lima airport.

The flight left on time. It took about an hour. There was no seat back entertainment on the flight, but you didn't need it. I talked to the people sitting next to me who were on the tour. The airline also served a snack box consisting of a package of crackers, a package of wafer cookies and a package of nuts. I had water to drink to keep hydrated. There were spectacular views of the Andes.

When we landed, it didn't take long to get all of the luggage and then we were off. We were met by the papparazzi (not kidding) taking our photos. They would then sell them to us later in the tour.

Our first stop was an Alpaca and Llama farm. Were were given the opportunity to feed the the animals and they took to the alphalpha quite readily. We all had lots of fun petting them and getting photos. We were taking so long, that they kind of had to push us along, but we were all having such a great time.

There is a nice shop at this stop and I bought a beautiful scarf for about 60 Canadian. It's handmade so worth the price. In retrospect, I wished I had bought more things here because it was the nicest stuff of the tour.

There was also a snack bar and many people tried the cocoa tea. I had some and bought some of the candies, although I didn't have any of the effects of altitude sickness, I wanted to try them. They weren't bad.

After we got back on the bus, we were given a substantial boxed lunch. Mine consisted of a ham and cheese sandwich, an apple, a banana, a package of crackers, a muffin a water bottle and a candy. Harry had suggested that if we didn't want to eat something that we keep it and give it to some of the children and people who come along dressed in Peruvian clothing with baby lambs. We could offer the food in exchange for a photo rather than money. They are trying to get the kids to go to school and they figure they won't if they get money.

We drove into the Pisac valley and stopped at an area to take some beautiful photographs and there was a child there dressed up just waiting for the tourists. In Pisac, we were given about an hour or so to wonder through the market. Before, Harry treated us all to empanadas. I get very overwhelmed in markets like this because there is too much stuff and I am not good at bargaining because I don't want to offer too little or pay too much. I didn't end up buying anything here. But, there was lots of selection. You could get scarves, sweaters, blankets, shawls, bags, jewellery and on and on.

One of the stalls was selling massive corn on the cob. The corn kernals were just so big. I have never seen corn like that. Harry said it was safe to eat because the corn had been boiled. Some people took the opportunity. It was very inexpensive.

We then arrived at our hotel, which was my favourite of the trip. It was an old monastery and had beautiful grounds. I had a bit of trouble with the door. You could definitely tell the place was a monastery from the door. It was huge and the locking mechanism was not something I could figure out. The hotel sent someone right away to teach me how to lock my door.

We were then treated to a weaving demonstration. The people were from Chinchero, a town quite known for weaving. Since this town is at quite a higher altititude than Cuzco, Trafalgar had them come to us so we could aclimatize.

The demonstration was fascinating. They talked about how the wool is spun and then how it is dyed. The dyes are all natural and use things like a beetle which turns the wool purple.

After, we could peruse all of the wares and make purchases. I picked up two scarves for 20 sols, which was not very much money considering the work that went into them.

Dinner was included tonight and it was a buffet, so we had lots of choice. A bottle of water was also provided with the meal.

The it was off to pack an overnight bag as our luggage would not be going with us to Macchu Picchu. It would go on and meet us in a couple of days.

Day 6

Today was the day everyone was waiting for. Macchu Picchu, the highllight of the Peru section of my trip.

Harry had a phrase he like to use: "No pain, no Macchu Picchu" He said this in jest, but it is a bit of a slog to get there and then climbing it is something else also.

Breakfast was plentiful. We had made to order omelets and french toast and they allowed us to make a lunch from the breakfast and provided take away containers. I think Harry must have arranged this. He told us to bring something to eat as there would be no proper lunch today.

Our first stop of the day was a place called Ollantaytambo. This is a small town and somewhat touristy. The main attraction is the Incan ruins. We were also able to see the trapezoid doors the Incans built and an Incan road. We were taken to an Incan Home, which was the hidden treasure. The only thing was, they were selling tourist stuff from it and I felt that dectracted from it a bit. There were little guinea pigs running all around. In Peru, these are food, not pets.

