Eastbay1K
Jan 3, 06, 9:18 pm
Continued from Part I (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?p=5102315#post5102315)
El Poder del Mar
The stop in Puerto Montt wasn’t really in the plan this year, but I did it anyways because there was a 3 night minimum away from SCL for a lower fare to PUQ (Punta Arenas), and 3 nights in PUQ is too long. And so, a stop in PMC and another quick stay at the Hotel O'Grimm (http://www.ogrimm.cl) again is what happened. The O’Grimm is in serious need of repair, and I don’t care. Friendly, inexpensive, good restaurant, welcomed with open arms. Pto. Montt is developing quite substantially in the last year, with new hotels, the mall doubling in size, and a tall office tower, a new boardwalk, and the same nice people. A late lunch up at Angelmó and a nice walk back, and then a light dinner at the O’Grimm made for a lovely stay in Pto. Montt. And then back to PMC, awaiting the flight further south, in the PacificClub.
PMC/PUQ - Another pleasant Lan flight, although my meal consisted of something that appeared and smelled somewhat like Alpo with Mashed Potatoes.
Me veras en el sur, donde el mar es triste y azul...
I had not been to Pta. Arenas since the end of 2001, on my first long trip to Chile. It is really a pleasant place. This time, I stayed at the hotel Isla Rey Jorge (http://www.islareyjorge.com) which was a lovely little place, reasonable, and convenient. Pta. Arenas was having a downright heat wave (about 20c) even such that the penguins were “schvitzing” with their beaks open. Instead of renting a car, I hired a driver for the ride out to Seno Otway - an older Mercedes came to the hotel, and for about US$60, we had about 4 hours with the driver. The locals were kvetching about the near-record heat. After a couple of days, it was time to return to Santiago.
PUQ (PMC) SCL - the longest time I’ve sat in a cramped coach seat in a long time, but on Lan (Express) it isn’t so bad. There was a hot meal service PUQ/PMC and a sandwich PMC/SCL. Of course, I chose the cannelloni, which was filled with spinach, which I don’t eat. This made me VERY hungry when the sandwich arrived on the next segment. But fear not, I knew thing one after check-in was going to be a trip to Lomit’s for a lomito tomate palta.
Sheraton San Cristobal Tower - always a pleasure to return. Suite was ready and waiting, and already turned down @ arrival. The next day we met my friend who had moved down from La Serena recently - we spent a nice day walking around, having a good fish lunch at the Mercado Central, some vino, and generally just a pleasant afternoon and evening. The following day (31 Dec) Viajero Joven met us at the Tower, and the hotel made up the couch for his sleeping pleasure during his short stay, as they were out of rollaway extra beds. Finally, it was time to meet my other friends to get ready for New Year’s Eve. We met in the city center, had a great pastel de choclo, and then went shopping for dinner. I bought the vino and champagne, taking extra care :) to buy a bottle with a working cork, as last year, as midnight happened, the cork broke off and we just stood there frustrated as all can be while everyone else enjoyed their bubbles.
Bienvenido al anochecer
5 of us, having dinner on a balmy and dry summer’s eve, chowing on grilled dead animals (pig, cow, chicken) and fresh salads was just great. And then, with minutes to spare, we shoved ourselves in a cab that seats 4 including the driver - but when 5 of us got in, well, somehow we made it - and at 2 minutes to midnight he dropped us off in a place where we could run up to the freeway overpass to view the fireworks. Ticktock ticktock, at less than a minute to midnight, I was opening the bottle and .... POP. EXITO! Through my mind, I kept thinking I knew exactly why I keep coming to Chile and why I want to be in exactly the same spot, with the same people, next year.
The following day was around town, nothing exciting, extremely pleasant, and then it was time to go. 6pm checkout at the hotel with no problem, and then back to SCL with a lot of time to spare. The Lan lounge was overcrowded and too warm. Fortunately, they had the Anakena wine along with my obligatory Absolut Mandarin with durazno juice and fizzywater.
Con una lagrima de fe sobre mi piel
And then it was down the jetway, onto the plane, where the first tear didn’t come until we pulled away from the gate. They didn’t last more than a fleeting moment, but sum it all up. I’m not sad as much as happy, and know I’ll be back.
SCL/LAX - A great flight. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne - 2 delicious and well-chilled glasses. Canapes prior to takeoff with a pisco sour. Appetizer cart with centolla (austral king crab), serrano ham, asparagus, salad with toppings (and the choice of oil / lemon juice / balsamico instead of goopy dressings). The main courses were dead cow filet, dead fish, and pasta. I had the fish, which was bad. However, the portion size was so small the FA offered a change of meal for me, which I declined. I then had fruit and the dessert, but passed on the cheese. I had Anakena Sav Blanc, and Almaviva as the courses progressed. Other than the large amount of wine the FA spilled on me (fortunately when I was drinking the white), the flight was great. The prior-to-LIM snack was much reduced from years past, but fine. I passed on the pre-LAX breakfast. And finally, it was back to the third world known as LAX after the peace and civility of mi querido Chile.
