Seen in Santiago, Chile, made in Birmingham, England...
Yesterday we made the long trek-a 10 hour journey-from Torres del Paine National Park via Punta Arenas airport to Santiago. The weather had broken so it was pouring with rain and travelling south in order to travel north made the journey seem even more bizarre, especially when we left the national park and crossed the pampas . It really did feel as though we were beginning to fall off the edge of the world, especially when we saw the sign pointing left for Tierra del Fuego and saw its landmass in the distance.
In fact Chile is a strange mixture-both influenced by Europe in the past and yet not at all European now. We have had various experiences that have brought this home to us. For instance, when we did our hike to the Base of the Towers in order to get to the starting point we had to cross over an iron bridge made in Worcestershire sometime, I would guess, in the later part of the 19th century yet none of the young guides at Explora had been to Europe or had any intention of going. Similarly, Judith, our guide today, was very adamant that Chile has no special connection with Europe and especially not with Spain, which is seen as the oppressor, even though many Chlenos must have Spanish ancestry. On the other hand, today in the Central Market in Santiago, where we had lunch in one of the fish restaurants, we discovered that the spectacular iron roof had been made in Birmingham at around the same time. It reminds us of how small the world has always been.
Tomorrow we are going to Valparaiso to see the sea (of which Chile has a great deal, although so far we have only seen it from the air)...more to follow....
In fact Chile is a strange mixture-both influenced by Europe in the past and yet not at all European now. We have had various experiences that have brought this home to us. For instance, when we did our hike to the Base of the Towers in order to get to the starting point we had to cross over an iron bridge made in Worcestershire sometime, I would guess, in the later part of the 19th century yet none of the young guides at Explora had been to Europe or had any intention of going. Similarly, Judith, our guide today, was very adamant that Chile has no special connection with Europe and especially not with Spain, which is seen as the oppressor, even though many Chlenos must have Spanish ancestry. On the other hand, today in the Central Market in Santiago, where we had lunch in one of the fish restaurants, we discovered that the spectacular iron roof had been made in Birmingham at around the same time. It reminds us of how small the world has always been.
Tomorrow we are going to Valparaiso to see the sea (of which Chile has a great deal, although so far we have only seen it from the air)...more to follow....
posted by Team Tierney | 10:55 PM
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