After, we had an hour of free time before we had to meet at the train station. Many of us climbed the Incan ruin and let me tell you, I was so glad I had started working out before this trip. I don't think I would have made it to the top otherwise. It was quite a steep climb and you are at altitude. I stopped every so often and I didn't want to puch too hard. I made it to the top and it was exhilerating. But, getting down turned out to be much harder as there are no railings to hold onto. It definitley took me longer to get down.

There is a market in the town for those not wanting to climb the ruins. By the way, the ticket for the ruins in included, so you don't have to pay extra.

At the train station, we quickly boarded the vistadome train. There are tons of windows, so getting a view would not be a problem. We had assigned seating. The trip to Aguas Calientes (the town below Macchu Picchu) takes about an hour and forty minutes. Although it is only 45 kms away, it takes that long because it is not a fast train. We were provided with a snack and a drink. If they run out of your choice of drink, they do not have more like on an airline.

We then walked from the train station to the bus stop to get the buses up to Macchu Picchu. The buses hold 29 people, so we would have to go in two buses. The line up to go to the top was not bad. We had to wait about 20 minutes to board and then it took about 20 or so minutes up switchbacks to the top.

There was a further line to get your ticket and passport checked. You do need to have your passport to get in. No passport, no Macchu Picchu.

Once everyone was inside, we went over to the first viewing area where we met up with the professional photographer. We then got organized for our group photo. What an awesome backdrop. This photo was free. For 15 soles, the photographer would take your photo as well with the backdrop. Many people took up with offer.

After the photos you could take one of two options. Harry who is from Cuzco is qualifed to guide in Macchu Picchu. he would be taking people who wanted the more strenuos route and taking people up to the sundial. The local guide would be taking a less strenuous route and would be going to the temple of the condor. At the end both groups would meet and those who wanted to would climb to the spot where you get the iconic photo. I went with Harry.

I can't put into words what an awe inspiring place Macchu Picchu is, so I won't try. What I will say is that if you go, please put down the camera for a few minues and just look. 

We had to wait over an hour to get buses back down to town. The line ups were that long.

We would be able to come back tomorrow as our train did not leave until 2pm. We would have to be at the station by 1:15pm.

Harry warned us and warned us and warned us that this was high season and the lines up to get the buses for Macchu Picchu would be long in the morning. He was not kidding.

Dinner was included and it was the best meal of the trip. It was a sit down dinner and we had 3 choices for each course. The hotel, however, was nothing to write home about.

Day 7

I had been mulling whether to go back up to Macchu Picchu or not. I ultimately decided to go back up because I was there and I thought when would I get the chance again?

I got up early and had breakfast and went out to get in line for the bus at 6:15 am. I thought the lines would'n't be too bad since the sun was not out and therefore no sunrise would have occured. I was wrong, oh so wrong. It took me two hours, TWO HOURS, to clear the ticket booth at the top. I had to be aware that I had to have lunch and be back at the train station for 1:15. I wouldn't know what the bus lines to go down would be like until I exited. 

With the above in mind, I wondered trhough areas we didn't get to see yesterday. There were a whole bunch of llama's on the terraces near the entrance. Some had babies. I also found the temple of the condor. In the end, I spent a couple of hours at the top and decided to head back down. There was no one in line for the bus, so I didn't have to wait at all.

One back down I ran into someone from the tour who mentioned there was an Inca statue down one of the back streets. I took a quick wander through the market and then wondered down the street. It turns out there are two statues and a sign saying welcome to Macchu Picchu. Of course, I had to get a photo of myself with the sign. A woman asked me to take a photo of her and she graciously took one of me. A nice souvenir.

I then met up with a bunch of people for lunch at Toto's house. 