It never rains in California
Bull. What a bloody nasty January 2 @ LAX. I don’t remember the last year I landed over the ocean @ LAX. As a Qantas flight was pulling to the gate next to ours, several of us were walking quite quickly to get off the plane and ahead of a 747 full of people. Immigration - quick as can be. Luggage @ LAX - a joke. It isn’t that it took all that long, but Lan @ SCL, they basically have the priority luggage waiting for you when you get through immigration. Here, there’s a “priority” sign, and I heard one worker say to the other “oh let’s let it go around for awhile” before taking any priority bags off the carousel. By the time we got our bags, not a single priority bag had been put where it belonged. Some rocket scientist had decided to pack wine in his checked luggage making for a smelly liquid red mess all over the floor and surrounds. As AS will only put you on AS metal on the connection of a partner award, and the only AS flight of the day was 13 1/2 hours later, we got a room at the Four Points LAX for a few hours of sleep, a few more hours of attempted sleep, and a late breakfast. I’d stay there again.
And then it was back to the third world of LAX Terminal 3, the terminal that time forgot. Check-in took about 45 seconds (well, maybe a few more). But then you have to WAIT in the TSA checked baggage screening line, which took about 45 minutes, just to drop the bag off, and the line got substantially longer after we got in it. Anyone who was flying AS that night was NOT happy. Delays of 3 to 4 hours, missed connections, baggage, etc. The flight to SFO was “on time” and only departed about 50 minutes late. The flight was ... well, interesting. Prior to take off, someone who had apparently gotten off of one of the tequila express flights from Mexico got up and ran to the forward lav (after cabin secured) to the dismay of the FA. We got to hear him purge his tequila. Fun. Between baggage claim, hotel shuttle back where the car was, and drive home, the front door opened at about 12:15 am.
The closing notes. My 10th or so trip to Chile since November 2001. My favorite airline isn’t quite as good as it was, the US $ worth so much less than when I started going, and I can’t wait to go back. I just feel better when I’m there, and I feel better when I get home. Mi querido Chile, te extraño.
El Poder del Mar
The stop in Puerto Montt wasn’t really in the plan this year, but I did it anyways because there was a 3 night minimum away from SCL for a lower fare to PUQ (Punta Arenas), and 3 nights in PUQ is too long. And so, a stop in PMC and another quick stay at the Hotel O'Grimm (http://www.ogrimm.cl) again is what happened. The O’Grimm is in serious need of repair, and I don’t care. Friendly, inexpensive, good restaurant, welcomed with open arms. Pto. Montt is developing quite substantially in the last year, with new hotels, the mall doubling in size, and a tall office tower, a new boardwalk, and the same nice people. A late lunch up at Angelmó and a nice walk back, and then a light dinner at the O’Grimm made for a lovely stay in Pto. Montt. And then back to PMC, awaiting the flight further south, in the PacificClub.
PMC/PUQ - Another pleasant Lan flight, although my meal consisted of something that appeared and smelled somewhat like Alpo with Mashed Potatoes.
Me veras en el sur, donde el mar es triste y azul...
I had not been to Pta. Arenas since the end of 2001, on my first long trip to Chile. It is really a pleasant place. This time, I stayed at the hotel Isla Rey Jorge (http://www.islareyjorge.com) which was a lovely little place, reasonable, and convenient. Pta. Arenas was having a downright heat wave (about 20c) even such that the penguins were “schvitzing” with their beaks open. Instead of renting a car, I hired a driver for the ride out to Seno Otway - an older Mercedes came to the hotel, and for about US$60, we had about 4 hours with the driver. The locals were kvetching about the near-record heat. After a couple of days, it was time to return to Santiago.
PUQ (PMC) SCL - the longest time I’ve sat in a cramped coach seat in a long time, but on Lan (Express) it isn’t so bad. There was a hot meal service PUQ/PMC and a sandwich PMC/SCL. Of course, I chose the cannelloni, which was filled with spinach, which I don’t eat. This made me VERY hungry when the sandwich arrived on the next segment. But fear not, I knew thing one after check-in was going to be a trip to Lomit’s for a lomito tomate palta.
