A tour of Santiago, Chile, our last stop

Somethings that I learned about the Santiago tour this morning--

First of all, Santiago is a shortened form of Saint Diego,  (St James) who is the patron saint of Santiago!  Go figure.  It’s runs along the course of the Mapoche River and it’s summer now so the river is reduced to a stream in most spots.  The first time I’ve celebrated my birthday in the summer.  Santiago is a very dry place with no rain during the summer and each night water truck criss-cross the city watering the many trees and plants that have been planted to help with the pollution that hangs over the city.  

The American Embassy looks like a fortress!

A statue of Salvador Allende, the socialist leader who  committed suicide with an AK-47 given to him by Fidel Castro during the 1973 coup that brought Augusto Pinochet to power.  It had been rumored for years that the US CIA was involved in his murder, but a "scientific autopsy" confirmed that he committed suicide.  Allende and Pinochet are still hot topics with both sides of the debate being very adamant in their beliefs as to the pros and cons of both regimes.

Pope Francis is in town!  30years ago, 90% of Chile was self proclaimed Catholic, Now it's 35%.

me on street art

Black neck swans at a city park

A very modern, but  polluted city

Like much of South America, Chile was a colony of Spain until Jose San Martin “liberated” Argentina, Peru and Chile from Spain.  Another hero of the fight for Chilean Independence from Spain was  Bernardo O’Higgins, and the largest and longest street running through Santiago is Avenue Liberator Bernardo O”Higgins.  He was the illegitimate son of an Irish colonial viceroy and a Chilean woman.  He was not acknowledged by his father and until adulthood was known by his mother’s last name.  He was raised by foster parents but must have had resources. He traveled to England and Spain before returning to Chile to take up the cause of freeing Chile from Spain in 1816. 

There is a type of coffee shop in Santiago called coffee with legs. Funny story--google it!  These are coffee houses where you can have coffee served by scantily clad women in very short, tight skirts.  The windows are partially covered with the name of the coffee shop and as we peeked in the windows, all the customers were men sitting at tables ogling the girls.  There are other levels of “coffee with legs” ranging from completely blacked out windows, men only to coffee shops with guards outside—for what purpose, don’t know!

In 1958 when Jorge Alessandri was elected president, he decided that he didn’t want to move the few blocks to the Presidential Palace—he thought he had a better residence, so he walked the few blocks daily- unescorted- from his home to the President’s office.  Ever since, all Chilean presidents have maintained their own homes, and paid their own bills out of their salaries.  Lots has been written in the media about Salvador Allende and the coup d’état in 1973 by Augusto Pinochet.  Even though Pinochet has been out of power since 1990, there is still a great divide between people who him or hate him!  In Chile, as in the US, you vote for the man, not the party.  They have a 3 part legislature with the main part being in Valparisso, a town north about 45 mins and on the ocean.  It’s a very colorful town with a beautiful sea side of restaurant and hotels and brightly colored houses clinging to the hills.

The Diplomatic University in Santiago is where all diplomats from Chile train. To get in, they must be a graduate of 4 year university, speak English fluently, apply and be accepted by the Diplomatic University—didn’t say how long the course was once you’re in the Diplomatic University.

Indigenous people have inhabited this area for thousands of years and relics of these lost civilizations are in the Pre-Columbian Museum right off Plaza des Armas.  The most local tribe was the Mapuches, a fun loving, laid back not particularly hard working group, but when the Incas attached them in the 14^th century –history hasn’t changed much in 700 years!, they realized what brave warrior they were  and went back to their area of Peru around Cusco and Machu Picchu.  Next to try to conquer them was the Spanish with the same results. In fact, the Mapuches were never conquered, but many were killed off by European diseases, and driven slowly off their land as a result of colonization.  The Mapuches have maintained their identity as a culture.  Many members have integrated into Chilean society, become educated and studied the law and medicine.  These modern day, educated Mapulches are now suing the Chilean government for their ancestral land back.  Several lawsuits are going through the court system and in additions, other Mapuches are fighting for these same rights with guns and some are considered terrorists.

Gay pride

Home tomorrow!