At 1:15 we all met up at the train station to board our train back to Ollantaytambo. On the train back they again provided a light snack and then had a fashion show of various items they were selling. Several people bought some very nice things. I confess, I really like a shawl that you could where 7 different ways and I didn't buy it because I thought I could get it cheaper at the store in Cuzco, even though they kept saying it was only available on the train. Lesson 1, if you see something you like, buy it. Don't let anyone tell you it might be cheaper elsewhere etc. It turned out you really could only get this shawl on the train because as soon as I asked about it at the store, they told me they get asked for that all the time and it is only for the train. I never saw anything that was remotely similar after.

After arriving back in Ollantaytambo, we had a bit of a drive back to Cuzco. We got stuck in a traffic jam getting out of the train station. That took about a half hour and the air conditioning had broken down on the coach. But, we perservered.

We stopped at a place to try corn beer. There was the yellow and the pink types. Neither were very good, but if I had to pick one, i would go for the pink. It had a nicer taste. We played a drinking game while we were there. It involved tossing gold coins at a toad and the object was to get the coin in the toad's mouth.

We then drove for a bit and stopped at sunset for photos at a scenic area where they are planning to build the new Cuzco airport. So if you are in the area in a few years, you won't get the view.

They have a new rule in Cuzco that big coaches are not allowed on some of the streets. So we could not go to the hotel on our coach. We had to stop and switch to two mini coaches to get to the hotel. We would also be using these coaches tomorrow when we are in the city. We finally arrived at the hotel at 7:30pm. It was a really long day and everyone was zonked.

Dinner was included for those on the SAR trip as per their itinerary. It was not included for those on Highlights of Peru as per our intinerary. So the SAR people had to rush to get ready to go to their restaurant. The rest of us were free to do whatever.

I went up to the room to research the restaurants Harry had recommended. I had decided on one and went down to the lobby to leave. I ran into a few people looking for a restaurant and I told them where I was going so we all went together.

We went to Greens and I can't say enough good things about this restaurant. Everything is organic and we all had the most wonderful meals. I had the quinotto (like risotto, but made with quinoa) and it was to die for.

The hotel was less than 5 minutes walk to the main square and the restaurant was in the area. We went for a short stroll, browsed a couple of shops (they are open late in Cuzco) and then headed back for bed.

Day 11

The flight to Easter Island left on time. It as a 5 hour and 40 minute trip. The airline provided breakfast and had a good individual in flight entertainment system. I also had my ipad loaded with books to read.

It was a beautiful sunny day and hot when we landed in the early afternoon. Easter Island has a small airport and no air bridges. So they pulled stairs up to the plane. My camera was out and I was snapping away. I just couldn't believe I was actually here, on the island, with all those statues.

Before you enter the airport, there is a booth to buy tickets for the national park. I did not need to do so as my tickets were included in the package. At the baggage carousel, it took a long time for my luggage to come off. As I was waiting I took note of all the coolers and containers coming off. It really makes you realize how isolated the island really is. The nearest inhabited place is over 2,000 miles away in the Pitcairn Islands and that has a population of less than 100.

Once my luggage finally came off, I went outside to find my transfer. I was met by a lovely lady who presented me with a beautiful lei. Although Easter Island belongs to Chile, it is Polynesian. I was so excited to get the beautful flowers. I had to wait on the minibus as there were 3 more people coming. When they arrived, one of them had a Trafalgar name tag, We introduced ourselves and I learned two of them were from Canada and the other was American. They had been on the other Peru tour, which was a family tour.

We were taken to our hotel, which was less than 10 minutes away and our rooms were all ready for us. My room was right by the lobby, so the wifi actually worked. It wasn't all that reliable, but I didn't have to go sit in the lobby to get it when it did work.

My room was very basic, but quite nice all the same. As I felt very grubby and it was hot, I decided to take a shower and change before heading out to explore,

The hotel is not far from town. Easter Island is not that big, afterall. There are a few sites with the statues within easy walking distance from the hotel. I also wanted to try a restaurant and have lunch. I passed a couple of statues and stopped to take photos and then I came upon the restaurant I wanted to try. It was called La Kaleta. It has a beautiful view of the ocean and the waves. Today it was very windy, so they had screens up to shelter people a bit. I had a pasta dish and a glass of Chilean wine. Very nice.

