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Tuesday, February 4, 2014

Santiago Day 54/55 Feb 3/4 14

 

Spent the last couple days resting and using the internet to post my bike for sale; as well as; looking back on some of what I observed or mentioned but not in detail.

It is interesting to note that Restaurants in Chile and especially Argentina usually open for a couple hours around lunch then close until 8 or 9 pm in the evening………so don’t expect to eat at our accustom times…..

Next….signs in most public, small hotels,campgrounds and hostels not to flush toilet paper down the toilet…put it in the waste paper basket next to the toilet….maybe they recycle it……also be prepared to have your own paper with you……it is not often supplied……in the service centres 1 dispenser is on the wall near the toilets….take what you need before the job…… I found this odd as the soil conditions for septic systems looks great.

Breakfast is usually included in your stay but generally consists of instant Nescafe, 2 rolls or small croissants, jam and tang juice….rarely will you get eggs though we did in a hostel in Coyhaique Chile with toast, also rare.

Ordering a Hamburgaisa ( Hamburger ) won’t often be what you expect…….generally this is what you get…what varies is the size….In Rio Gallegos I wondered why my order was taking so long….didn’t complain, I had a quart cerveza keeping me busy. When it arrived, I just stared at it……it covered a dinner plate consisting of 1st dinner plate size ground hamburger patty ,a layer of shredded lettuce, layer ham covered in melted cheese like a pizza and 3 fried eggs on top………no bun…no I only ate 1/2 ….lol

Cerveza is generally less expensive than a coke with your meal……..Pepsi sells for 2/3 the price of Coke and Steak in Argentina is delicious.

Line ups for fuel is common in Argentina……longest wait about 1 1/2 hours……….it’s a must to carry extra fuel as at times stations are far apart.

The wind is relentless, dangerous and you can expect over 1500k each way…..of this condition….most often the wind is from the west with gusts on a calm day of 50k plus……I don’t know how the bicyclist handle this……my bike was knocked over twice on its stand and pushed off the road once.

I showed pics of abandoned railways and thought that no operating rail except city lines existed. I was wrong, though it is 1/2 of what it was after the 2nd World War when it peaked at over 40000 km of line in 5 different gage sizes……..today at least 4 sizes are used….some on small private Tourist Trains like the one in my pic at Esquel which runs from Esquel to El Maiten a distance of 330 km…..Another worth mentioning is in Ushuaia…Viejo Expresso Patagonia known as ( The End of The World Train ) it operates daily carrying tourist into Terra del Fuego National Park….this track built to carry supplies from the Ushuaia Wharf to the Prison in Terra del Fuego which closed in 1947….then the railway in 1952 until someone saw an opportunity…….http://www.trendelfindelmundo.com.ar/

Check this link out and click on the buttons to get the history….

 

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