New Island

Our last stop in the Falklands was New Island and it's rich history of whaling and sealing and being thee home to the first factory whaling ship to ply the southern ocean in 1905.  This island is owned by the New Island Conservation Trust which has restored the stone hut built my thee marooned American sealer Captain Bernard, which is now a museum with information and artifacts from the whaling period.  Sitting in the water at the front of the hut is the Canadian Minesweeper, "the Protector", which was apparently brough south from Canada in a failed sealing enterprise.  The long walk took us through rugged terrain to steep cliffs and seals and rockhopper penguins.  The wind here is fierce.  Not so cold, but the wind is brutal!

rockhopper penguin

old building New Island

black browed albatross sitting on egg

black browed albatross chick in nest

doesn't Chris have the same hairdo as a rockhopper

back view of rockhopper

They are so cute!!!!!!

Carcass Island

What a strange name for a beautiful place-Carcass Island.  Our second stop in the Falklands was  a small island--there  750 of them- that's an active sheep ranch  owned by the McGill Family for thee last 35 years.  During the summer months, the island is open to tours to see many many Falkland Island birds, of which I know very little and the burrowing Magellanic penguins.

CaraCara -this bird is big--about the size of a bald eagle. They have coexisted with  people for a long time and are not afraid of us, are curious and walk/fly very close to check us out.

  

Male and female kepl geese.  The females are very well camouflaged! 

looking back at the McGill settlement

Upland Geese are everywhere on the grassy slopes above the water

Male kelp goose--or is it the female?


Chris and I chose to do the longer walk being dropped on Dyke Beach--another wet landing--and took a short walk across the island to a white sand beach without wind!  A rarity on the whole trip.  This far south is very windy.  After the reprieve from the wind and  walk on a white sand beach, we followed the red flags that our the crew put out to keep us out of the penguin's territory and away from their burrows that are buried in the ground.  It's nesting season and lots of babies

Magellanic penguin burrow

Magellanic Penguin

Magellanic Penguin sittingon an egg


We walked back to the McGill settlement on a 3 milles trail arcing around the bay.  Lots of kelp geese in down by the water and Upland Geese--upland.

Chris and I on the trail

What this Island is know for is the tea that is served to guests.  The table is piled with many varities of cookies and coffee or tea is served.  Yummy!

 Lots of flowers along the way

The very self sufficient settlement

LOTS of flowers along the way.

Falkland Islands

When our trip dates got changed last year, as a sweeter to us, the company added 3 days in the Falkland Islands for the same price.  Have to admit that I knew very little about the Falklands other than there was a war there sometime when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of England in the 1980s.  So it was a pleasant surprise to see what a beautiful place the Falkland actually was.  We came into Stanley Harbor at 7 AM on a sunny morning with the colorful seaside houses an inviting site after 2 weeks of mostly ice, snow and the ocean.  The Falkland Islands have a population of 3,200 with 2,500 living in the capital of Stanley. Stanley is called town and everything out of Stanley is called a “camp”.  It was also exciting because we pulled up alongside a dock instead of a wet landing in a zodiac. 

circa 1840 house in Stanley 

The WWI memorial

Another view of the WWI memorial.

Government House, Stanley, governors serve a 2 year term

Beautiful flowers everywhere

housing built to commerate thee Jubilee of Queen Victoria

Fishing (and the issuing of fishing licenses ) is the biggest industry, followed by tourism an agricultural activities, i.e. sheep. Historically, there is a long maritime past with whaling being a major industry as well as a harbor for ship going to Antarctica regions or needing repairs.  Sheep were introduced and flourished  The Falklands is comprised of 730 separate islands with a ferry between E. Falkland, where Stanley is, and W. Falkland, but air is the way to travel.  Small commuter airlines service the islands.  You need to call them , tell them where you need/want to go, how much you weigh, how much your luggage weighs and the airline will call you back when you can go.  There is a radio station where all this info is broadcast constantly.  There are no secret to who is going where and with whom, and for how long.  The set price is 137 Falkland pounds for a round trip.  (Falkland pounds have the same value as British pounds sterling, but are only good in the Falklands).

I won’t go into detail about the Falkland War, but it stated in 1982 when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands to take it for Argentina. Their claim to the islands is based on an event in 1833 when the British kicked out the Argentines and claimed it for a British colony. The war last for 72 days during which time 255 Brits, 3 Falkland islanders, and 765 Argentines died.  They are still removing landmines planted during the war.  Many books are written, and continue to be written about this war.  Argentina still has claims of sovernity over the islands.  There are signs in windows saying that  Argentines are not welcome until they drop their claims again the islands.  One the other hand, our guides, Silia and Marina became tearful when talking about the war and spent our day there taking a very expensive cab ride to the Argentine cemetery in Darwin. They refer to the island by the Argentine name of the Malvinas. Both England and Argentina have been accused by the other of causing the war to distract from other problems in their countries.  A few ill prepared Argentine soldiers were no match for the British navy and after 72 days, the Falklands was declared an overseas territory of the UK and it’s residents were given British citizenship.  In 2013, the Falklanders voted on a referendum of what they wanted.  92% of the population voted with 99.8% voting to keep their status with the UK.