I then wandered further and found a site that had several statues. I spent a bit of time here admiring what I was seeing. I accidentally wandered into an area where I was not supposed to. I had understood the sign that said not to walk on the platform, but I had missed the sign that said not to walk behind the stones that had been placed on the ground. i honestly had no idea what these stones meant. They were placed there by the locals to try and preserve the area. Of course, Easter Island has no money to restore things, so they have to protect them as best they can. The two main enemies are erosion and tourists. I apologized and things were ok. The local certainly knew that first timers would have no idea what the stones would mean.

By this time, it was now very late afternoon and I had wandered a fair ways from the hotel and it was cooling off. I walked back to change into something warmer and take a nap. 

I ended up having dinner at the same place I had lunch because the restaurant I wanted to eat had was fully booked. I actually made a reservation for the next night to ensure I could get in. There was a beautiful sunset at La Kaleta that night. Imagine sitting with your glass of wine (or your drink of choice).

One tip is to bring a flashlight. There are no streetlights and once the sun goes down, it is pitch black and very hard to see. I wasn't concerned for my safetly because the last thing they would want is for a tourist to be attacked. I just couldn't see very well and there was a lot of uneven terrain. Because it is so dark, Easter Island is an astronomers paradise, so make sure you look up. I wished I knew more about the stars so I knew what I was looking at. I had never seen so many in my life. I tried to get some photos with a little tripod I brought, buy you really need a mega zoom lens to pick anything up.

I read in my room for a bit. There were only 4 tv station on the little tv and none of them were in English, so there was no point in having it on. I slept like a baby.

Day 12

The guide was coming to pick us up at 9:30am, so we could have a bit of a lie in this morning. I got up around 8:15 am and headed to the restaurant. This is in a seperate building because anyone can eat there. You can access it from the road on the other side of the property. There was a buffet selection. I have to say it was the oddest selection of items I have ever seen. There were cereals and breads and scrambled eggs. But, there were also numerous dessert items. like blueberry cheesecake, chocolate orange cake, cookies, chocolate covered marshmalllows and on and on. Talk about a way to gain weight.

Our guide, Sabrina arrived a couple of minutes late. She had to pick up some other people beforehand. There were 3 women from Spain and 3 women from the Netherlands joining us. Sabrini is a native Rapa Nui, which was great because we could really learn about the history. 

Today was a full day tour and tomorrow would be two half day tours.

Our first stop was at Akahanga, an archaelogical site with all toppled Moai (statues). They were toppled due to the previous deforestation of the island. The trees were all cut down and used in the statue making. This resulted in having no wood to make canoes to fish and the loss of birds and other wildlife. This destroyed the population and the people felt the statues were cursed.

Any statues that are upright have been restored. Erosion is a huge problem. The statues are made from a type of volcanic ash and it is not very sturdy. There are bits on the ground and it crumbles in your hand. The danger to the statues is immense and there is no money to fix them up or to further restore them. Of course, the statues are the main attraction to the island. So you can imagine the problems.

The other issue is tourists who climb on the platforms despite the clearly marked signs stating otherwise. A tourist from somewhere (not our group) got up on one of the platforms to take a photo and our guide went racing after this person and made them delete the photos. The islanders don't want people posting those on social media because then other people will think it is alright to do so. There is also a fine for going on the platforms.

Akahanga is right on the water, so you get a nice view of the ocean and it also affords a nice view of the quarry used to make the statues. The area is very scenic.

Next up was Ahu Tongariki. This is the platform with all the statues that Chech posted a photo of on page 3 or 4 of this tale. It's probably the best known site on the island. This is where people tend to get on the platform for photos. It's popular for photos at sunrise and sunset. It's on the other side of the island, quite a distance from the hotel, so you would have to take a taxi there. It was an amazing site to see.

We then made our way to Rano Raraku, which is the quarry where the statues were carved. You need a national park ticket to get into the quarry. We were provided with the tickets as part of the package.

