Santiago

I´m in Santiago for the last leg of my trip before I head out to the Island. I´ve enjoyed seeing the sights and had a good night out in the city with some Brazilian med students and a couple from Dundee, all of whom I met at the hostel. However, I´ve been getting frustrated enough with Chileans that I think I should reflect on the best things in this country and the worst in Argentina, I´m starting to get a bit down on it. The problem with seeing Chile after being in Argentina is that Chile is more expensive, and the people are much less friendly (to the point of sometimes being total jerks), harder to understand, and less attractive. It´s a bit like visiting Austria after visiting Australia. Yes, Austria is a perfectly nice place in its own right, with some admirable qualities. But it still would be a bit of a letdown. So in an effort to give Chile a fair shake, here it goes:

2 Worst Things about Argentina

1) Bus Drivers

A help wanted ad for a bus driver in Argentina might read something like: ´Do you suffer from rage attacks? Do you require a profession where you can drink on the job? Is your vision impaired in one or both eyes? If you answered yes to all of these questions, an exciting career awaits you trying to kill your fellow man as a bus driver in (insert Argentine city).´ I´ve been some places with bad drivers, I´ve been to Boston and New Jersey, but for a combination of recklessness and bloodlust, no one can match Argentine busdrivers. They actually speed up when you´re in the crosswalk...and they have a red light they´ve just blown through!

2) Getting Change

It may be a holdover from the currency crisis, but it is impossible to get change in Argentina, no one seems to have small bills and coins. Anywhere. People in shops are genuinely upset and disappointed when you don´t have exact change. They´re explanation for the coin shortage? The buses. Everyone has to have exact change to ride them so they hoard the change. Again, the buses are an enemy to man.


2 Best Things about Chile

1) Efficiency

The flip side of the lack of typical latin warmth and energy is that Chile is as efficient as a northern hemisphere country; the metro is excellent and spotless, services run quickly and predictably, and the airport is nicer than SeaTac. It is somewhat of a relief to know things will work as they should when you need something

2) The Land and Climate

That is Chile´s true blessing; incredible natural beauty in land rich with resources. Further, the climate in middle chile is perfect. Not too hot, and sunny 100of the time in Spring and Summer. It´s gorgeous. It´s one of the reason wine producing is so successful here, rain during the harvest season is almost unheard of.

There. That wasn´t so hard. Now I like Chile again. Off to an asado (BBQ) at the hostel. Will post again from Easter Island....