Chile, Days 1 & 2: Santiago and Copiapo

I am sitting here on the bed in my hotel room in Copiapo with my laptop propped against my knees, much too tired to write anything of significance. But I am hopeful that I can maintain a blog during my time in Chile, even if it is only a modest couple of lines on every (or most) nights.

One good thing about writing (or trying to) is that the laptop is, I believe, the only source of heat in my room and it's nice to be holding it close. I am a little chagrined to admit that it really does feel cold here. After all, as Canadians we know better than anybody what cold weather is. I had been checking the weather reports for northern Chile for the past couple of weeks and the temperatures have been hovering in the low 20's during the days; down to the low 'teens during the night. Twenty-four degrees: THAT'S not cold, surely! But it honestly feels like I have skipped summer and landed straight into early autumn. The air is clear and sharp, the leaves are gone from many of the deciduous trees, there is a tinge of wood-smoke in the air, and people everywhere are bundled in scarves, toques, and heavy winter coats. The warm coats really are a necessity because most buildings are not heated. At the college where I am working, everybody sits in their offices, filing papers and typing away on their computers all from within zipped-up bulky jackets.

Another thing I am chagrined about is the mountains. In Cranbrook, we live right up against the Rocky Mountains and we are used to bragging about them to our less-well-endowed visitors. When I have travelled in the past I have brought a few postcards of the Rockies to show others where I live but this time I will be too embarrassed to take them out of my suitcase. The Andes in this neck of the world seem much bigger and more impressive. The mountains backdropping Santiago just take your breath away.

I've been here in Chile less than a day and a half and (given my fatigue after almost 36 hours of travelling to get here) it's hard to see beyond first impressions at this point. The only other part of Latin America that I've seen is Ecuador and I can say that Chile seems much different. It's cooler, of course, and doesn't feel tropical at all in this winter season. And -- in downtown Santiago and in Copiapo, at least -- the streets are paved, sidewalks and public spaces are tiled and clean, people look properous. Even the stray dogs that seem to wander about everywhere are bigger, fatter, and generally look quite happy.

Tomorrow thank goodness is a national holiday: the feast day for the patron saint of Chile. This means a day off (already!) and a chance to sleep in and catch up from all the travelling. I also have to catch up on a bit of work that's accumulated (THAT didn't take long!) but I can't wait to walk around and explore the streets of Copiapo.

[Note: photos for this blog are here.]