There are so many unfinished statues in the quarry. One thing to point out is if you see a head and no body, the body is buried in the ground. The quarry also contains the largest Moai in existence and the kneeling Moai, the only one of it's kind. Really really neat!

They have a picnic area at the site and as part of our package, we were given box lunches. You could choose from chicken, beef or tuna. I had the chicken. It came with rice and potatoes, an orange and a drink of your choice.

After lunch, we headed to the beach at Anakena. We had been told to pack a towel and swimsuit as we would have about an hour or so to swim if we wanted. It was a little cool and an hour isn't much time to dry off. I don't think anyone went in the water from our group, but there were certainly lots swimming. There is a platform at the beach and the statues here all have topknots (hats). There are also many stalls selling handicrafts.

It was a pretty beach to walk on. Nice sand. No shells that I could see though.

As it was getting on 4pm, we headed back to the hotel for the day. I had a rest and freshened up and then headed out for dinner.

Tonight I went to a restaurant called Te Manoa. This is a very popular restaurant. i was sat at a table overlooking the ocean and there was a beauftiful sunset. I ordered a half bottle of wine and a beef tenderloin dish and just enjoyed the evening. It was a delicious meal and a spectacular view.

Day 13

As I was down to the restaurant this morning, there was a big cruise ship coming in. I looked on with a bit of dread because that meant crowds. The ship was still in the same spot when I left breakfast and about 45 minues later I noticed it was moving at quite a fast pace. We learned later that the captain had decided the waters were too rough to dock and headed back out to sea. I have to say that the waters were fairly calm compared to the previous two days. How disappointed those people must have been.

Our morning tour started at 9:15am. Today, there was an Italian couple joining us.

We went to three different sites with platforms, but the highlight was Puna Pau, the topknot quarry. The topknots are the hats worn on some of the statues. They were carved from a red volcanic rock. Again the rock is very pourous. Aside from the huge topknots, the site affords a beautiful view of Hanga Roa. You really realize how small the town is from up there. They have benches so you can sit and admire the view. I could sit all day with a book and glass of wine.

We had a two hour break to have lunch, which was on our own. We had tried to stop at the post office on our way back to the hotel to get our passports stamped, but it was closed. Sabrina promised to take us in the afternoon before we headed out again.

I asked to be dropped off on the main street, so I could have a look in some of the shops and have a bite to eat. I did my browsing and then had lunch at a restaurant called Donde Gusto. i wasn't a huge fan. Found it a little to Americanized for my liking. I don't have anything against American food, it's just not a local food.

Two British ladies joined us for the afternoon. As promised we stopped at the post office, which was now open. We all got our passports stamped. it's a stamp with 3 Moai and Isla de Pasqua written on it. It's a prized stamp for me. I also wanted to get a couple of souvenir postage stamps, but they only had World Cup one's with Chile and not Easter Island ones.

The highlights this afternoon were the huge extinct volcano crater Rano Kao. You can see this crater from the air and in satellite images. That's how big it is. The sight is so awe inspiring. Fruits and vegetables grow in and it and only locals are allowed to pick them.

We also went to Orongo, another area where you need a national park ticket. Here, there is the petroglyph (carving) of the Birdman Cult Symbo.. Each year there was a contest where people would try to get the first egg of the season from on of the little islets off Easter Island and bring it back to Orongo and their sponsor. The winning sponsor would then be declared the birdman. There are also replica Rapa Nui houses. These were used only for sleeping and thus have low ceilings. You could basically only crawl in them.

Our last stop was a cave. There was a spectacular sunset and the paintings inside were just beautiful. One of the most amazing sites.

Tonight the Canadian couple and woman from Texas and myself had dinner at a restaurant called Haka Honu. We stared with Pisco Sours and ordered a bottle of wine. We all had fish for dinner. It was a lovely evening and a great way to spend our last night on the island.