There are no native trees on the islands and peat was a source of fuel for settlers into the 1970s when propane became common.   Now 40-60% of the power is wind mills. The UK took a greater interest in the Falklands after the war and invested time, money and other resources into the country with some amazing results of a new school, a new hospital, and money into infrastructure with active input of the Falkland population.  The Falklanders main income at this point comes from selling fishing licenses to other countries to fish the waters around the Falklands.  Prior to the Falkland War, it was a "grab as much as you can" by other countries, mostly Argentina, and the UK  didn't pay too much attention to the colony.  Now there is a licensing agreement between the Falklands and people who fish the ocean around the Falklands.  In fact, it is the biggest industry right now.

One of our optional tours was a visit to Bluff Cove Lagoon, a private wildlife haven that has been owned by the same family for 35 years.  They have a sheep ranch but what we were going to see was the penguin colony.  Penguins go where penguins want to go.  It's not like you can start a colony with some penguins, or rest assured that they'll stay if they are there.  The British post office site on Lockroy, Antarctica was decided because there wasn't a penguin colony there--well, that has changed!  There is a big colony all around the post office currently.  

King penguins.  Looks like their dress is too long.  That bunched up
panus is covering an egg.  They only have one egg a year and it sits on their
feet to incubate.  Again, both male and female King penguins take turns
taking care of the egg and trade the egg between feet to allow them to go to the ocean
to eat.

Mixed in with the Kings are Gentoo penguins.  They don't seem to have separate territories and are intermixed. 

There's an egg under there

coming back from the water.

me and the penguin colony

And at Bluff Cove, I purchased a jar of Diddle Dee berry jam.  They are red berries that grow on low ground cover looking plants.  Yet another thing that I've never heard of!

Historic huts and explorers

The beginning of the 20th century was a great age of Arctic and Antarctic exploration.  I found the stories of these men extremely heroic.  They had to find funding for these exploration trips--no easy task in itself,  left homes and families in Norway, England, American to spend the next couple of years in some of the harshest conditions imaginable!  Two books that I really enjoyed reading were Endurance: Shackleton's  Incredible Journey by Alfred Lansing and The Last Place on Earth:Scott and Amundsen's Race to the South Pole by Roland Huntford. If you have any interest in the journeys of 3 of these men, their stories almost feel made up.  I cannot imagine anyone that I know being brave enough, strong enough, or willing to commit the time to a journey such as that.

A replica of Amundsen's Tent on Damoy, 

A British research hut, now a museum on Damoy

Inside the research hut

 Antarctica has been a place for research and exploration for the last 120 years and continues to be.  Antarctica's only activity is research, but there are some strange or maybe unusual is a better word, things that go on in Antarctica.  There is a post office at Port Lockroy, aka Penguin Post is run by 4 individuals who are chosen from about 1500 applicants who spend mid November to mid March on an island in Antarctica about 600 miles from the furthest point of Chile.  The pay is $1700 a month.  This year, all 4 are women and they were picked up by our ship's zodiac and came onboard so that people could buy postcards, stamps and send mail from Antarctica.  They brought their tools to process many people on the ship proof that they'd been to Antarctica.  The letters and postcards are all hand canceled, put in a blue British royal mail bag that is secured, entrusted to the ship's captain to take to the Falkland Islands and then the Royal Navy flies it to an air base in mid England where it goes into the regular mail.

British royal mail sack sitting in the ships "outgoing mail"

Aside from making money on the 70,000 pieces of mail, it gives the UK a viable claim to Antarctica  if the Antarctica treaty ever goes away.  Argentina, who offers trips to have your baby born on Antarctica and Chile who offers Antarctica weddings, still have pending claims on Antarctica trying to prove that they have some type of claim on Antarctica.  The world and treaty participants, including them, just ignore, but they do keep their presence there.

me in front of a historic building.  I was easy to spot since my waterproof pants were turquoise and everyone else's were black!