Day 36
San Pedro to Caldera, Chile
My last night in San Pedro I got tired of sitting around...so I went on a tour to Moon Valley.....and thankfully I did! It was one of the most beautiful and spiritual places I have even been. Huge red rock formations, massive terra colored sand dunes and one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen......but better than the sunset, was the moon rise. They tell you in Moon Valley the Moon dances into the sky. I thought it was a medaphor...but its true. It bounces and wiggles and lights up the night in a full red splendor. Its impossible to get a good photo.
Unfortunately....it was one of the most romantic experiences of my life....and I was there with 7 Chinese girls and a couple from New Zealand!.....I guess you can´t have it all!
Caldera, Chile
Reunited!...And it was almost easy. :)
Yesterday at 8am I boarded my 11 hour bus ride to Caldera on the coast of Chile. Rich was already happily there suba diving!
Anyhow....I really don´t mind long bus rides and the first 11 hours went just fine. I took a xanax when I got on and happily slept the first five hours! I woke to find the scenery had not changed from the same red desert sand, so I watched a couple of episodes of LOST in Spanish, but quickly realized that if LOST is confusing in English...I was never going to get it en Espanol! So I drank a bottle of wine and slept the next four hours! When I woke....still red dust out the windows...but thats OK....I only had an hour to go.
Then just as I was getting antsy....there it was a sign in the sand saying "Welcome to Caldera." And there it went.........................................
We kept driving for another 45 minutes. Having no idea how big the town was I stayed calm.....but after an hour and nothing had happened I tried to get the driver´s attention....."No PARA en Caldera." He told me. WHAT!!!!!!! No stop in Caldera! Help! This bus was going to Santiago....12 hours further South! NOOOOOOOO!
So finally I talked them into dropping me off....but now I am an hour South of Caldera where Rich is happily waiting for me at the Bus Station. AHHHHH....welcome to Chile....this country does not seem to like us.
I waited an hour, cried a bit, and finally talked some guy into helping me find another bus headed to Arica (15 hours North) and convincing them to drop me in Caldera, 16 hours after I started!
Ahh...but I am here and I learned some new swear words in Spanish. :)
Caldera/Bahia Iglasias is a very small beach town at the edge of the desert. It is quite and charming. A bit like you may have expected a quaint town in Florida to be in 1920. One big Deco style hotel, a bunch of places offering "cabinas" two or three beach shack restaurants, and a bunch of stands selling shells and things made of them. We have not seen any other foreign tourists here and that can both be disconcerting and enjoyable at the same time.
One thing we did not know before arriving is that Caldera is a hot bed for fossil finding! They have found dinasaur bones and whale spines and pre-historic shark teeth, by the plentitude here.....so this afternoon we are going on a digging mission. Rich is very into it!
Our hotel has a little puppy and it gives me pangs of missing Bryce knowing how much he would love the puppy....but hearing my Mother´s comments on how much he loves the ship confirms for me we did the right thing sending him off on the cruise.
But, Mom....make him go on the expeditions! Trust me, he will love it once he goes....just like I promised you he would love the Broadway shows!
P.S. No Alan....you do not know everything! She did "man" the rover....in her own words....she "drove the computer" to help dictate where the Rover drove and stopped and etc... That is called "manning" it....you don´t have to actually be inside it or even with it......I´ll give her your email address to explain it! She has some very interesting theories I will explain some other time....but they may be taught to our children in school someday!
Love,
Betsy
San Pedro to Caldera, Chile
My last night in San Pedro I got tired of sitting around...so I went on a tour to Moon Valley.....and thankfully I did! It was one of the most beautiful and spiritual places I have even been. Huge red rock formations, massive terra colored sand dunes and one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen......but better than the sunset, was the moon rise. They tell you in Moon Valley the Moon dances into the sky. I thought it was a medaphor...but its true. It bounces and wiggles and lights up the night in a full red splendor. Its impossible to get a good photo.
Unfortunately....it was one of the most romantic experiences of my life....and I was there with 7 Chinese girls and a couple from New Zealand!.....I guess you can´t have it all!
Caldera, Chile
Reunited!...And it was almost easy. :)
Yesterday at 8am I boarded my 11 hour bus ride to Caldera on the coast of Chile. Rich was already happily there suba diving!
Anyhow....I really don´t mind long bus rides and the first 11 hours went just fine. I took a xanax when I got on and happily slept the first five hours! I woke to find the scenery had not changed from the same red desert sand, so I watched a couple of episodes of LOST in Spanish, but quickly realized that if LOST is confusing in English...I was never going to get it en Espanol! So I drank a bottle of wine and slept the next four hours! When I woke....still red dust out the windows...but thats OK....I only had an hour to go.
Then just as I was getting antsy....there it was a sign in the sand saying "Welcome to Caldera." And there it went.........................................
We kept driving for another 45 minutes. Having no idea how big the town was I stayed calm.....but after an hour and nothing had happened I tried to get the driver´s attention....."No PARA en Caldera." He told me. WHAT!!!!!!! No stop in Caldera! Help! This bus was going to Santiago....12 hours further South! NOOOOOOOO!
So finally I talked them into dropping me off....but now I am an hour South of Caldera where Rich is happily waiting for me at the Bus Station. AHHHHH....welcome to Chile....this country does not seem to like us.
I waited an hour, cried a bit, and finally talked some guy into helping me find another bus headed to Arica (15 hours North) and convincing them to drop me in Caldera, 16 hours after I started!
Ahh...but I am here and I learned some new swear words in Spanish. :)
Caldera/Bahia Iglasias is a very small beach town at the edge of the desert. It is quite and charming. A bit like you may have expected a quaint town in Florida to be in 1920. One big Deco style hotel, a bunch of places offering "cabinas" two or three beach shack restaurants, and a bunch of stands selling shells and things made of them. We have not seen any other foreign tourists here and that can both be disconcerting and enjoyable at the same time.
One thing we did not know before arriving is that Caldera is a hot bed for fossil finding! They have found dinasaur bones and whale spines and pre-historic shark teeth, by the plentitude here.....so this afternoon we are going on a digging mission. Rich is very into it!
Our hotel has a little puppy and it gives me pangs of missing Bryce knowing how much he would love the puppy....but hearing my Mother´s comments on how much he loves the ship confirms for me we did the right thing sending him off on the cruise.
But, Mom....make him go on the expeditions! Trust me, he will love it once he goes....just like I promised you he would love the Broadway shows!
P.S. No Alan....you do not know everything! She did "man" the rover....in her own words....she "drove the computer" to help dictate where the Rover drove and stopped and etc... That is called "manning" it....you don´t have to actually be inside it or even with it......I´ll give her your email address to explain it! She has some very interesting theories I will explain some other time....but they may be taught to our children in school someday!
Love,
Betsy
posted by The Herald Family at 9:57 AM
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