Day 14

This morning was entirely free. The transter to the airport was not arriving until 11:30am. I decided to use the time to go for one last walk and have an ice cream. I had yet to have any this trip and the place I went to had homemade ice cream. Yum! I then found a bench and sat down and contemplated that I actually made it to this wonderful island.

On arrival at the airport you have to put your luggage through the x-ray before you can even proceed to the check in desk. I guess they want to make sure you aren't leaving with anything you shouldn't have. The airport is small. There is a shop outside and a few trinket type shops inside. There is a snack bar as well. All of those are before security. After security, there is a snack bar and one shop. The airport says it has wifi, but it was not working.

They boarded the plane from both ends. I think this actually speeds up the process, but they could only do it because they had stairs at both ends. Most of the time, there can't be two airbridges. The flight left on time for Santiago. I had said goodbye to everyone before we boarded because once we deplaned in Santiago, we were all going to different areas. Some were connecting to flights back to the States and Canada. I was staying on in Santiago.

On arrival, I picked up my luggage and found the official taxi booth. I had read so many horror stories about taking taxi's and people getting robbed, etc, because they didn't use the airport designated taxi's. I paid my $20,000 peso's( about $10 CAD) and headed to my hotel. It was about 8:30pm . (Santiago is 2 hours ahead of Easter Island). While I was riding in the taxi, the driver asked if he could book my return trip to the airport. So, I arranged that and it was one less thing I would have to do. I arrived at the Park Plaza around 9:15. I had a corner room, so I had a nice view in two directions. There are restaurants and shops in the area and a metro station, less than 5 blocks away. 

Given the late hour and the fact that I hadn't had dinner yet, I elected to eat in the hotel restaurant. It was really nice for a hotel restaurant. I had the duck. I couldn't get over how many people were there eating at that hour. Normally, i don't eat anywhere near that late. For Chileans, this par for the course. I don't know how they go to bed on such full stomachs and get up for work. At that hour, I'm contemplating bed on a worknight. 

Off to bed for me.

Day 15

I had once again sought out a local company to take me around Santiago and area. One of the places I had read about on the internet was the town of Valparaiso. This town is about an hour and a half from Santiago and is a popular holiday spot for Chileans. I found the company through reviews on the internet and arranged a day trip.

My guide, Folke (Scandinavian name, but born and bred in Chile), arrived at my hotel at 9am to pick me up. He advised me that I picked a good day to go to Valparaiso because the next day is a holiday and with it being a long weekend, it would take forever to get out of town. I learned that Chileans are very independent people and everyone owns a car and uses it. They don't like to car pool or take transportation and hence trafffic is a nightmare. I asked if the government was considering charging people to bring their cars into certain areas, like they do in London, to discourage people from taking them. Such a charge is not in the cards.

On arrival, we looked at a church that had earthquake damage ( Chile is prone to earthquakes). As a result, the church has not been used. There are a fair bit of repairs needed.

If you've ever been to St. John's Newfoundland, this is what Valparaiso reminds me of. There are many colourful houses and a good portion of it is built on a steep hill and there is a large port. The only difference is, the hill in Valparaiso is much much steeper. The roads go on and on. There are 3 different funicular points to get a bit of the way to the top.

I had mentioned to Folke that I had an intersest in Art, so he took me to a museum that had been formed out of an old mansion. There were many wonderful paintings in the museum. Folke told me he had been in the navy so he was parital to some of the paintings of ships. One in particular caught my eye. It was spectacularly done.

There was a little market outside and I bought a couple of inexpensive scarves.

We stopped at a lookout to admire the views. Many are lucky enough to have a property with a view.

We stopped in the main square so I could take photos of the Armada de Chile, and a really neat buiding which has an old style facade that has heritage protection but has a modern building built within it.

We stopped in a shop that made candy and watched them making candy and in a jewelery shop to see some jewlery being made (this was not forced on me and was not for the purpose of selling me anything. I just want to make that clear).

I had lunch at a nice restaurant, although the meal was nothing to write home about.

There is even a building that covered in historic coca cola signage.