Sheraton San Cristobal Tower - always a pleasure to return. Suite was ready and waiting, and already turned down @ arrival. The next day we met my friend who had moved down from La Serena recently - we spent a nice day walking around, having a good fish lunch at the Mercado Central, some vino, and generally just a pleasant afternoon and evening. The following day (31 Dec) Viajero Joven met us at the Tower, and the hotel made up the couch for his sleeping pleasure during his short stay, as they were out of rollaway extra beds. Finally, it was time to meet my other friends to get ready for New Year’s Eve. We met in the city center, had a great pastel de choclo, and then went shopping for dinner. I bought the vino and champagne, taking extra care :) to buy a bottle with a working cork, as last year, as midnight happened, the cork broke off and we just stood there frustrated as all can be while everyone else enjoyed their bubbles.
Bienvenido al anochecer
5 of us, having dinner on a balmy and dry summer’s eve, chowing on grilled dead animals (pig, cow, chicken) and fresh salads was just great. And then, with minutes to spare, we shoved ourselves in a cab that seats 4 including the driver - but when 5 of us got in, well, somehow we made it - and at 2 minutes to midnight he dropped us off in a place where we could run up to the freeway overpass to view the fireworks. Ticktock ticktock, at less than a minute to midnight, I was opening the bottle and .... POP. EXITO! Through my mind, I kept thinking I knew exactly why I keep coming to Chile and why I want to be in exactly the same spot, with the same people, next year.
The following day was around town, nothing exciting, extremely pleasant, and then it was time to go. 6pm checkout at the hotel with no problem, and then back to SCL with a lot of time to spare. The Lan lounge was overcrowded and too warm. Fortunately, they had the Anakena wine along with my obligatory Absolut Mandarin with durazno juice and fizzywater.
Con una lagrima de fe sobre mi piel
And then it was down the jetway, onto the plane, where the first tear didn’t come until we pulled away from the gate. They didn’t last more than a fleeting moment, but sum it all up. I’m not sad as much as happy, and know I’ll be back.
SCL/LAX - A great flight. Taittinger Comtes de Champagne - 2 delicious and well-chilled glasses. Canapes prior to takeoff with a pisco sour. Appetizer cart with centolla (austral king crab), serrano ham, asparagus, salad with toppings (and the choice of oil / lemon juice / balsamico instead of goopy dressings). The main courses were dead cow filet, dead fish, and pasta. I had the fish, which was bad. However, the portion size was so small the FA offered a change of meal for me, which I declined. I then had fruit and the dessert, but passed on the cheese. I had Anakena Sav Blanc, and Almaviva as the courses progressed. Other than the large amount of wine the FA spilled on me (fortunately when I was drinking the white), the flight was great. The prior-to-LIM snack was much reduced from years past, but fine. I passed on the pre-LAX breakfast. And finally, it was back to the third world known as LAX after the peace and civility of mi querido Chile.
It never rains in California
Bull. What a bloody nasty January 2 @ LAX. I don’t remember the last year I landed over the ocean @ LAX. As a Qantas flight was pulling to the gate next to ours, several of us were walking quite quickly to get off the plane and ahead of a 747 full of people. Immigration - quick as can be. Luggage @ LAX - a joke. It isn’t that it took all that long, but Lan @ SCL, they basically have the priority luggage waiting for you when you get through immigration. Here, there’s a “priority” sign, and I heard one worker say to the other “oh let’s let it go around for awhile” before taking any priority bags off the carousel. By the time we got our bags, not a single priority bag had been put where it belonged. Some rocket scientist had decided to pack wine in his checked luggage making for a smelly liquid red mess all over the floor and surrounds. As AS will only put you on AS metal on the connection of a partner award, and the only AS flight of the day was 13 1/2 hours later, we got a room at the Four Points LAX for a few hours of sleep, a few more hours of attempted sleep, and a late breakfast. I’d stay there again.
And then it was back to the third world of LAX Terminal 3, the terminal that time forgot. Check-in took about 45 seconds (well, maybe a few more). But then you have to WAIT in the TSA checked baggage screening line, which took about 45 minutes, just to drop the bag off, and the line got substantially longer after we got in it. Anyone who was flying AS that night was NOT happy. Delays of 3 to 4 hours, missed connections, baggage, etc. The flight to SFO was “on time” and only departed about 50 minutes late. The flight was ... well, interesting. Prior to take off, someone who had apparently gotten off of one of the tequila express flights from Mexico got up and ran to the forward lav (after cabin secured) to the dismay of the FA. We got to hear him purge his tequila. Fun. Between baggage claim, hotel shuttle back where the car was, and drive home, the front door opened at about 12:15 am.
The closing notes. My 10th or so trip to Chile since November 2001. My favorite airline isn’t quite as good as it was, the US $ worth so much less than when I started going, and I can’t wait to go back. I just feel better when I’m there, and I feel better when I get home. Mi querido Chile, te extraño.