Later we drove to Vina del Mar, another popular spot. This one has a beautiful clock made of plants and there is a Moai statue outside of a museum.

Folke said many people fly into Santiago and then they go to one of three places: San Pedro del Atahama, Patagonia or Easter Island, but few people from far away see Santiago and area.

After dropping me at my hotel for the evening and arranging the pick time for tomorrow, I freshened up and then went down and had dinner again in the restaurant. I was tired and cold and didn't feel liek venturing back out.

I have to say, the weather stations had all said it would be around 22. So I wore a short sleeve shirt and capri's. I had a light sweater but had my fleece in my backpack. Thank goodness I did, because I can say that it didn't get anywhere near 22 and it was downright freezing. It was the coldest day of the whole two weeks.

Day 16

Folke arrived at 8:30am today since I didn't have as much time. My taxi for the airport was arriving at 2:30pm. The hotel was nice enough to allow me to keep the room until 3pm at no extra charge. So I didn't have to finish packing right then.

Our first stop was at the San Cristobal hill. Today was a holiday, so there was no traffic. This helped us get around the city because Folke wanted to show me a number of things. There were many people biking and jogging up the hill. There is a restaurant at the top. The main thing is the absolutely incredible view of Santiago.

One thing Santiago does have a problem with is smog. This is due to all the cars. There was a bit of a level of fog/smog, but you could still see. The city is set below mountains. If you live in Banff or Canmore, this probably wouldn't be anything special for you, but I was awestruck at the beauty of it. 

We then headed for the main square. Unfortunately, the entire thing is under renovation and scaffoldingn was everywhere. They had a covering with a picture of the cathedral on the cathedral. I took a picture, but it's not the same. We did go inside and it is very nice. We didn't spend too much time because there was a service going on.

He then took me to the pre-colombian museum. I could spend as much time as I wanted here. It's a really nice musem. Similar to the Larco museum in Lima. My favourite part was the section called Chile before Chile. This deals with the many ancient civilations in Chile and around the world and has a full case of Easter Island artifacts.

We then walked to the Presidential Palace to have a look. Folke took me to the metro station so I could see how they do them up there. The interior looks like any tube or metro station, but instead of ads, they have huge murals and paintings.

Last stop was the Church of Sanfrancisco. This is a very old church with modern bits added to it.

One interesting item is that there are many places and a street named after Benardo O'Higgins. i mentioned this very Irish name and asked the importance. He was the person who gave (freed) Chile it's independance from Spain. 

After a quick lunch, I returned to my room to pack up. i was mostly packed. i had done a big pack on Easter Island and didn't bother to really unpack since I was only staying a short time. I did switch out my backpack for my larger collapsible carry on for the trip home.

The taxi I prebooked arrived on time and we headed to the airport. The line for Air Canada was not yet open. When I got up to drop the bag, the ticket agent told me there was not a seat to be had on the flight. Lucky I had pre selected my seat. This is a direct non stop flight to Toronto. Many flights route through the US. That is why this one is very popular.

There is no free wifi at the airport. You have to buy something at a restaurant to get a password. There is shopping after security, which is nice. There are a lot of Britt shops. I had seen them in Costa Rica and LIma.

The flight (11 plus hours) left on time at 6:30pm. It was a long flight. I didn't get much sleep and watched about 5 movies. We landed just before 6am in Toronto. There was no change in time.

Day 17

I went through customs and immigration. You just fill out your card, put it in the machine, it spits out a receipt, you show it to the official waiting, he asked what kind of food I had. I indicated the quinoa. I was waved through , picked up my luggage, handed my card off again to get out of the baggage area, dumped my luggage on the connection carosel and headed for security.

After security, I headed for the lounge. As I had to wait until 9:30am for my final flight home, I decided to use a lounge pass and take advantage of the free breakfast, wifi and comfy chairs.

My next flight was on time and I arrived at my front door around 2:30pm after a wonderful two weeks.

Thank you Trafalgar and everyone else who made this trip such a spectacular one.